Coco Gauff is doing what champions do: leading in the face of adversity and inspiring others while she does it. This time, it feels personal, cultural, and even a little fashionable too.
The tennis champion is speaking out after receiving backlash over her hair in a recent luxury campaign. Coco is right at home on the tennis court in Miu Miu’s latest editorial, appearing with the brand’s Vivant handbag.
In the images, Coco poses with the bag in a red top and a blue pleated skirt. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and finished with a bow.
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The ad was clearly meant to get the girls ready for spring with a hot new purse (and some playful, sporty flair). Instead, some chose to focus on everything but the bag, zeroing in on Coco’s hair.
Some social media commenters said they thought her hair looked messy or not polished enough for the campaign. Others joked about her overall look.
But Coco did what Coco does. She responded with grace and confidence, saying exactly what needed to be said.
‘My 4C Hair Is Good Enough’: Coco Gauff Claps Back
“I did my everyday hair and makeup because that was personally the point,” Gauff reportedly said on TikTok in response. “My 4C hair is good enough for a high-fashion brand like Miu Miu to promote one of their newest launches. So if my hair is good enough for that, then yours is good enough to do whatever you need it to do.”
What feels sad, and honestly exhausting about this situation, is that this is far from the first time a Black female athlete has faced this kind of scrutiny. Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas have both dealt with it. Serena and Venus Williams have too. Whether the criticism comes during competition or in a luxury campaign, it is unnecessary and stems from the same tired bias.
Black women should not have to keep defending their beauty, their choices, or the way their natural hair shows up in the world.
Still, Coco took the moment and turned it into something bigger. She used it to remind other Brown girls, especially girls with hair like hers, that they do not need anyone else’s approval.
She added, “At the end of the day, people who hate on your appearance and hate on the way that you look have something deeply insecure about themselves. The only reason people comment on people’s looks, especially people who present themselves in their most natural sense, have something deeply wrong with them.”
To Coco, stay beautiful and unbothered. Keep collecting your luxury checks, winning competitions, protecting your peace, and showing up exactly as you are. Period.
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