Kendall Jenner's Pepsi commercial controversy explained as model poses backstage at Off-White show

Kendall Jenner was spotted on the runway on Monday night, February 28, where Off-White held a show on the opening night of the Paris Fashion Week. The runway show was a tribute to the late Virgil Abloh, the founder and former Creative Director of the label.

The casting of the models was a testament to the people whose lives Abloh touched and the people who admired him. High-demand models such as Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, and Bella Hadid led the runway for the Off-White show, called Spaceship Earth: an "Imaginary Experience."

Kendall was seen backstage posing in the show's outfit while holding a beverage can, which reminded fans of her controversy with a Pepsi ad commercial.

How Kendall Jenner's "Live for Now" Pepsi commercial landed her in trouble

In 2017, Pepsi made a short film known as Live for Now, also known as Live for Now Moments Anthem. The commercial for Pepsi featured Jenner and a background song by Skip Marley, Lions.

The advertisement received immediate backlash from the public and was pulled after being accused of trivializing police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The commercial begins with a cellist on a rooftop, with multiple young people marching on the streets. They are seen carrying signs that display 'V' or peace signs, including one that says, "Join the conversation." Amidst the march, Kendall is seen posing for a photoshoot.

A character in a hijab notices the march and heads towards it with a camera. The cellist, too, does the same and, while walking past the photoshoot, invites Kendall to join the march.

Jenner agrees and gets out of her photoshoot look before heading towards the march. She grabs a can of Pepsi and re-appears in a more casual outfit.

Police officers are seen standing in a line formation ahead of the march. Jenner walks up to a police officer and hands him a Pepsi can, which the latter readily accepts. The gesture symbolizes the two parties joining hands, with everyone cheering enthusiastically to celebrate the matter being resolved.

Fans were offended by the ad, accusing Kendall and Pepsi of commercializing a sensitive topic.

The advert became a massive subject of criticism as Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., posted an image of her father being pushed by police officers.

They also clarified that Kendall wasn't involved in producing or writing storylines and that she only learned about the script on the set.

More about Kendall Jenner's look at the Off-white runway show

Kendall Jenner turned heads as she walked down the runway wearing a fitted mini Little Black Dress (LBD), which accentuated the model's height and figure.

The black mini dress had "Little Black Dress" spelled out on the lateral side in white print. To accessorize, Kendall Jenner wore black leather boots and matching gloves. She also sported a black cap with horns to complete the look.

About the author

Gargi is a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda, who covers all things fashion and lifestyle. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Delhi University, and her educational background and love for the written word has guided her 3.5-year journey in content writing and management.

For Gargi, her superpower lies in relentless fact-checking and building on research from credible sources to present her perspective on products and trends. Extensive artist profiling and creating a thesis on products and fashion are her strengths, and while Gargi lets facts do most of the talking, she also leaves room for readers to form their own opinions. Her passion for entertainment and popular culture means that her favorite artist is constantly changing.

Currently, Gargi is invested in BTS’ discography, and admires how the group have paved the way for other aspiring KPOP artists. When not talking and writing about fashion and lifestyle trends, Gargi likes to dance and play Badminton.

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