Pro-Palestinian protesters have accused Bella Hadid of hypocrisy for participating in the Victoria’s Secret 2024 fashion show because the brand has ties to Israel.
The supermodel, 28, wowed as she closed the show in a red lingerie set and statement coat on Tuesday night in New York.
And while Bella has been praised for her return to the catwalk, Palestinian supporters criticized the model who has been outspoken against the Israeli occupation of Gaza and whose father, Mohamed Hadid, was born in Palestine.
Bella and her sister Gigi, 29, who also walked on the show, have spoken out dozens of times against Israel’s occupation and the war in Gaza.
Hadid’s younger sister has even gone so far as to say that she is “not afraid of losing modeling jobs” because of her stance, leaving fans baffled as to why she walked for a brand with ties to Israel.
One of the main suppliers of Victoria’s Secret products is Israeli textile giant Delta Galil Industries Ltd.
The underwear brand also opened two new stores in Israel last year, while the country was at war.
Bella Hadid has been criticized after walking in the Victoria’s Secret 2024 Fashion Show, despite the brand’s ties to Israel
Bella’s sister, Gigi Hadid, also walked in the comeback show.
Bella was photographed attending a pro-Palestine rally in New York City in May 2021.
Bella and Gigi Hadid join the protest against President Trump’s immigration ban on the streets of New York in January 2017.
Some Palestinian groups are encouraging a boycott of the brand in its entirety, even though it is not on the official BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) list, drawn up by a coalition of Palestinian organizations.
Delta Galil, which is worth more than $1 billion, was also included in a 2023 report from the Israeli UN trading companies working in the ‘Occupied Palestinian Territory’.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, after the show, many fans shared their disappointment with Bella.
“Bella doing the Victoria’s Secret show is interesting considering they are pro-Israel,” said one.
‘Isn’t Victoria’s Secret just awful in general?’ And a Zionist corporation,” wrote another.
Bella Hadid has been contacted for comment.
Speaking in August with Noor Tagouri about her Public opinion podcastthe model explained: “I really believe that if I had started talking about Palestine when I was 20, I wouldn’t have the recognition and respect that I have now.”
‘There have been so many brands that have stopped working with me. Many friends have also turned their backs on me.
“I had friends who completely abandoned me, even friends who I had had dinner with on Friday nights for seven years and now they just won’t let me into their house.”
The model, 28, who has expressed her support for her homeland, previously wore a Keffiyeh dress.
Bella Hadid made a statement of support for Palestine amid the Israel-Gaza conflict while stepping out in a dress made from a keffiyeh at the Cannes Film Festival.
Background: It comes after the half-Palestinian star explained to GQ that she was looking forward to the chance to explore that side of her story after moving to the West Coast (pictured with her father in 2017).
Bella took to Instagram with a detailed statement calling for pressure on political leaders to “unite in the defense of humanity and compassion.”
Early days: Bella, seen with her sister Gigi as a child, was born in Washington, DC, where she spent the first four years of her life growing up surrounded by family from her Palestinian side.
Family: The model is the daughter of Dutch supermodel and former reality star Yolanda Hadid, and Palestinian real estate developer Mohamed Hadid (pictured with her mother Yolanda and siblings).
Bella has also been attacked by the Israeli government, with her official X account falsely accusing her of “spreading anti-Semitism and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews.”
The model has also condemned anti-Semitism.
‘I will always support my people of Palestine as I continue to advocate for a world free of anti-Semitism. “Anti-Semitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people,” he wrote last year.
Bella was born in Washington, DC, where she spent the first four years of her life growing up surrounded by family from her Palestinian side.
But after her parents separated when Bella was four, she and her siblings, Gigi and Anwar, moved to Santa Barbara, California, with their mother.
Many people took to Twitter to criticize the model.
He previously revealed his “sadness” at being denied the opportunity to grow up in “Muslim culture” with his Palestinian father during an interview with GQ.
She said she would have loved to have studied and practiced religion as a child, but “wasn’t given that” opportunity.
Bella added that she was often the only Arab girl in her class at school, which caused her to be regularly subjected to racist bullying and left her feeling “sad and alone.”
“I was with my Palestinian side (of the family in DC),” he said. And they kicked me out when we moved to California.
“I would have loved to grow up and be with my dad every day and study and really be able to practice, just generally be able to live in a Muslim culture, but they didn’t give me that.”
She added of her upbringing in Santa Barbara, where she faced “racist insults”: “For a long time I missed that part of me, and that made me feel very, very sad and alone.”
Cher was last night’s headliner alongside Blackpink alum Lisa and rising star Tyla, making it the show’s first all-female musical lineup.
But there has been a backlash on
The lingerie brand was famous for its sensual catwalks in which figures such as Cara Delevingne and Miranda Kerr participated as its ‘angels’.
Grace Elizabeth, Eva Herzigova, Valentina Sampaio, Jill Kortleve, Carla Bruni, Paula Soares, Bella Hadid and Adriana Lima attend the Victoria’s Secret fashion show
Wearing iconic angel wings, Gigi Hadid opened the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in her triumphant return on Tuesday night.
In the past, models have been seen strutting down the runway in 10-foot white feather wings, thongs, and basques; However, the new parade has been seen as a disappointment by many.
“Victoria’s Secret is back with the most boring show ever,” one poster read, while another wrote: “The Victoria’s Secret show looks so trendy and boring now I’m disappointed.”
Another commenter said: ‘Victoria Secret has yet to listen to our public demands. This is not the show we wanted. Everyone has straight hair, there are no extremely tall models, the entire production is different.’
Another commented: “Victoria Secret really said that if you wake up, you’re ruined.”
Other comments included: ‘The new Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show feels so SOULLESS OMG…and why are they playing fake audience applause sounds?’ Where is the iconic track???’
Another viewer posted: ‘This was nice but it wasn’t enough…we need to bring back the sparkly catwalk and more lively performances!’
‘What happened to the sets dedicated by look, the close-ups of the looks, the chaos backstage? Let’s get back to our roots #VSFashionShow2024! The inclusion was nice, but I guess…
‘The OGs chewed up the new girls a lot, we were missing plots like who was new (Angels), who were the old girls, why should we fall in love with them?… etc. #VSFashionShow2024 Where are the smiles, kisses and greetings?
