Supermodel Karlie Kloss tweeted an apology early Wednesday after her latest photo shoot drew accusations of cultural appropriation on social media.
In a multi-page spread titled “Spirited Away” in Vogue's March 2017 issue, Kloss is styled wearing a glossy black wig and geisha-inspired makeup. Taken throughout Japan’s Ise-Shima National Park, the photo series features Kloss wearing a selection of kimonos, posing with a sumo wrestler, and walking to a Japanese tea house.
After numerous social media posts accused both Kloss and Vogue of “yellowface,” the magazine took the spread down from its website this week.
“These images appropriate a culture that is not my own and I am truly sorry for participating in a shoot that was not culturally sensitive,” Kloss said in a statement posted to her Twitter account. “My goal is, and always will be, to empower and inspire women. I will ensure my future shoots and projects reflect that mission.”
Vogue did not respond to an NBC News request for comment.
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