Prada Sparks Controversy Naming Palestinian Rapper Saint Levant Brand Ambassador

During Milan Men's Fashion Week last week, Italian luxury brand Prada announced the appointment of 25-year-old Palestinian rapper Saint Levant as its new brand ambassador. The announcement followed his front-row appearance at Prada's Spring-Summer 2027 show at Fondazione Prada. Saint Levant, born Marwan Abed al-Hamid in Jerusalem to a French-Algerian mother and Palestinian-Serbian father, grew up in Gaza and Jordan and has become a prominent Arab voice internationally. His music blends English, Arabic, and French, and his global fanbase and effortless style have attracted multinational brands like Dior and Saint Laurent in the past.

However, the appointment has ignited political controversy due to Saint Levant wearing a pendant shaped like the "historic Palestine" map, representing the region's borders before 1948 and Israel's establishment. He frequently wears this pendant during performances and openly dedicates his platform to advocating for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid to Gaza, and ending the occupation. Prada's Instagram post announcing his ambassadorship, which reached 33 million followers and garnered about 118,000 likes, became a battleground of political debate. Supporters posted Palestinian flags and messages like "the right side of history," while critics condemned the choice as a political statement denying Israel's existence.

Pro-Israel activist Chen Mazig criticized Prada for promoting what he called "hatred," highlighting Saint Levant's past praise for violent acts against Israeli football fans and accusing the brand of erasing Israel "from the river to the sea." Prada has not publicly responded to the backlash or the pendant's symbolism. The campaign is seen as a deliberate, carefully managed statement, especially following Prada's earlier appointment of Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid as its first global beauty ambassador. The controversy underscores the tensions around identity and politics intersecting with global fashion platforms during this fashion week.