Miley Cyrus' controversial performance at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) has lost her the chance to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine.

The 20-year-old singer's duet with Robin Thicke featured Miley twerking and gyrating up against the R&B singer and using a foam finger in a sexually suggestive way at the ceremony in New York City last month made headlines across the world. One person watching watching who didn't enjoy it was Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who has decided to drop shots of Miley intended for the cover of the December issue of the fashion bible because of her "distasteful" performance.

"Anna found the whole thing distasteful. She decided, based on Miley's performance, to take the cover in a different direction," a source said.

Miley was seen on stage in a flesh-coloured, latex bikini, wagging her tongue and making sexual facial expressions while she danced up against Robin as they performed his hit "Blurred Lines."