Top model Gigi Hadid didn’t give a reason for why she won’t walk in the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, but she definitely won’t be flying to China with the angels.
I’m so bummed I won’t be able to make it to China this year. Love my VS family, and will be with all my girls in spirit!! Can’t wait to tune in with everyone to see the beautiful show I know it will be, and already can’t wait for next year! 🙂 x
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) November 16, 2017
Fashionista is reporting that the abrupt change in plans may be due to an issue with procuring a Chinese visa; four other models, including Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva, Ukraine’s Dasha Khlystun and Russia’s Irina Sharipova are affected by the restriction and won’t be walking in this year’s show.
But rumors are swirling that Hadid, who has American citizenship, was denied after a video of her appearing to mock Asian people was uploaded to the internet. Outraged Chinese fans reportedly flooded her Instagram after the video surfaced, calling her a “racist” and telling her “not to come to China.”
Hadid has never publicly apologized for the video, and has not issued any statement confirming or denying this theory for why she’s suddenly off the VS roster.
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