Image: Michael Caulfield Archive/Getty Images
Winnie Harlow responded to backlash for dressing up as Whitney Houston for Halloween.
The model addressed the criticism on Sunday, three days after revealing the look to her followers.
Winnie first paid homage to Whitney by dressing up as her in the “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” music video before later recreating Whitney’s appearance at the 2001 BET Awards, when Whitney took the stage to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. At the time, Whitney was facing intense scrutiny and speculation about her drug use, which was amplified by her visibly thin appearance and energetic behavior during the show.
(Picture: M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Whitney never publicly addressed the reaction to her appearance — though she later admitted to previously using drugs in a 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer, including marijuana and cocaine. She died in 2012 from an accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.
Given that history, fans weren’t thrilled about Winnie’s decision to recreate that particular look.
One commenter wrote, “If this was a reenactment of a more positive part of Whitney’s career and impact on the earth I would be ok with you pretending to be her every now and then because you did such a good job. I think you should do a positive one.”
Others posted on X
um. i think she’s an asshole for this. she made a “costume” & is reenacting a time when Whitney was in the throws of addiction. yeah… Winnie Harlow is a whole stank ass bitch for this. https://t.co/u1BJHqiSMw
— OriginalDé (@HeyDeedle) October 30, 2025
Get Winnie’s coon ass off my TL. As somebody who was named after Whitney Houston, I didn’t like it. She picked the most distasteful moment to “honor” her. Bye Felicia! pic.twitter.com/lWTKmZKewD
— Virgo mamí 🪷 (@German_Chocl8) October 31, 2025
Something about this feels disrespectful. Idk. Maybe I’m too woke. https://t.co/CYSfwBCbqt
— Nicole ✨ (@BombshellCole) October 31, 2025
Winnie addressed the backlash on her Instagram story, saying that she meant to celebrate Whitney, not mock her. “That clip has always been one of my favorites,” she said. “She was radiant, funny, confident, and captivating. She was being awarded. The way she moved across that stage with flair and swag? Iconic.”
