Karlie Kloss 'truly sorry' for geisha photoshoot in 'Vogue'

Karlie Kloss has apologized for appearing in a Vogue photo shoot which has been criticized for cultural appropriation.

In the shoot, which appeared in the magazine's March "diversity" issue, the model, 24, dressed as a Japanese geisha, including a long black wig, and stood in Asian settings. In one photo she poses with a sumo wrestler. The photos were condemned on social media for depicting Kloss in "yellowface" and for appropriating Japanese culture.

The model released a statement on Twitter early Wednesday morning apologizing for her involvement.

"These images appropriate a culture that is not my own and I am truly sorry for participating in a shoot that was not culturally sensitive," she wrote. "My goal is, and always will be, to empower and inspire women. I will ensure my future shoots and projects reflect that mission."

This isn't the first time the model has apologized for cultural appropriation. In the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Kloss wore a look that included a Native American-inspired headdress. After the backlash, the look was removed from the broadcast of the show.

In Hollywood, the appropriation of Asian culture and white-washing of Asian characters has become an increasingly discussed topic, with films like The Great Wall and Ghost in the Shell casting white leads in Asian stories.