The 21-year-old supermodel was leaving the Max Mara fashion show during Milan Fashion Week, which she took part in, when the incident took place. Gigi, and her sister, Bella, were about to go back to their vehicle when suddenly a man grabbed her from behind and lifted her.
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In videos of the altercation, Hadid chased after the man before returning to her auto and asking security to find him. Hadid responded by elbowing him in the face in the interest of her personal safety, which apparently was not very ladylike of her.
Caught off guard, the American supermodel appeared shocked as she fought off the man, believed to be prankster Vitalii Sediuk, according to the Daily Mail.
She later felt the need to defend her actions on Twitter, even calling out an article writer who called the attacker a “fan” (the author later changed her headline, for which Hadid was grateful). What is a woman supposed to think when a odd man grabs you from behind and tries to pick you up off the street?
“He ran quick tho [sic]”, she added.
A disgusting moment that Hadid shouldn’t have had to deal with, though she was right: He did run away fast.
Models Gigi Hadid (l.) and Bella Hadid (r.) pose backstage at the FENTY PUMA by Rihanna AW16 Collection during Fall 2016 New York Fashion Week.
Well, that’s some extra stress that Gigi didn’t need on top of her busy Fashion Week schedule.
Hours after the incident with Gigi, she was on the runway at the Fendi show.
Either way, Hadid was able to defend herself admirably, despite a slow response from security. “Thank you all so much for your support”.
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Good for you for standing up for yourself twice in one day, Gigi. Sediuk’s since taken to Instagram to declare his recent attack as “a manifest or protest”. ‘By doing this I encourage fashion industry to put true talents on the runway and Vogue covers instead of well-connected cute girls from Instagram.
