The Real Story Behind Why Melania Trump Ended Up On The Cover Of Vanity Fair Mexico

From Esquire UK

How the hell did Melania Trump end up on cover of the February issue of Vanity Fair Mexico - posing with a cereal bowl full of jewellery, no less - given her husband's already strained relationship with the country (yes, less than a week into his presidency)? Why would the first lady consent to this shoot?! As it turns out, she sort of didn't.

As a cover shot, it's glaringly out of touch with the populist campaign that just put Melania in the White House - she's twirling diamond jewelry with a fork and spoon like it's spaghetti. Like sparkly, would-probably-chip-your-teeth-if-you-ate-it spaghetti. And as The Guardian notes, people are not happy about it.

But here's the real deal - this photo, which in context seems pretty out-of-touch and inappropriate, wasn't even taken for Vanity Fair. It wasn't even taken for GQ, where it was published in 2016 accompanying an interview with Melania. According to Trunk Archive, the syndication photo agency where this shot is stored, the photo was part of a shoot Melania did for Philadelphia Style back in 2011 to promote her QVC jewelry collection.

So how exactly did all these publications end up with the same photograph? Very often, a company will have the rights to use a photo for a limited amount of time. After that, the photographer can sell the rights to a syndication photo agency where other outlets can then purchase it to use.

You can even see where people used the photo right after the election - and long before the Vanity Fair cover:

The magazine was released one day after President Trump signed an executive order calling for the "immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border." So while there are clearly other reasons Mexico might be angry with the Trumps right now, it might be best to call this repurposed photo what is really is: poorly-timed. Or, wait, is it perfectly-timed?

You Might Also Like

• 9 Rood Rules That Will Help You Lose Your Belly

• The Leonardo DiCaprio Guide To Not Giving A F***

• 12 Things About Being A Woman That Women Won't Tell You