Dull, Boring. Uninspired. There are so many ways I could describe Kylie Jenner's fashion editorial in the latest edition of Harper's Bazaar.
I can imagine the banter that went down at the editorial meeting.
Editor 1: "Hey, let's put Kylie in a Marie Antoinette-eske setting"
Editor 2: "That sounds fab! Like, totally pushing the boundaries."
Harper's Bazaar is known for their progressive fashion editorials. Most of the time they get it right. This time, not so much. Fashion editor Joanna Hillman must have given herself a pat on the back for a job well done for this one.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/harpersbazaarus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@harpersbazaarus..💕 pic.twitter.com/CiuzMFt1F0
— Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner)
The shoot shows the makeup mogul striking seductive poses in what we assume is her Kylie Cosmetics office. Taking her cue from Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the French Revolution, she's draped in high fashion pieces, including a Giambattista Valli Haute Couture ball gown.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Harper's BAZAAR(@harpersbazaarus) on Feb 4, 2020 at 5:42am PST
Then there's the image of herself and Stormi seated at a table full of cake. Yes, that famous quote "Let them eat cake" comes to mind - a tad over the top, and some might even agree that it's done in bad taste.
But here's the thing. The whole Marie Antoinette-styled extravagance has been done before. It's old. It's boring. It's unoriginal. One expected so much for a fashion magazine of such caliber.
I'm not the only one to think so. Twitter was quick to jump in.
Is it just me or is this a tad tasteless?? https://t.co/TnP4AYZZmx
— lindy (@Lindyyay) February 4, 2020
The whole Marie Antoinette, vibe, feels a bit dated, pic.twitter.com/4ajVPTbr1V
— Bokang Lehabe (@BokangLehabe) February 4, 2020
This is so dull!!
— Vuyo under Score (@Vuyo_DwebaG) February 4, 2020
It's a pity though. The magazine's May 2019 cover featuring Rihanna was a work of art. Radiant and dazzling, it highlighted the singer's dramatic personality.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Harper's BAZAAR(@harpersbazaarus) on Apr 16, 2019 at 9:26am PDT
In their defence, they managed to manifest Jenner's feminine, girly side. And yet, they could have done so much more with what they had.