Fijian model from Kulukulu, Sigatoka, Phillipa Steele is embroiled in controversy after she was featured in the latest version of US magazine, Teen Vogue.

Teen Vogue features an article by its beauty and health director, Elaine Welteroth, in which she discusses her experiences with Senegalese twists hairstyle.

The online version of the article features photos of Welteroth while the print version used photos of Ms Steele

The hairstyle is most commonly associated with African Americans, but there were people who questioned on social media why Vogue chose to illustrate their feature with only light-skinned models. According to Daily Mail online, some Twitter users accused the magazine of ‘appropriating protective hairstyles’ and picking the ‘lightest skinned black’ people.

‘There are rarely black women on Teen Vogue and one time it is completely necessary, you have your generic white girls in BW hairstyles,’ complained @niaisasquare.

‘Seriously not buying @TeenVogue again. I’m so insulted by this! You interview a White girl about African hairstyles!! Tweeted @JOJOTHAJAWN

On Tuesday, Ms. Steele posted a cryptic message on her Facebook page.

“When people don’t know what’s going on in your life, they speculate. When they think they know, they fabricate. When they do know, they just hate”.

Feedback: ana.sovaraki@fijisun.com.fj