Vogue magazine is facing criticism for a "tone deaf" Instagram post shared on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The post featured throwback photos from the magazine's November 2001 issue, which included model Karolína Kurková posing in New York City in patriotic attire and holding American flags.
The images were originally published less than two months after the attacks and accompanied an article discussing the impact of 9/11 on Fashion Week. Vogue's Instagram caption encouraged followers to "revisit" the piece, originally titled "Amazing Grace" by Sally Singer, to "mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11."
Critics took to the comments section, with many deeming the post inappropriate for the somber occasion. "A bit tone-deaf on a day when the weight of collective grief still feels anything but historical," one user wrote. Others echoed the sentiment, with comments such as "Unbelievable," "Yikes," and "Tone deaf, babe."
Some users contrasted Vogue's post with content from other publications. One comment mentioned that "Harper's Bazaar posted a beautiful article detailing people remembering where they were, how they supported the community of New York, and how the fashion community came together." Another user suggested, "It's not too late to reconsider this post. It clearly doesn't have the impact you were going for."
The original article from the November 2001 issue described the fashion shows that resumed shortly after 9/11, noting they were "punctual, celebrity- and goodie-bag-free" and offered "catharsis, as well as a bracing example of indomitable resolve." It also touched upon the evolving trends in fashion, suggesting that items like "combat boots and pseudo-armor jackets and Cossack coats" would need to be worn in a way that acknowledged their design while considering the post-attack cultural shift. The article also posited that "it would be a shame if fashion lost its humor and sly, subversive streak."
Conversely, some commenters defended the post, praising the photoshoot as "epic" and "beautiful." The images themselves depicted Kurková in various patriotic outfits, including one on a rooftop with an American flag, another with American flag pins on a white suit, and one with a bald eagle. One photo showed the World Trade Center shortly after being struck by planes on 9/11.