Kim Kardashian accused of 'blackface' after 7Hollywood magazine cover shoot

In the Old Hollywood-inspired shoot, the reality star is seen posing in a black sequined dress
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Megan C. Hills20 December 2019

Kim Kardashian-West is embroiled in another racial controversy after photos of her cover shoot for 7Hollywood magazine were published.

In them, the reality star is seen posing in a sequined dress by Mugler and pearls in an Old Hollywood-inspired shoot.

Twitter users have since accused the star of ‘blackface’, after some noted that her skin tone appeared darker than it is normally.

The shoot was directed by Thierry Mugler, who Kim worked with on her Sophia Loren-inspired Met Gala gown this year. In the shoot, she is seen wearing several looks by Mugler as she reclines on a bed in multiple poses.

The photos, posted to Kim’s Instagram, drew backlash from some on Twitter. One wrote, “can we all just leave kim kardashian (the kardashians period) in this decade? they profit and benefit from black women/culture and they have a weird fetish for black men. you can’t tell me this s**t right here isn’t blackface.”

Another wrote, “It says a lot that she continuously pulls these antics to get attention, knowing she'll upset Black women--the same Black women that have supported her businesses. She's a culture vulture in blackface.”

“Rachel Dolezal walked so that Kim Kardashian could run...all the way into blackface with a budget,” one tweeted.

However, a source who was on the set of the photoshoot spoke up on behalf of the Kardashian. The source said, “It’s the lighting that makes her look darker in this specific image. There are multiple covers and images from this shoot where the lighting looks more natural.”

“People are so quick to find the negative in everything and also often forget that she is of Armenian descent,” they continued.

7Hollywood has also experienced backlash on their Instagram account after they posted a photo of the star. They did not respond to it, however they did post an additional photo of Kim as well as a behind the scenes video of the shoot where Kim appears to be closer to her natural skin tone.

Kim has in the past been accused of cultural appropriation, after she attempted to name her shapewear line KIMONO earlier this year and last year after she wore cornrows (which she called “Bo Derek braids”).

Following the braids backlash, Kim said she chose to do the braids because her daughter North “wanted braids and asked if I would do them with her” according to Bustle.

Kim said, “I [do] remember the backlash when I had the blonde hair and that I called them 'Bo Derek braids.' But I obviously know they're called Fulani braids and I know the origin of where they came from and I'm totally respectful of that. I'm not tone deaf to where I don't get it. I do get it.”

“Maybe if I had come out and explained that from the beginning instead of calling them 'Bo Derek braids,' then it wouldn't have gotten such backlash," she continued. "But in no way am I ever trying to disrespect anyone's culture by wearing braids. If anything, my daughter was so excited to see me get matching braids with her. [When] we did her hair in these braids, she was so excited.”

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