Vogue contributing editor-at-large Gabriella Karefa-Johnson came in hot in an anti-Semitic rant on her Instagram account. Then she removed her job title in the bio section when others reacted to her ugliness against Israel.
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Karefa-Johnson updated her profile on Instagram from “global contributing editor-at-large for Vogue” to “many things” without explanation.
Many things?
She is 32-years-old and an editor and stylist for Vogue. Or, she was. It’s unclear if she is still working for the magazine now. She became known as the first black woman to style a Vogue cover. Now she will be known as an anti-Semitic bigot who experienced strong backlash when she ranted against fashion insiders who questioned her beliefs in recent days. Sounds like there was reason to question her.
She called Israel an “apartheid state” that commits “genocide.” She compared the Israeli Defense Forces to a “terrorist organization.” That is a whole lot of ignorance right there.
Not surprisingly, Vogue and its parent company, Conde Nast, are distancing themselves from Karefa-Johnson. One person said Karefa-Johnson is not a full-time employee. She was not instructed to scrub her title by Conde Nast.
“Gabriella’s social media posts and opinions are her own and do not represent those of the company,” the rep said.
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She has styled some big names like Kamala Harris and Selena Gomez. She claims a friendship with model Gigi Hadid, which is interesting because Hadid was slammed on social media for posting an anti-Semitic meme. The Israeli government called her out on it. Hadid is the daughter of a wealthy Palestinian real estate developer. Birds of a feather?
Karefa-Johnson delivered her rant on October 8, the day after Hamas entered Israel and began its massacre. 1,300 children, women, men, and elderly people were murdered. About 200 people were taken as hostages.
“It’s so disappointing to see the utter lack of understanding of the basic tenets and tactics of colonization, and one’s willingness to justify and defend those systems which have only ever oppressed,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories in response to Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza. “Damn. I hate when Instagram shows me what I hope I never know about the people I follow and their horrifying belief systems.”
The stylist, who has also worked for brands like Calvin Klein, Suart Weitzman, Joseph Altuzarra and retailer Target, questioning how people could say “I stand with Israel” while continued strikes hammered Gaza, following Hamas’ refusal to return the hostages.
“I cannot believe that the world is watching in silence as a GENOCIDE — a mass Palestinian extinction plan — is happening before our very eyes,” she continued. “These are WAR CRIMES.”
“‘A mass Palestinian extinction plan’ is very specific language to equate Israel with Nazis,” an outraged fashion executive told The Post. “It’s very manipulative and sick.”
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She posted heated exchanges with other Vogue personnel. It’s important to know who these people are and what they say. Believe them when they tell you who they are.
Vogue editor-at-large Gabriella Karefa-Johnson wipes job title from Instagram after anti-Israel rantshttps://t.co/ugOZCEiBYa pic.twitter.com/NZPjTAPC0v
— Trisha Posner (@trishaposner) October 17, 2023
