Description: Miley Cyrus, a teen idol and star of the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, was pictured apparently topless, with a satin bedsheet protecting her modesty.
Initially, Cyrus declared herself happy with the shot, declaring it "really artsy".
But she has had a change of heart now that the picture is in the public domain.
"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologise to my fans who I care so deeply about," she said in a statement.
Executives at the Disney Channel are said to be furious about the shot, which is a far cry from the star's usual squeaky-clean image.
A spokesman for the network said: "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."
But Vanity Fair defended its position, saying: "Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley."
All pictures at vanityfair.com I do not claim ownership of any pictures.