The New York Times posted an Instagram headline—“proud nepo baby”—alongside a photo of Chloe Malle. I had half-expected this moment ever since Chioma Nnadi was chosen to lead British Vogue, but still—the headline made me click. That was the point. And yet, I couldn’t shake the irritation it left behind.

Because here’s the thing: nepotism isn’t just about parents opening doors. It’s about being born into rooms that most of us could never even knock on. It’s the internships, the introductions, the unspoken trust fund of access and credibility that you inherit before you ever “prove yourself.”

So when I read about Chloe Malle—newly appointed head of editorial content at Vogue—saying she has “worked so hard,” I pause. Not because she hasn’t put in effort, but because the story is incomplete. Working hard within a system designed to welcome you is not the same as working hard to break into one that was never meant for you.

Nepotism gives you momentum. It cushions failure. It lets you experiment without the same fear of consequences. And when media outlets frame it like a cute tagline—proud nepo baby—it trivializes the very real gap between those who inherit opportunity and those of us building everything from scratch.

I’m not asking for guilt, or for those with privilege to apologize for being born into it. I’m asking for honesty. Let’s stop pretending that nepotism plus effort equals the same kind of grind everyone else is facing. It doesn’t. And it never will.

My very best, 

Nawal