Katy Perry, Gigi Hadid reportedly banned from Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in China
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai is disintegrating faster than a cheap lace thong.
Katy Perry, who was set to perform, has now been banned from China indefinitely — along with a host of top models, including Gigi Hadid — after being booked in advance for Monday’s big event.
Model Gigi Hadid presents a creation during the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - RTSU3CG (REUTERS)
Sources exclusively told Page Six on Thursday that the “Swish Swish” singer had tried applying for a visa to enter the communist nation, but was denied by Chinese officials.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While she was initially informed that she’d be able to gain access, the decision was apparently reversed after the government caught wind of a controversial incident from 2015, in which Perry donned a bright, glittery dress with sunflowers on it during a performance in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.
Her outfit wound up causing widespread outrage because the sunflower had been adopted the year before by anti-China protesters.
To drive her point home, Perry also waved a Taiwanese flag during the concert in show of support for the country, which has been butting heads with China for years over its independence.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“She was initially granted a visa to perform at the VS show in Shanghai, then Chinese officials changed their minds and yanked her visa,” a source explained. “For every artist who wants to perform in China, officials comb through their social-media and press reports to see if they have done anything deemed to be offensive to the country. Maroon 5 was banned a few years ago because one band member wished the Dalai Lama happy birthday on Twitter.”
The models, meanwhile, were believed to have been banned due to various social-media posts that they made, which were apparently deemed offensive.
Sources told Page Six that Hadid, who was booked for the show back in August, was banned because of a February Instagram video — in which she held up a biscuit shaped like a Buddha and imitated the religious figure by squinting her eyes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The clip was posted by the model’s sister, Bella, in February and later deleted following a storm of criticism. Chinese social-media users warned her not to come to Shanghai, calling her racist.
Some of Victoria’s Secret’s biggest names have been denied entry to China, in addition to lesser-known models, such as Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva and Irina Sharipova.
Model Adriana Lima’s visa has been held up due to an ongoing “diplomatic problem.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Perry’s rep did not comment when reached by Page Six.
She is being replaced in the show by Harry Styles.
This article originally appeared in the New York Post' Page Six.