Vogue is selling a limited-edition issue with Kamala Harris' digital cover after the original photo sparked criticism

• Vogue is selling a limited-edition print issue with Kamala Harris' February digital cover.
• A spokesperson for the magazine said the digital cover had "enormous interest."
• Vogue faced backlash for Harris' print cover, which reportedly wasn't the image her team expected.

Kamala Harris will take the oath of office on Wednesday in Washington, DC, making history as the nation's first female, Black, and Asian vice president.

Harris is the face of Vogue's February issue, and her respective digital and print cover photos sparked mixed reactions when they were released earlier in January.

Now, the magazine is selling a limited-edition print "inaugural issue" for $7.99 with Harris' digital cover image, it recently announced on social media.

"In recognition of the enormous interest in the digital cover, and in celebration of this historic moment, we will be publishing a limited number of special edition inaugural issues," a spokesperson for Vogue told Insider via email.

The same statement is published on Vogue's webpage promoting its inauguration issue.

Harris' original print cover for Vogue reportedly wasn't the image that her team was expecting

The digital cover - which will appear on the limited-edition print version - shows Harris wearing a powder-blue Michael Kors suit in front of a golden-colored backdrop.

The original print cover showed Harris in a Donald Deal pantsuit and Converse sneakers standing in front of a pink-and-green backdrop. The color-blocking was meant to be a nod to the colors of Harris' sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Both of Harris' covers were photographed by Tyler Mitchell. Mitchell became the first Black photographer to capture a Vogue cover when he took Beyoncé's photos in 2018.

Harris' respective covers appeared to have been leaked on social media prior to the magazine's official release. At the time, journalist Yashar Ali, who was one of the first to tweet images of Harris' Vogue covers, cited a source familiar with the publication plans who said that the pink-and-green print cover was "not the cover that the Vice President-elect's team expected" to be released.

On Twitter, people were particularly critical of the print cover's lighting and backdrop, and many said that they felt the photo didn't do justice to Harris. The digital cover received more praise, with fans on Twitter applauding the future vice president's polished and regal appearance.

Anna Wintour told The New York Times that she has 'heard and understood' the criticism over Harris' covers

Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour addressed the backlash during an interview with tech journalist Kara Swisher from The New York Times in an episode of the podcast "Sway" that was released on January 12.

"It was absolutely not our intention to in any way diminish the importance of the vice president-elect's incredible victory," Wintour told Swisher.

"Obviously, we have heard and understood the reaction to the print cover," Wintour added.

The editor-in-chief continued: "We want nothing but to celebrate Vice President-elect Harris's amazing victory and the important moment this is in America's history, and particularly for women of color, all over the world."

A Vogue spokesperson previously told Insider's Debanjali Bose that they felt Mitchell's photo of Harris in front of the pink-and-green backdrop had an "approachable" feel.

"The team at Vogue loved the images Tyler Mitchell shot and felt the more informal image captured Vice President-elect Harris's authentic, approachable nature - which we feel is one of the hallmarks of the Biden/Harris administration," the spokesperson said.

Representatives for the Biden-Harris transition team did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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• Anna Wintour says Vogue has 'heard and understood' the backlash to Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' February cover photo