While Kendall Jenner has yet to incite the same level of controversy that Kim Kardashian does daily, in recent years, the model has made headlines for a number of unsavoury reasons.
The 22-year-old started 2017 on a sour note when she was forced to apologise over her role in a controversial Pepsi advertisement, which downplayed the importance of activist groups, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. In a move that left viewers speechless; Jenner, a caucasian woman who has led a hugely privileged life, was shown solving complex issues of racism and prejudice by handing a can of the soft-drink to a police officer.
Now, Jenner has angered the modelling community writ large after making some incendiary comments.
The model was recently interviewed by LOVE magazine, where she talked about being "super selective" about the runways she walks.
"Since the beginning we've been super selective about what shows I would do. I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the f*ck those girls do. More power to 'em," she said to the publication.
Jenner went on to explain how her anxiety played a role in her dialling down her modelling gigs, admitting that she was "on the verge of a mental breakdown" at one point last year. "I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else. The whole combination was very overwhelming and I started to freak out a little bit and needed to take a step back."
Naturally, other models, who don't have reality television star on their roster, and who don't come from one of America's richest families, took offence at Jenner's comments.
"This makes me so angry... So disrespectful to literally 99 percent of people in the industry—yes they had to work their way up. Please get in touch with the real world!" Polish model, Jac Jagaciak asserted, while Irina Djuranovic uploaded a screenshot of the quote to her Instagram Stories, corroborating "Never been so indirectly and publicly offended in my whole life...to be called a supermodel how easy it comes to you."
Another model, Daria Strokous wrote "Whatever the f*ck those girls do' is their very best to make their way up AND try to make some money so that they can provide for themselves and their families. Oh, and it's 70 shows a season by the way and we are all f*cking proud of every single one of the girls that did it."
Jenner's representatives have since claimed that the model's comments were taken out of context. "Mid-thought she realized the number of shows some models walk a season is closer to 80," they wrote in a statement. "The [point] was that it's their path and 'the more power to them.' She admires their hard work and dedication. It's an accomplishment."
Regardless of Kendall's intentions, it always pays to check your privilege.
