Bella Hadid donates some of her fashion week earnings to Ukraine

“It’s incredibly odd to be walking in fashion shows as our work, especially during a time like this,” said Bella.

Supermodels Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber have announced they are donating a portion of their fashion week earnings to help the Ukrainian war effort.

Hadid, 25, made the announcement in support of her fellow model Mica Argañaraz, 29, who took to Instagram on Sunday to share her discomfort at profiting from fashion shows while “knowing there’s a war happening in the same continent.”

Following Argañaraz’s example many other models including Hadid, Gerber, Vittoria Ceretti, Kiki Willems, Francesca Summers, and Aylah Peterson among others, joined her initiative.

“You said it @micaarganaraz,” Hadid wrote on the social media platform. “We have many Ukrainian friends, colleagues, models, production, casting and to see the lack of communication/knowledge about a war that is subsciding is very very sad.”

Hadid went on to post her own impassioned Instagram message delineating her plans to aid the Ukraine cause and sharing useful information for those who wanted to help the war effort.

“I will be donating part of my earnings of this fashion week to help Ukrainian organisations,” she added. “To my model friends and colleagues and whoever is also struggling with this feeling, perhaps this is something we could all contribute to.”

Speaking more broadly about the fashion industry she wrote:

“Fashion can be very lonely and can make one feel like an outcast, even more so when it comes to politics/ anything other than “fashion”. It’s hard to feel heard/seen when people are thinking about only material items instead of a war or the wellbeing of others. It’s a real mindf**k.

“Please ask your Ukranian AND Russian friends if they are ok,” she urged.

Gerber shared her own support, writing: “@micaarganaraz leading by example. Thank you for inspiring us to do the same.”

Hadid’s comments come amid the widespread criticism surrounding the ongoing media and social media coverage of Milan and Paris fashion week in light of the conflct in nearby Ukraine. Protesters brandishing Ukrainian flags crowded outside the Prada show and hundreds of Instagram users have posted Ukrainian flag emojis under Gucci, Prada and Versace posts.

Consumers and social media users are calling on brands to donate money to charities supporting the innocent people impacted by the war.