Gigi Hadid Apologizes For 'Vogue Italia' Cover Controversy: 'My Intention is Never to Take Opportunities Away from Anyone Else'

Gigi Hadid has taken to social media this afternoon, apologizing for the way her Vogue Italia cover was handled.

The 23-year-old model has been accused of using makeup to darken her face to make her appear to be in blackface – something she was not intending at all.

“This is a photo of me returning home from shooting my Italian Vogue cover on April 3rd…you can see the level I had been bronzed to on set that day. Please understand that my control of a shoot 1. is non existent in terms of creative direction. 2. ends completely when I leave set, and anything done to a photo in post if out of my control fully,” she starts out on Twitter.

Gigi continues, “The bronzing and photoshop is a style that S.Klein has done for many years and I believe was what was expected from the shoot (to show me in a different way creatively), BUT, although I understand what Vogue Italia’s intentions were, it was not executed correctly, and the concerns that have been brought up are valid,” Gigi posted in a statement to Twitter.

“I want to address this for those who were offended by the editing/retouching/coloring of the cover. Please know that things would have been different if my control of the situation was different. Regardless, I want to apologize because my intention is never to diminish those concerns or take opportunities away from anyone else, and I hope this can be an example to other magazines and teams in the future.

She adds, “There are real issues regarding representation in fashion—it’s our responsibility to acknowledge those issues and communicate through them to work towards a more diverse industry.”