Bella Hadid Addresses Adidas Shoe Controversy: “I Had No Knowledge Of The Historical Connection”

Bella Hadid addressed the controversy surrounding her recent Adidas campaign for a Munich Olympics-themed shoe, admitting that she didn’t research beforehand.

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Bella Hadid releases statement on Adidas campaign:

“I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind. In advance of the campaign’s release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972.” pic.twitter.com/37ayOS0vZb

— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 29, 2024

The ad campaign’s controversy emerged last week when it was launched, causing immediate backlash from various groups. According to TMZ, critics argued that the choice of Hadid, known for her outspoken views on Israel, was particularly insensitive given the historical context of the 1972 tragedy. Hadid continues to say that while she is continuing to advocate for the liberation of Palestinian people, she noted that she does not believe in hate in any form, which includes antisemitism.

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“Connecting the liberation of the Palestinian people to an attack so tragic is something that hurts my heart. Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism and this campaign unintentionally highlighted an event that does not represent who we are. I am a proud Palestinian woman, and there is so much more to our culture than the things that have been equated over the past week. I will forever stand by my people of Palestine while continuing to advocate for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people.”

The outlet also reported that Hadid reportedly hired a legal team to address her campaign with Adidas. Adidas has not released a statement regarding this, but they did issue an official apology for the campaign.

“Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign. These connections are not meant, and we apologize for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. We made an unintentional mistake. We also apologize to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Kounde, and others, for any negative impact on them and we are revising the campaign.”