Danny Moloshok/Reuters
Karlie Kloss apologized on Wednesday afternoon for a controversial Vogue magazine photo shoot, in which she is dressed in stereotypical Japanese geisha garb. For the shoot, Kloss wears a patterned robe, a black wig, and a painted white face while carrying a basket full of branches and washing her hands in a well. The photo spread created a social media firestorm over the cultural appropriation, leading many to call out previous missteps made by the 24-year-old—for instance, dressing up as Native American in a Victoria’s Secret fashion shoot. “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,” she wrote. “My goal is, and always will be, to empower and inspire women. I will ensure my future shoots and projects reflect that mission. Sincerely, Karlie.” The photo spread was featured in the magazine’s “diversity issue.”