the Fashion Spot - Vanity Fair Controversy: Did the magazine lighten Beyonce's skin?

phantasmagoric · 18-10-2005

According to a source spilling to Radar Magazine, Vanity Fair digitally altered Beyonce's image to appear several shades lighter for this month's Vanity Fair cover. The pop diva is the first African-American woman to appear on the cover since Tina Turner in 1993 reports Radar Magazine.
"Everything on the cover is bright, including the white background, to make it seem as white as can be," says the source, who claims that the pop diva's medium-dark complexion was airbrushed to a "Jennifer Lopez shade of bronze" to fit in with the magazine's new aesthetic.

"All the photos of Beyonce had been made so white that Jay-Z literally looked like Alek Wek standing next to her, so then he had to be lightened up, too," says the source

Has anyone seen this issue?

Curious · 18-10-2005

No I haven't seen it in person, but she looks the same as I've always seen her on the cover in the picture

PrinceOfCats · 18-10-2005

Don't magazines often photoshop images?

**fashionista-ta** · 18-10-2005

If you're trying to make someone with dark skin appear lighter, wouldn't white be the worst possible background color?

phantasmagoric · 18-10-2005

whoops forgot to put the source:
http://thebosh.com/archives/2005/10/beyonce_knowles.php

Spacemiu · 18-10-2005

I don't kknow what their intentions are , but alot of magazines make things really light and bright, regardless of skin colour.

tiffany · 18-10-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceOfCats

Don't magazines often photoshop images?

I think they do it practically all the time - and I agree with Spacemiu, most make their images really bright regardless of skin colour

KhaoticKharma · 18-10-2005

I don't think anyone who has posted yet is of any African descent, but it is a big deal in the African American community. She is 'light skinned' anyway, and if anyone thought that the skin lightening was of Beyonces' conscent, she would catch even more flack than usual, especially from black women.

**fashionista-ta** · 18-10-2005

I am a light-skinned Caucasian, and got all kinds of crap growing up for it. I used to wish I were black, figuring that people of color have enough problems that they have better things to do than give each other crap about their skintone. Imagine my surprise when I found out it's an even bigger issue for them

We all need to lighten up on each other--no pun intended

PS It could well be that they were compensating for the effect of the white background. She looks to me much the same as she always does ...

**justlooking** · 18-10-2005

i assume it would be a very big issue for a darker person.

Stylephox · 18-10-2005

In Asian magazines/ads they often airbrush the skin until it's white (like printer paper, FFFFFF white)...it's not that uncommon. Besides the magazines also photoshop actresses to be 'whiter' or more tan depending on the article. Beyonce doesn't look different on that cover...