Ros? Excluded from Group Photo... Renowned Fashion Magazine Faces 'Racism Controversy'

Elle UK Edits Ros? Out of Saint Laurent Fashion Show Photo

The renowned fashion magazine Elle UK has sparked a racial discrimination controversy by posting a group photo from the Saint Laurent fashion show held in Paris, France, in which only Ros?, a member of the group BLACKPINK, was cut out.

Group photo from the Saint Laurent Paris fashion show posted on Elle UK’s Instagram. Ros?, who was standing on the right, is cut off. Screenshot from Elle UK Instagram

On September 30 (local time), Elle UK uploaded a group photo taken at the "Saint Laurent 2026 Spring/Summer Women's Collection Show" held in Paris the previous day to its official social media account. The photo featured model Hailey Bieber, actress Zo? Kravitz, and singer Charlie XCX.

However, it became an issue when it was revealed that Ros? had also been present in the original photo. On that day, Ros? attended the event as a global ambassador and sat in the front row alongside the other three.

Ros? posed on the right side of the photo, but only the three others were included in the version released to the public, with Ros? excluded. The controversy intensified especially because Ros? was the only official ambassador for Saint Laurent among the four.

Group photo from the Saint Laurent Paris fashion show revealed by W Magazine and others. Instagram capture

Netizens pointed out that this photo editing was a deliberate act of racial discrimination. Criticism flooded online platforms and social media, with comments such as "Why was the brand ambassador cut out?" and "Only the Asian was excluded." Protests also continued on Elle UK's Instagram, with users asking, "Where is Ros??" and "Isn't this discrimination?"

Additionally, in several videos released by the media, Hailey Bieber, Zo? Kravitz, and Charlie XCX were seen conversing, while Ros? was notably left out of the conversation, further fueling the racial discrimination controversy. In particular, Charlie XCX posted a photo on her social media in which only Ros? was buried in darkness, giving the impression that Ros? was being intentionally isolated and drawing outrage from fans.

Singer Charlie XCX (third from the left) posted a photo with only Ros? buried in darkness, fueling a racial discrimination controversy. Charlie XCX Instagram

Previously, in 2020, Ros? became the first Korean to be appointed as a global ambassador for Saint Laurent and has since been known as "Human Saint Laurent," actively representing the brand. In January of this year, she was also selected as the global ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, further solidifying her position.

Ros? has enjoyed global popularity, winning Song of the Year, the top honor at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, for her duet "APT." with pop singer Bruno Mars.