Gabriella Karefa-Johnson
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991 (age 34–35) |
| Occupations | Fashion editor, fashion stylist |
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson (born 1991) is an American fashion editor and stylist.[1]
Early life and education
The youngest of four siblings, Karefa-Johnson was raised in part by her grandparents after her father died when she was an infant. Her grandmother, Rena Karefa-Smart, was the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Divinity School, while her grandfather, John Karefa-Smart, was the first Foreign Minister of Sierra Leone. She attended the Thacher School in Ojai, California and earned a bachelor's degree from Barnard College.[2]
Career
Karefa-Johnson first joined Vogue as an associate fashion editor for fashion director Tonne Goodman. In 2017, she left Vogue for the fashion director post at Garage.[1] She returned to Vogue after the closure of Garage and became the first Black woman to style a Vogue cover.[2]
During her tenure at Vogue, Karefa-Johnson attracted media attention for her social media comments criticizing Kanye West for presenting "White Lives Matter" shirts at the 2022 Paris Fashion Week. West responded by posting Karefa-Johnson's picture on Instagram with the caption, "This is not a fashion person", exposing her to social media harassment.[3]
In October 2023, Karefa-Johnson left Vogue due to the discomfort she felt at Conde Nast as an outspoken critic of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Gabriella Karefa-Johnson". Business of Fashion. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Friedman, Vanessa (7 February 2024). "Some Fall Out of Vogue. She Walked". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Cai, Della (5 October 2022). "Kanye West, The "White Lives Matter" Shirt, and Gabriella Karefa-Johnson: A Debacle Made for Instagram". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 1 September 2024.