Gigi Hadid Fights Off Fashion Week Creep
As Milan Fashion Week rolls through, couture lovers across the world expect the newest collections, not an assault in the streets. Model, Gigi Hadid, had to defend herself against a man after he attempted to lift her into the air from behind.
After leaving the Max Mara show, Hadid met with paparazzi and fans only to be assaulted by a man who identified himself to The Hollywood Reporter as Vitalii Sediuk, a former entertainment reporter from Ukraine.
Sediuk proceeded to grab Hadid, allegedly groped her, and attempted to hoist her into the air. Hadid delivered a sharp elbow to his face as her sister, Bella Hadid, scrambled to help her.
Sediuk responded to the incident on his Instagram account, writing: “While I consider Gigi Hadid beautiful, she and her friend Kendall Jenner have nothing to do with high fashion.” Sediuk confirmed he lifted her as a protest against the use of celebrity models.
Sediuk argued about the current state of models like Gigi Hadid and Jenner, who have been gracing the shoots of big fashion staples like Vogue who gained entry by purely being rich and famous.
While this writer agrees with the argument Sediuk makes about models, I, like Gigi Hadid, am furious at this man’s violation of a woman’s body and space.
Laura Brown, editor-in-chief of InStyle commented, “She was absolutely right to defend herself…I feel there is less and less regard for personal space in the fashion world, and a sense of ownership over models simply because they are in the public eye.”
Luke Leitch, writer for Vogue Runway, said:
“It was a form of assault disguised as comedy and obviously an unforgivable example of male aggression against a woman.”
There is no excuse for his actions, no matter his opinion on Gigi Hadid, Jenner or the current state of Vogue. Gigi Hadid had the right to defend herself against this man and that many news outlets are treating Sediuk like a “prankster” is just horrible. Gigi Hadid’s self-defense has been played off as joke, when she, like many women, had to face off against a man who attacked her and invaded her space.
This isn’t the first time Sediuk has caused an issue. In 2014, Sediuk was detained by police after trying to hug Brad Pitt’s legs at the premiere for Maleficent. At the Cannes Film Festival in 2014, he caused an uproar when he attempted to stick his head under the skirt of actress America Ferrera. Later that year, he leapt at Kim Kardashian as she entered a Balmain show at Paris Fashion Week. He has kissed Will Smith and nuzzled Leonardo DiCaprio on the red carpet. Sediuk’s purpose behind these antics is unknown, but his attacks have crossed the line every time.
