The Victoria’s Secret Angels, models and crew are due to touch down in Shanghai next month, but four names are reportedly being struck from the cast after the Chinese government refused them visas.
Russian models Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva and Irina Sharipova as well as Dasha Khlystun from Ukraine, have reportedly not been granted entry to the country, for reasons unknown. As recently as July, Chinese news agencies were reporting that relations between them and Russia were at their ‘best time in history’. A Victoria’s Secret fan account confirmed the reports, showing a screenshot of a message sent by Dasha Khlystun on Instagram.
The news comes just a few weeks after a 14-year-old model from Russia died after being over-worked during Shanghai Fashion Week, with the Russian authorities reportedly investigating her death.
Many Chinese fans took to Twitter to vent their anger over the news, with some calling for Gigi Hadid to instead be barred from the country after she was accused of posting a racist video last year. The video saw her doing an impression of Buddha, imitating his eyes.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is one of the biggest events on the fashion calendar, drawing in television audiences from around the world. In previous years it has been held in Paris, London and New York, with performances by artists such as Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and Selena Gomez.
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