Instagram/@gigihadid
Supermodel Gigi Hadid had shared a beach photo of sorts, with custom hand-painted flip-flops, giving a varied reaction from the social media fraternity. The post displays the model having fun with a bright and colorful surfboard while sporting her customized Havaianas, hand-painted by a friend. Meanwhile, attention shifted soon between the aesthetic and rather unexpected turn towards the political. Many fans were applauding the creativity behind the collaboration, but then came accusations casting aspersions on the brand’s politics.
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The photo is an artistic depiction of Hadid standing in a sandy area uneven and elegant in its very nature. The hues of red-orange lighting complement this orange surfboard resting behind her. The flip-flops are showcased wonderfully: this image demonstrates the artful collaboration between the model and her friend @lilmami_lani. The description credits the artists and tags various Havaianas accounts worldwide; it was this comment area that became much more complex than your usual fashion appreciation.
“Oh no, Gigi 😰. Havaianas has partnership with Israel. The Brazilians pro Palestine are boycotting Havaianas,” one commentneyed through a political lens. Due to Hadid’s very own Palestinian descent and several occasions where she openly voiced her support for Palestinian causes, it made the comment all the more jarring. Another comment pointed out the link: “You are a beautiful Palestinian woman!” – which seemed to be a reminder to Hadid herself of her heritage given the brand association.
Then amusing and light comments arose. One of the fans, in Portuguese, gave kudos to the visual aspect of the photo, “Nosso amigo, que qualidade incrível, quase sem saturação 😍.” Another responded with, “Tá quente aqui ou só sou eu 🥵,” diverting away from politics to focus on Hadid.
It speaks volumes about the extent of Hadid’s influence. Followed by: “Hello Miss Gigi I am an Afghan girl and I ask you, please read my comments.” This, on the other hand, shows the international exposure Hadid seems to gain beyond mere fashion. Another commenter states: “Believe me, #jungkook made this more popular than ever 😍,” placing this post within bigger pop culture phenomena.
The mixed reactions come violently to confront the acrimonious positions celebrities occupy when shopping with politically charged brands. Having already spoken of her Palestinian descent, Hadid is now faced with the question of whether or not she chooses a brand some are boycotting on grounds of its trade deals. Hence, the comments section becomes a miniature scene in which broader conversations about celebrity accountability, brand politics, and consumer activism in the domain of fashion are discussed.
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The bigger conversation surrounding Hadid’s Havaianas post indicates that followers will keep on interrogating any celebrity commercial partnership for its perceived stance: this is just another type of fashion post turning into a battlefield for political discourse and consumer activism.