‘Surrounded By White Middle-Aged Men’

Former Vogue editor and celebrity stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson said she downgraded herself from a first-class seat to business class during a recent flight to Milan, citing what she described as “substandard service and persistent micro-aggression” from a male flight attendant, as reported by The New York Post.

Karefa-Johnson, 34, shared details of the incident on social media Tuesday.

She wrote that she made the decision after experiencing what she characterized as inappropriate treatment while seated in a first-class cabin largely occupied by white male passengers.

Please. Virtue-signaling Hamas apologist downgraded to Business class, spare me. Hyperwoke ex-Vogue editor, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, says she self-downgraded from first class on flight to Milan after realizing premium cabin was filled with white men https://t.co/TV4tV3uopq

— A.C. Spollen (@ACSpollen) February 26, 2026

Here’s What They’re Not Telling You About Your Retirement

“I just downgraded myself from first class to business class on my flight to Milan. In a cabin of 6, 5 of the passengers were white middle-aged men… then there was me, a 30-something black woman who travels in that cabin often,” she posted on Threads.

She added that “a male flight attendant who thought I’d be okay with substandard service and persistent micro-aggression from the moment I sat down. He was… wrong.”

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Karefa-Johnson did not specify what actions or comments she considered to be micro-aggressions.

However, she wrote that she chose to leave the first-class cabin and move to business class, saying she had to “sacrifice physical comfort” in order “to protect my emotional and mental well-being.”

It remains unclear which airline operated the flight.

According to the Daily Mail, Emirates and American Airlines are the only carriers offering direct flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Milan that include both first- and business-class cabins.

Several of her followers encouraged her to file a complaint with the airline.

In response, Karefa-Johnson wrote, “Oh, I absolutely will … The pilot and purser both came back to business to apologize,” adding, “Maybe the attendant was just having a bad day, but it feels so gross.”

Karefa-Johnson made headlines in 2021 when she became the first black woman to style a Vogue cover. She departed the magazine in 2023 following controversial comments she made days after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

At the time, she wrote, “I cannot believe that the world is watching in silence as a GENOCIDE — a mass Palestinian extinction plan — is happening before our very eyes,” and referred to the Israel Defense Forces as a “torture agency.” She also described Israel as an “apartheid state” committing “genocide.”

In remarks last year reflecting on her exit from the magazine, she said, “Working in a place where this kind of vitriolic white supremacy goes unchecked is untenable.”

Based in Brooklyn, Karefa-Johnson has styled high-profile public figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, for inauguration day in January.

Writing on her Substack about the couple’s attire, she stated, “This look is honest. Real. Regal in the punkest way.”

While serving as editor-at-large for Vogue, Karefa-Johnson was also involved in a public dispute with rapper Kanye West in 2022.

She criticized “White Lives Matter” T-shirts featured in his Yeezy fashion show, calling them “deeply offensive, violent and dangerous.”

West responded by posting a photo of her with the caption, “This is not a fashion person,” before later deleting the post.

The incident aboard the Milan flight is the latest controversy involving the former fashion editor, who has frequently used social media to address issues related to race, politics, and culture.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.