Vogue’s style-editor-at-large (who also happens to be a German princess) Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis got herself into hot water on social media this weekend with a tasteless photo of a homeless woman in Paris reading an old issue of Vogue. Her tone-deaf caption read, “Paris is full of surprises … and @voguemagazine readers even in unexpected corners.”
When followers, voicing our collective “Yikes,” protested, she commented, “Why cruel? The person to me is as dignified as anyone else!” The gaffe made worldwide news, and she has since deleted the image and posted a touristy photo of Paris with the caption, “I wanted to extend my sincerest apologies for the offense my post has caused. Yours truly Elisabeth.” This isn’t the first time someone has raised an outcry for trying to “fashion-ify” homelessness — think of John Galliano’s spring-summer 2000 collection for Dior — but it’s certainly one of the most glaring examples of late.
