beauty drama

The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Kat Von D Instagram Competition

Kat Von D. Photo: 2016 Getty Images

How much drama could perchance emerge from an Instagram contest? A lot, plain. Last month Kat Von D Dazzler hosted a contest to promote the brand's Saint and Sinner oeuvre. The competition called for entrants to submit their best ode to "Saint- and Sinner-inspired makeup" for a gamble to win a $500 gift card to Sephora and an invite to Kat Von D's Saint and Sinner launch party in Los Angeles. Everything seemed normal — mayhap even a piddling dull — until the brand announced makeup artist Gypsy Freeman every bit the competition's winner.

Commenters on Instagram quickly pointed out that Freeman was a Trump supporter, and cited Freeman'due south Instagram post from last November as evidence.

The night she was declared winner, Freeman says she received a private message on Instagram from Kat Von D'due south personal business relationship, reports the Kansas City Star. "Hey there, I just wanted you to know that I chose your entry because of the talent that came with the images you created," Kat Von D writes, according to screenshots Freeman provided. "Lots of people have been leaving negative comments … But the ones that concerned me were the Trump related ones."

Von D continued, writing: "I just want you lot to know that I personally accept a hard time with inviting anyone who would support such an anti-feminist, anti-homosexual/LGBT, anti-immigrant, and anti-climatic change fascist such equally Trump … I would feel the same way towards people who supported Hitler, or whatever other fascist. In a earth where virtually people are agape to stand upwardly for what'due south right, I refuse to."

In the Instagram exchange, Freeman dedicated herself, stating: "I accept very close friends and family that are lesbians and homosexuals. My sister (the model)'southward fellow is an immigrant and I am a support of my sexual activity."

The 2 messaged dorsum and forth a few boosted times, with Von D remaining stoic in her conclusion to disinvite Freeman to the launch party. "It's definitely bigotry — it'southward everything that they're calling us, they're doing," Freeman told the Kansas Metropolis Star. "It's a huge example of hypocrisy."

In the end, Kat Von D Beauty scrubbed all evidence of the competition from its social-media feeds and website, and invited Jenn Bischof — the lensman Freeman used to capture the winning photos — to the launch party instead. A cached version of Kat Von D's website that delineates the competition's rules adds a cockle to Freeman's wrongful-punishment argument. It states: "Follow @katvondbeauty on Instagram, mail service a photo of yourself with Saint and Sinner inspired makeup based on Kat Von D'south photo posted in the contest post on Instagram."

Co-ordinate to Freeman's screenshots, she submitted a photograph of her sister, and non one of herself, as the rules state. Well, you know what they say: You can't win them all.

Update:
Kat Von D posted the post-obit annotate on Instagram:

No one got disqualified, so calm down. I personally messaged her sharing MY personal feelings on the subject as to avoid her getting even more criticism than she already was receiving. She decided on her own to not come to my launch. And further more than [sic], simply like everyone has the correct to support whomever they choose, I have the right to set my own personal boundaries. If you desire to explicate to my Mother who lives in Mexico why she should pay for a wall to be built, and why she should take to bargain with the negativity that comes with such anti-Mexican statements equally our president has made, feel complimentary. If you desire to explicate to my why anyone should tell me what rights I have over my own body, experience gratuitous. If yous want to promote some who is anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, anti-women, and denies climate change - feel free. But don't throw a tantrum on my personal Instagram if I personally don't back YOUR choices. Have a bully twenty-four hour period. X

The Case of the Disappearing Kat Von D Instagram Contest