Here’s Why Bella Hadid’s Latest Modeling Gig Is Stirring Up Major Drama
Bella Hadid may have broken up with The Weeknd, but it looks like she’ll have plenty to keep her busy, since she just announced that she’s officially joined the Nike family.
Not everyone was as thrilled over the news as Bella, however. Facing backlash not unlike Kendall Jenner received when she posed as a ballerina in a Vogue magazine spread, Bella’s new gig quickly drew the ire of Olympic ice-dancer Meryl Davis.
Sharing a photo of three different sports brands represented by Bella Hadid (Nike), Kylie Jenner (Puma) and Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman (Reebok), Meryl writes, “I’ll take the one promoted by the athlete please.”
I'll take the one promoted by the athlete please 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/MRe1baOBtX
— Meryl Davis (@Meryl_Davis) November 15, 2016
Apparently, girl should have fact-checked, as Bella’s own mother, Yolanda Hadid, took to Instagram in response, reminding her (and the world), that Bella IS an athlete, or was, before she was forced to forgo her own Olympic goals in equestrianism due to personal struggles with Lyme disease.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by YOLANDA (@yolanda.hadid) on
“Always remember who you were before the world told you who you should be,” she captioned the above photo, added the very pointed hashtags “#athlete #horselover.”
If that wasn’t a clear enough message, she also shared the Times Square ad of her youngest daughter, congratulating her on her newest collaboration.
View this post on Instagram❤️Congratulations my love on your new collaboration with @Nike @bellahadid #NewYorkMade #ProudMommy
A post shared by YOLANDA (@yolanda.hadid) on
Also in Bella’s corner? Derek Jeter’s model wife Hannah Davis Jeter, who told TMZ that there are plenty of people that wear the brand that aren’t athletes, so this should be a non-issue.
While Bella herself hasn’t directly commented on the sitch, she did post this perhaps-a-bit-too-coincidental photo of herself at the gym, writing, “Everyday” and tagging Nike in the pic.
View this post on InstagramEveryday🏋🏻🤘🏼💙 @victoriassecret @nike @gothamgym
A post shared by 🦋 (@bellahadid) on
Since then, Meryl seems to have changed her tune, posting this far less aggressive statement to her page.
— Meryl Davis (@Meryl_Davis) November 18, 2016
Hmmm. We’re not sure how her original message was the most “supportive” in this instance — quite the opposite, in fact.
We say, keep doing you, Bella ― haters gonna’ hate!
Do you think Meryl has a point? Share your view @BritandCo.
(h/t Teen Vogue, photos via Gareth Cattermole + Astrid Stawiarz/Getty)