Bella Hadid has finally addressed the recent uproar surrounding her involvement in an Adidas campaign. The 27-year-old supermodel took to Instagram Stories on Monday to share her shock and dismay over the situation.
Hadid, who is of Palestinian-American descent, was featured in the Adidas SL72 campaign. However, the ad quickly drew criticism due to its unintended link to the 1972 Munich Olympics, where a terrorist attack resulted in the deaths of 11 Israelis.
Following the backlash, Hadid hired legal representation and expressed her concerns publicly.
In her statement, Hadid emphasized that she was unaware of the historical connection at the time of the campaign’s release. She conveyed her distress, stating, “I would never knowingly engage with any art or work associated with a horrific tragedy.”
She continued, “I am shocked, upset, and disappointed by the insensitivity displayed in this campaign.”
Hadid noted that had she known about the connection to the tragic events, she would have opted out of participating. She also mentioned that her team, Adidas, and herself should have conducted more thorough research to avoid such issues.
Commitment to Advocacy
Bella Hadid made it clear that she stands firmly against hate and antisemitism.
She expressed her sorrow over how the campaign inadvertently linked the Palestinian cause with the Munich massacre, stating, “Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism,” and emphasizing that the campaign did not represent her or her culture accurately.
Hadid, who proudly identifies as a Palestinian, reiterated her commitment to advocating for a world free of antisemitism. She concluded her statement with a call for peace and denounced any form of violence.
Adidas Responds to Backlash
Adidas, facing criticism over the campaign’s historical insensitivity, issued an apology. The company acknowledged the unintentional nature of the connection and promised to revise the campaign.
“We are revising the remainder of the campaign,” they stated, “and we apologize for any distress caused.”
The company also apologized to Hadid and other partners, acknowledging the negative impact the campaign had on them.
Ongoing Developments
Hadid’s legal action follows the retraction of her involvement in the campaign, and she remains under contract with Adidas.
The brand has committed to making necessary adjustments to the advertisement to better align with its values of diversity and inclusion.
The incident has highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity in advertising and the need for thorough vetting of campaign content to avoid such controversies in the future.