Gigi Hadid and several other models are taking a stand to support the people of Ukraine. The models have decided to donate their Fashion Month profits to organizations supporting the country during the Russian invasion.
The effort began with Argentinian model Mica Argañaraz, who shared in her Instagram Stories that it felt «very weird walking in fashion shows knowing there’s a war happening in the same continent.» Mica pledged to donate her earnings and urged her fellow models to do the same, and the initiative has since picked up steam.
Gigi joined in a day later, sharing a post on her Instagram and her Stories and citing Mica’s post as her inspiration to participate. «Having a set Fashion Month schedule has meant that my colleagues and I often present new fashion collections during heartbreaking and traumatic times in history. We don’t have control over most of our work schedules, but we would like to walk ‘for’ something,» she wrote. «Following in the footsteps of my friend @micarganaraz, I am pledging to donate my earnings from the Fall 2022 shows to aid those suffering from the war in Ukraine, as well as continuing to support those experiencing the same in Palestine.» Gigi continued with a hopeful message of peace. «Our eyes and hearts must be open to all human injustice. May we all see each other as brothers and sisters, beyond politics, beyond race, beyond religion,» she shared. «At the end of the day, innocent lives pay for war — not leaders.»
Gigi’s sister Bella Hadid also shared Mica’s post to her Stories, writing, «It’s incredibly odd to be walking in fashion shows as our work, especially during a time like this. I compel the people of our industry to do their research and have open conversations about the hell that is happening next door.» Bella shared that she too would donate part of her earnings. “I will be donating part of my earnings of this fashion week to help Ukrainian organizations,” she wrote on her Stories. “To my model friends and colleagues and whoever is also struggling with this feeling, perhaps this is something we could all contribute to.” The model also shared resources for followers to donate to, as well as a piece from Mustafa the Poet.
According to Marie Claire UK, models Kaia Gerber, Vittoria Ceretti, Kiki Willems, Francesca Summers, and Aylah Peterson have also joined the movement and will donate part of their earnings to Ukraine.
