Gigi Hadid's latest Vogue Italia cover has drawn backlash from fans accusing the publication of digitally altering the model's looks to such an extreme that it looked as if she had a "black face," Fox News reported.
The image, which was snapped by star photographer Steven Klein and revealed by Hadid on Instagram Tuesday, shows her wearing a sequined jumpsuit and sitting in the arms of male model Justin Martin.
However, the usually pale model's skin tone and hair appear several shades darker — a sore point for many who felt that Hadid was no longer recognizable and that it was unfair for black models.
"I swear I couldn't recognize you," one fan commented.
"I don't see the point of hiring someone just to make her unrecognizable," someone else said, adding that it was disrespectful to make someone "look like a different race."
The controversial issue is reminiscent of a similar incident that saw Hadid come under fire for sporting a notably darker skin tone and wearing various afro-style wigs on the December 2015 Vogue cover, The Daily Mail noted.
In 2017, the model received more criticism for "cultural appropriation" after appearing in a 2017 edition of Vogue Arabia wearing a hijab, which is traditionally worn by millions of Muslim women around the world.
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