Grazia magazine has apologised to Lupita Nyong’o after the Hollywood star accused the publication of altering her hair on the cover “to fit a more Eurocentric notion” of beauty.
The star, 34, who was raised in Kenya, appears on the front of the UK edition of the fashion magazine, but said she was “disappointed” with the cover.
A spokesman for Grazia said in a statement: “Grazia is committed to representing diversity throughout its pages and apologises unreservedly to Lupita Nyong’o.
“Grazia magazine would like to make it clear that at no point did they make any editorial request to the photographer for Lupita Nyong’o’s hair to be altered on this week’s cover, nor did we alter it ourselves.
“But we apologise unreservedly for not upholding the highest of editorial standards in ensuring that we were aware of all alterations that had been made.”
The Oscar-winning star had posted before and after photographs on Twitter from the magazine shoot.
She told her followers: “Disappointed that Grazia UK edited out and smoothed my hair to fit a more Eurocentric notion of what beautiful hair looks like. #dtmh (don’t touch my hair)”.
And the Star Wars: The Last Jedi actress added on Instagram: “As I have made clear so often in the past with every fibre of my being, I embrace my natural heritage and despite having grown up thinking light skin and straight, silky hair were the standards of beauty, I now know that my dark skin and kinky, coily hair are beautiful too.
“Being featured on the cover of a magazine fulfills me as it is an opportunity to show other dark, kinky-haired people, and particularly our children, that they are beautiful just the way they are.
“I am disappointed that Grazia UK invited me to be on their cover and then edited out and smoothed my hair to fit their notion of what beautiful hair looks like.
“Had I been consulted, I would have explained that I cannot support or condone the omission of what is my native heritage with the intention that they appreciate that there is still a very long way to go to combat the unconscious prejudice against black women’s complexion, hair style and texture.”
Her comments come after Evening Standard title ES Magazine apologised to Solange Knowles over an image of the US singer on its cover.
Knowles, who released a song called Don’t Touch My Hair, complained that her appearance had been altered.
“dtmh (don’t touch my hair) @eveningstandardmagazine”, she wrote on Instagram.
The magazine said in a statement that the photograph was amended for layout purposes but it regretted the offence caused by the finished artwork.
“The decision to amend the photograph was taken for layout purposes but plainly we made the wrong call and we have offered our unreserved apologies to Solange,” it said.
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