Vogue arrives in India with Australian Gemma Ward center stage

The very first issue of Vogue India hit the stands yesterday in India, and on the cover is Australian Gemma Ward with 5 other Bollywood actresses. (Note: The other 3 models are in the inside cover flap.)

Call me overly PC but what the hell is Gemma Ward doing on the inaugural cover of Vogue India? Is she like 1/100 Indian or something from her dad's side 4 times removed? Is this cover supposed to be some kind of "east meets west" message or just plain "We're Vogue and we just can't help our snobby fashionista selves."

Ironically, Ward also appeared on the inaugural cover of Vogue China in 2005. Does Gemma have some kind of Benetton gene pool we all don't know about?

I want to be proud of Vogue for branching out and being international, but then they self sabotage by doing something hair-brained like putting your typical pretty white girl on the inaugural cover of the India issue with the message, "Every issue will celebrate the women who define and influence the new Indian modernity with grace, style and achievement. We want our highly anticipated readers to fall in love with fashion, beauty, and celebrate their own personal style."

Oh, for Pete's sake Vogue-inistas, that's like saying, "We'll celebrate your personal style as long as it is inspired from our Vogue western tastes." And look at the way the model on the left is grabbing Gemma's arm, the body language almost reads, "Gimme some of that pretty white girl mojo."

And with all the years of Vogue India issues to come, why couldn't the very first issue just feature Indian models. I mean that isn't a whole lot to ask for now is it?