German-based sportswear company adidas, has once again found itself in hot waters. Recently, adidas revealed a campaign starring supermodel Bella Hadid for the revival of its SL72 shoes.
The adidas SL72 shoes were first released for the 1972 Munich Olympics. Unfortunately, the debut was overshadowed by a tragic event that saw a Palestinian group called Black September, break into the Olympic Village at the time to demand the release of Palestinians held in Israeli and German prisons. The gun battle led to the killing of 11 Israeli athletes. Due to the shoe’s history, the Israeli government has taken to X to criticize the brand’s choice to have Hadid star in the campaign. Hadid is a proud Palestinian who has not been shy with vocalizing her support for the Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Earlier this week, adidas pulled the ads, telling NBC News that it is currently “revising the remainder of the campaign.” Adidas stated, “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 sportswear brands’ response has divided the internet, with many defending the supermodel and even calling for a boycott of adidas after they pulled the campaign.
According to TMZ, Bella Hadid is not backing down without a fight. The supermodel is said to be taking action for a legal battle against adidas, with sources revealing that she has already hired a legal counsel. She is expected to sue the sportswear giant for their lack of public accountability. While other rumors have inferred that adidas has dropped the supermodel, TMZ claims that she is still under contract with adidas despite the situation. While adidas has apologized to the public regarding the campaign, it is uncertain how the conversations with Bella Hadid faired. Both adidas and Hadid have removed the campaign from their social media accounts.
Stay tuned for more information.
