The Palestinian-American model made her long-awaited catwalk return during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
No modeling career hiatus has been felt as much as Bella Hadid's. Following her appearance at Miu Miu's Spring/Summer 2023 show in October 2022, she took a break, citing her battle with Lyme disease and the stresses and strains of the fashion industry, sharing on August 6, 2023, in an Instagram post that “[she’d] be back when [she’s] ready.”
Now, after two years dedicated to her health while still working on editorials, launching her ethereal fragrance line Orebella, and exploring her passion for the equestrian world, model and businesswoman Bella Hadid has returned to the runway.
It was at Paris Fashion Week that she made her big return, walking for Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2025. With slicked-back hair, an androgynous suit, and chunky glasses à la Yves, Hadid dazzled fashionistas, netizens, and industry professionals worldwide. It's not that a Saint Laurent appearance wasn't in the cards. After all, she has been a Saint Laurent girl for quite some time — whether as the face of the brand's Fall/Winter 2024 campaign or at the Cannes Film Festival in May, when she stunned in a sheer dress from Anthony Vacarello's Fall/Winter 2024 collection on the vibrant red carpet. Many thought Hadid’s scant appearances with the French fashion house were simply because she was fulfilling a contract. However, on October 15, at the much-hyped Victoria's Secret Fashion Show after a five-year hiatus, Hadid proved she was back for good, strutting the runway in red lingerie and a fluffy, voluminous coat to match as Cher sang “Believe.”
Whether in a suit or lingerie, fashion devotees, pop culture aficionados, and insiders alike were thrilled to see one of the most influential models of a generation back on the catwalk with her unmistakable strut and poise. But beyond the thrill of seeing her back on the glitzy, sometimes-messy runways, her return may have more significance than just delighting the public. In a highly-politicized world where professionals and burgeoning voices alike can lose gigs for their political, moral, and social stances, Hadid's comeback could demonstrate a thing or two about standing up for what you believe in.
Since the media frenzy around Gaza and the Hamas-Israel conflict started in October 2023, many publications and public figures have chosen to either be silent or adopt pro-Israel positions, while those who have expressed sympathy towards Palestinians have been silenced. From the one-sided headlines currently circulating on the Internet to instances in the entertainment industry, such as the dismissal of actress Melissa Barrera from the film Scream VII after her statements against the violence and human rights violations committed by the Israeli government, there has been a growing tendency to condemn support for Palestine over the past year.
The fashion industry, like any other, is dominated by Zionism. Ranging from multinationals such as LVMH keeping their financial ties with Israel, to an internal message shared by WWD from Chanel chairman Alain Wertheimer and CEO Leena Nair expressing their deep sadness ‘‘...by the terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens’’ while donating $4 million to pro-Israel organizations, the boycott lists continue to grow — including the likes of Dior, American Eagle, Tory Burch, and DKNY.
As intolerance, bigotry, and oppression are far from being lost in the fashion landscape, those who show any form of support for the Palestinian cause are increasingly being targeted. Instances of professionals such as model Camilla Déterre, who posted “#freepalestine” on her Instagram stories and was subsequently dropped by her agency Elite, and Vogue fashion editor and stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who was nudged into stepping down from her role after using her social platforms to advocate for a ceasefire, are evidence of this climate.
Given Bella Hadid’s Palestinian roots — her father is Palestinian businessman Mohamed Hadid —, the insults and harassment are much more intense. The scars have been there since her youth, from being called a terrorist by the head of her school’s football team, as the model shared with Libyan-American journalist Noor Tagouri's The Rep podcast, to being cut out by friends.
Since becoming a strong voice for the Palestinian cause, she and her family have been subjected to online harassment and threats from both Zionists and the Israeli government. Besides the impacts on her personal life, her professional one has also been affected. On Tagouri's podcast, the model revealed that many companies have stopped working with her because of her beliefs. From the recent Adidas situation — where the sportswear giant removed her Adidas SL72 campaign amidst reactions from pro-Israel organizations — to sharing her feelings about being turned down by other brands due to her values, Hadid explained to Tagouri that she believes “...if [she] had started advocating for Palestine when [she] was 20, [she] wouldn't have gotten the recognition and respect [she] has now.”
But for Hadid, certain aspects of her life are more valuable than her career. “I realized that I’m not on this Earth to be a model,” she shared in an interview for GQ with journalist Sarah Hagi. “I’m so lucky and blessed that I’m in a position where I can speak out the way that I do. And really, the downfall is what? That I lose my job?"
Sacrifices come and go, but her principles remain. By challenging the dominant ideology of the fashion industry while asserting her cultural identity, Bella Hadid has helped raise awareness of the Palestinian cause more broadly. Together with her sister, Gigi Hadid, they have donated $1 million to Palestinian humanitarian groups, according to multiple sources such as Teen Vogue, BBC, and Business Insider. The Orebella founder has also acted as a key figure in mobilizing younger generations and other celebrities to support the Palestinian liberation — for instance, beauty mogul Huda Kattan, founder and CEO of Huda Beauty, credited the model with inspiring her to come forward in an interview for Dazed. ‘‘She gave me the courage to speak out,’’ Kattan explained, adding that while it can be scary, she's there ‘‘for something bigger.’’
Ultimately, Hadid's runway return to the runways, alongside numerous editorials and the rise of her fragrance label, holds deep power. She's a constant reminder that there's no need to hide your moral principles and positions in order to conform to the industry’s expectations and politics. In the end, some things matter more. 🌀
Ana Reitz is a Brazilian fashion writer who breathes fashion. As a Latin American fashionista, she values a diverse and inclusive fashion landscape and aims to make a difference in the complex yet beautiful industry that surrounds her. She writes anything fashion-related for her own Substack For Fashion’s Sake.