Former Vogue Stylist Condemns New York Times Over Mahjong Feature
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, a former Vogue stylist, has launched a scathing critique of the New York Times for publishing images of two white women playing Mahjong while promoting their small business. The 34-year-old fashion commentator, who left Vogue in 2023 after posting controversial remarks about Israel, expressed her outrage on the social media platform Threads this Wednesday.
Accusations of Cultural Theft
Karefa-Johnson described the feature as "one of the most blatant examples of cultural theft masquerading as 'innovation'" she has witnessed recently. She questioned whether the article was intended as a parody about gentrification, emphasising that Mahjong is an almost 200-year-old Chinese game traditionally centred on community and gathering. "No one is 'just slapping a game on a table,'" she wrote, criticising what she perceived as a superficial approach to the cultural practice.
The images in question originate from a New York Times article exploring how interior designers incorporate board games and puzzles into home decor. They feature Megan Jett Trottier, founder and CEO of Oh My Mahjong, a lifestyle brand selling Mahjong sets, alongside her interior designer, Ro Rynd. Trottier told the newspaper that Mahjong is evolving into "a beautiful way of hosting" rather than merely placing a game on a table.
Business Background and Response
Trottier launched Oh My Mahjong in 2022, achieving over $30 million in annual revenue by October. According to the company's website, she began playing Mahjong in college and rediscovered her passion for it during the COVID-19 pandemic, viewing the game as a means to unite her community. The website states that the brand honours Mahjong's roots by incorporating traditional Chinese symbols and designs into its product line.
Karefa-Johnson, however, remains unconvinced, expressing astonishment at the confidence with which the women presented their business. She remarked that the New York Times "never ceases to amaze in who they choose to platform and why." Representatives for Karefa-Johnson, Trottier, Oh My Mahjong, and the New York Times have been contacted for comment by the Daily Mail.
Karefa-Johnson's Controversial Career
Karefa-Johnson first gained prominence as the first black woman to style a Vogue cover in 2021. During her tenure as contributing editor-at-large at Vogue, she engaged in a public feud with Kanye West after he launched 'White Lives Matter' apparel in 2022. She criticised the rapper's "deeply offensive, violent and dangerous" politics, leading to online ridicule from West and subsequent fat-phobic comments directed at her on social media.
In 2023, she made headlines again by resigning from Vogue following an anti-Israel rant posted after the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks. In her Instagram posts, she accused Israel of "genocide" and compared the IDF to a "terrorist organization," sparking widespread outrage. She subsequently changed her Instagram bio from "global contributing editor-at-large for Vogue" to "many things."
Karefa-Johnson has continued to build her profile as a stylist and progressive activist on social media. Last month, she garnered attention for proudly announcing that she downgraded from first class on a flight to Milan to avoid a cabin filled with white men, further cementing her reputation as an outspoken figure in cultural and social debates.
