UPDATE
Jul 30, 2024 4:40 PM CDT
Bella Hadid says she regrets participating in an Adidas shoe campaign, whose "lack of sensitivity" left her "shocked." The supermodel, who identifies as Palestinian, appeared in ads for the SL72, a replica of a sneaker worn at the 1972 Munich Olympics, site of a deadly attack on Israelis by a Palestinian militant group. Adidas was afterwards accused of antisemitism. "I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism," Hadid wrote Monday on Instagram, per the BBC, adding she "had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972" prior to the campaign's release. "I will forever advocate for not only my people, but every person worldwide," the model added.
Jul 19, 2024 8:49 AM CDT
Adidas made supermodel Bella Hadid the face of its relaunch of a sneaker worn at the 1972 Munich Olympics, then apologized for doing just that. Hadid identifies as a "proud Palestinian" and the 1972 Olympics were marked by a terrorist attack by a Palestinian militant group, resulting in the deaths of 11 Israelis and a local police officer, per USA Today. Jewish and pro-Israel groups have shouted that Hadid is a poor choice to front the shoe. "For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory," said the American Jewish Council.
Israel has even spoken up, accusing 27-year-old Hadid and her father, Mohamed Hadid, of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, per the Times of Israel. Both have been vocal in their support of the Palestinian state. The model has advocated for pro-Palestinian causes for years, well before the Israel-Hamas war began in October. She and her sister, fellow supermodel Gigi Hadid, have together donated $1 million to support Palestinian relief efforts since the war began.
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Hadid was chosen to promote the Adidas Originals SL72 alongside four others: French soccer star Jules Koundé, rapper A$AP Nast, musician Melissa Bon, and model Sabrina Lan, per the Hollywood Reporter. Amid the criticism, Adidas said it was "revising the remainder of the campaign," though it gave no specifics. "We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events—though these are completely unintentional—and we apologize for any upset or distress caused," the company said. All posts featuring Hadid have since been removed from the Adidas Originals' X account and Instagram, per USA Today. Hadid still features on Adidas' website, however. (More Adidas stories.)
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