Alo Yoga unveiled Bella Hadid as the face of its new campaign on Tuesday, triggering immediate anger online and calls from Jewish groups to boycott the fashion, wellness and fitness brand.
At the same time, Israeli actress Gal Gadot posted an Instagram Reel in collaboration with Alo Yoga announcing that she had joined the brand’s ambassador roster, appearing in a polished fitness-themed video.
Gal Gadot announces she has joined Alo Yoga’s ambassador roster
(Photo: PR)
From a marketing perspective, the move is striking, as it places two prominent figures associated with opposing public narratives under the same brand umbrella.
The decision is likely to draw attention not only in the fashion world but also in the political and cultural debate, in which both women have become symbols of sharply different positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Instagram post criticizing Alo Yoga’s decision to feature Bella Hadid
It was only a matter of time before the political controversy resurfaced, as it did in the months after the October 7 massacre, when fashion brands working with Hadid faced intense criticism online. Within hours of the campaign’s release, Jewish organizations and independent activists focused on combating antisemitism began calling for a boycott of Alo Yoga.
StopAntisemitism’s post
The popular Instagram account StopAntisemitism published a post condemning the company’s decision, linking its partnership with Hadid to an incident in May in which Israeli customers said they received offensive messages in packages ordered from the brand.
The organization did not mention Gadot’s role as a brand ambassador, possibly because Alo Yoga’s official account has not prominently documented her appointment. Hadid, by contrast, appears throughout the brand’s social media presence, including in a direct link to the campaign on its Instagram page.
"Remember when two Israeli women ordered from @alo and opened their packages to find empty wrappers with a handwritten note reading: “Death to the IDF”, “Free Palestine”, and “Hamas will win”, the group wrote. "Whoever was responsible should have been immediately terminated but wasn’t."
The post referred to complaints by two Israeli women who said that instead of receiving the products they had ordered from the international brand’s website, they received hate messages inside their packages. Alo Yoga’s Israeli franchise is operated by the 911 Group.
"Now ALO is partnering with Bella Hadid, despite her long history of antisemitism," the organization continued.
Hadid, however, has not been widely documented making antisemitic statements explicitly. Her public positions over the years have focused primarily on criticism of Israeli policy.
"Alo’s silence over the package incident was bad enough," StopAntisemitism wrote. "Following it by elevating Bella Hadid as a brand partner sends an even worse message. We urge all sensible consumers to stay away from this brand until it shows that antisemitism has no place in its business."
Post about the empty packages and hate messages received last May
Hadid was selected to lead Alo Yoga’s fall campaign, appearing in sporty, sweat-soaked images photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
In a statement released with the campaign, she described why the partnership felt natural to her.
Bella Hadid in Alo Yoga’s new campaign
(Photo: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott)
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to create space for myself," Hadid said. "Whether that’s slowing down, moving my body, or just taking a moment to reconnect, those little rituals have become such a big part of how I take care of myself. To me, that’s what wellness is all about, and it’s always been something I associate with Alo. That’s why this partnership felt so authentic - it reflects a part of my everyday life that’s been there for years."