Vogue has updated an April 14 article after facing backlash for referring to the afro as a “cloud bob.” The article, originally titled “17 Haircuts for Thick Hair,” featured a now-removed image of actress Tracee Ellis Ross with a fro.
“Defined by hairstylist Tom Smith as a ‘rounded haircut with a soft, airy silhouette,’ the cloud bob plays well with wavy, curly, and coily thick hair that has natural movement and volume,” the description read “Unlike the sharp, architectural bobs of seasons past, the version is light, weightless, and characterized by its effortless life and movement.”
The renaming of the afro prompted backlash on social media, with many Black women criticizing the publication for downplaying the hairstyle's cultural significance and history.
“It’s 2026, and they’re calling an Afro a 'cloud bob’,” one user wrote on X.
“We not going to let them Christopher Columbus the Afro,” another wrote on a user on Instagram.
Hairstylist Tom Smith, who is mentioned in the now-deleted “cloud bob” description, issued a statement on Instagram, denying direct involvement in the article's content.
“The commentary attributed to me was originally shared in relation to a different haircut and was used here in a different context without my involvement or awareness,” he wrote. “Once I became aware of this, my team contacted the publication and the section was removed promptly.”
Vogue also referred to the Afro as a “cloud bob” in an article from September 2025, calling the style “fall’s breeziest haircut.”
“They are trying to erase the afro so white people, particularly the Kardashians and the Jenners, can now wear an afro and then not be called an afro,” certifiedreadergirl wrote on TikTok.
An op-ed by Essence further explained that the Afro is a “rejection of Eurocentric beauty and a symbol of pride and identity” that traces back to African-American cultural roots and should thus be properly referred to and identified.
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