Vogue Brasil editor Donata Meirelles has stepped down following outrage over images celebrating her 50th birthday on Friday (February 8, 2019) at an event at Aclamação Palace in Salvador, Bahia, located in northeast Brasil where an entirely black waitstaff were dressed in traditional dress many viewed as evoking attire worn by slaves serving wealthy families during Brasil’s colonial era.
Meirelles resigned from her role at the publication on Wednesday (September 13, 2019), according to HuffPost. The decision was made by magazine executives on Monday.
Vogue Brasil today issued an “explanatory note” in Portuguese on its Instagram feed. The statement reads: “Regarding the events related to Donata Meirelles’ 50th birthday party, Vogue Brasil deeply regrets what happened and hopes that the debate generated will serve as a learning experience. We believe in affirmative and purposeful actions and also believe empathy is the best route for the construction of a more just society, in which the historical inequalities of Brasil are debated and faced.”
Meirelles reposted the explanatory note and wrote,”At age 50, the hour is action. I’ve heard a lot, I need to hear more. I want to act together with the women who can teach me and with whomever else is willing to be a link in a transformation that is necessary. My commitment is to put me in (re)construction!”
Meirelles posted the images on her Instagram feed on Saturday (February 9, 2019) night and began receiving immediate push back. Brazilian TV presenter Rita Batista and others published images of Meirelles sitting on a peacock wicker chair at the event as surround by black women who wore white, traditional costumes, similar to those worn by Brazilian slaves.
In addition to the image of Meirelles, Batista posted a historical image showing a 19th century slave owner sitting on a chair with two slaves posed next to her. Batista’ caption, which quotes from a book titled Jóias de Crioula, reads, “The slaves of wealthy houses were adorned by their own masters. When they went out into the streets with their ladies or children, they were displayed in fine, jeweled garments. The slave herself was an object of the owner’s ostentation, a luxury object to be shown publicly.”
On Instagram, Meirelles stated the event wasn’t themed and added that the costumes were designed to represent traditional festival costumes as opposed to servants’ attire. She wrote, “It was not a theme party. Since it was Friday and the party was in Bahia, many guests and the receptive were in white, as tradition says. But it is also worth clarifying: in the published photos, the chair was not a Sinha chair, but a candomblé chair, and the clothes were not for maids, but party dresses from Bahia. Still, if we make a different impression of that, I apologize.”
Check out social media-related posts below.
Vogue Brasil statement
Batista comments on birthday images
Meirelles attempts to clarify/apologizes
Meirelles at her 50th birthday party
