Rose's hair was shaved and even shading was applied... British fashion magazine ”ELLE UK” apologizes for ”racism affair”

British fashion magazine ELLE UK has issued an apology following controversy over perceived racial discrimination against BLACKPINK member ROSE.

　On the 3rd (Japan time), ELLE UK issued a statement via its official channel "We sincerely apologise for the issue concerning the cropping of ROSE from a group photograph in a recent Paris Fashion Week post, which was due to a problem with the image size."

　It further stated, "There was no intention to cause offence. The post has been removed, and ELLE UK pledges to do its utmost to create content that fully represents all its readers."

　Previously, on the 29th of last month, ROSE attended the Saint Laurent 2026 Spring/Summer Women's Collection show in Paris, France, as the brand's global ambassador. That day, she stood alongside model Hailey Bieber, model and actress Zoe Kravitz, and British singer-songwriter Charli XCX, posing for cameras and showcasing her status as a global star.

　However, when ELLE UK posted on its official SNS an on-site photograph of the stars attending the show that day, a racial discrimination controversy emerged. A group photo featuring Charlie XCX, Hailey Bieber, Zoe Kravitz, and ROSE was published, but ROSE's image had been cropped out of the edited version. The controversy intensified when Charlie XCX posted a group photo taken in a similar composition to the ELLE UK shot. In her version, ROSE, seated on the far right, appeared deliberately shadowed and darkened.

　Furthermore, footage capturing the situation at the time spread across online communities, amplifying the backlash. The video clearly showed Charlie XCX visibly shifting her body position to converse only with Hailey Bieber and Zoe Kravitz, leaving ROSE visibly excluded. ROSE was seen watching the three of them, her gaze appearing uneasy.

　Global fans monitoring ELLE UK and Charlie XCX's actions condemned the behaviour towards ROSE as amounting to "racism". In response, Charlie XCX appeared to acknowledge the controversy, belatedly releasing several additional photos taken with ROSE. However, this did little to quell the fans' criticism.

　Although ELLE UK eventually conceded defeat and issued an apology, the controversy has not subsided easily.

　Meanwhile, ROSE made history in 2020 as the first Korean to be appointed global ambassador for Saint Laurent, achieving significant success in the fashion world. This January, she was also selected as global ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, generating considerable buzz.

　Her group BLACKPINK is currently in the midst of their 'Deadline' world tour.