Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief, has defended the magazine’s controversial February cover featuring Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Harris’ Vogue cover received flak for a “washed out” portrait of the politician while some also criticised the “poor editing” of the picture.

Speaking at The New York Times’ Sway podcast, Wintour expressed that while they “understood” the reaction, it was unintentional on their part. “Obviously we have heard and understood the reaction to the print cover and I just want to reiterate that it was absolutely not our intention to, in any way, diminish the importance of the vice president-elect’s incredible victory,” she was quoted as saying by Independent.

For the February issue, Vogue released a separate print and digital cover. And it was primarily the print cover — with Harris posing in a black blazer and sneakers in the backdrop of pink and green curtains — that disappointed netizens.

In fact, her now digital cover — one in a powder blue suit — was initially meant to be the print cover. But Harris’ team was reportedly unaware of the image switch.

Talking about the magazine’s decision regarding the same, Wintour said there was no “formal agreement” between Vogue and Harris’ team on which cover photo would be used.

“And when the two images arrived at Vogue, all of us felt very, very strongly that the less formal portrait of the vice president-elect really reflected the moment that we were living in which we are all in the midst – as we still are – of the most appalling pandemic that is taking lives by the minute,” she was further quoted as saying.

“And we felt to reflect this tragic moment in global history, a much less formal picture, something that was very, very accessible and approachable and real, really reflected the hallmark of the Biden-Harris campaign and everything that they are trying to, and I’m sure will achieve,” she added.