The famous Somalian refugee Issack Abdi Sadik who went from the streets of Paris to runways of Louis Vuitton, Rick Owens and more has reportedly returned to the streets after his fashion agency ELITE ended their contract with him.
Issack Abdi Sadik was seen on the streets after walking on the runway of LV
The 25-year-old model was first ‘discovered’ by Elite Model Management on the streets of Paris when he was living as a refugee in 2019. He quickly became a rising star in the industry and garnered opportunities to work with global brands like Louis Vuitton and Rick Owens.
an update: I’ve just gotten off the phone with the Men’s Director at Elite. Unfortunately the situation is extremely complicated also legally. He currently has someone with him but I can’t elaborate anymore on the situation. https://t.co/bzoWQ50pWX
— Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) January 5, 2024
However, last week, fashion journalist Louis Pisano shared the destitute conditions of the model, who has been living on the road since July 2023. The reporter also shared that sources have claimed Abid Sadik hasn’t received compensation for his work from some of the contracts.
As a result of this thread, Mari Malek, a model from South Sudan launched a GoFundMe page for Sadik. She established the campaign as part of her ‘Runways to Freedom’ charity effort, which aims to assist refugees working in the modeling industry. Her efforts worked and Sadik gained $10,000 in donations within two days.
Thank you to everyone who have been supportive of Issack Abdi. We had to make sure he is out of the cold and in a safe place. As soon as he can, he will share his truth. 🙏🏿
— Mari Malek (@DJStiletto) January 10, 2024
However, the latest information received by Pisano completely changed the picture introducing dark elements of assault, theft, and harassment.
ELITE Paris clarifies the reasons for their contract termination
On January 10, Louis Pisano again took to X revealing that he had been in contact with Men’s Director at ELITE Paris. He shared that the agency settled Abid into a model apartment on the night he was scouted. Soon after he allegedly began returning to the apartment drunk and started to harass models living there including underage girls.
So last week I was sent an IG story about a homeless model here in Paris and asked if I could help out in amplifying Issack Abdi’s story. The next day the Men’s Director at Elite here in Paris called me to tell the whole story. pic.twitter.com/RaQMX4pWhZ
— Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) January 10, 2024
The agency then moved him to another apartment and provided him a phone and SIM card but he soon returned saying that it was stolen. They replaced the phone but he continued to claim it was stolen on allegedly ten occasions. He also allegedly began to demand money from the agency to purchase clothes despite receiving several pieces from designers as gifts.
Additionally, they clarified that Issack Abid Sadik was paid for his schedules and received a job at the upscale restaurant L’Avenue as part of the process to legalize his stay in France.
c’est cette grosse merde qui m’a agressée dans la rue moi puis mes potes mdr qu’il y reste https://t.co/G4qrMCOnMT
— b¹²⁷ 🐝 (@yutasfavb) June 26, 2023
Throughout this, he started to allegedly become aggressive including a woman working on his paperwork to the degree that she removed herself from the case. More alleged victims of him have come forward including an ELITE receptionist and a Paris woman whose experience went viral online.
She claimed that Abid Sadik groped her in the streets before spacing on her sister, smashing a bottle of alcohol to threaten and insult them. Due to these reports, the agency alerted him that they were going to officially terminate their contract with him and provided him time to find another agency and move out of the apartment.
My sister is signed to elite so i heard the stories of this man. They got a random pretty junkie off the street and cleaned him up and put him in a house with minors. pic.twitter.com/fmNeQl0rtc
— ♡ (@dollslag) January 10, 2024
However, the landlord called the agency to say that he had completely destroyed the apartment. Pisano has removed his support from the fundraiser for the model and deleted his original post. His latest update has also gone viral.
Netizens react
The social media users who have been following the updates of Issack Abid Sadik took back their support after hearing about his alleged problematic behaviors. Many netizens also criticized the agency for neglecting mental health and housing him with underage models.
To Everyone ready to jump to conclusions l, before you try to discredit issack, his story and what happened to him without even hearing his side?? please know the facts and the truth first. And start asking yourself questions about what's really happening to refugee models bts!
— Mari Malek (@DJStiletto) January 10, 2024
On the other hand, many netizens including Mari Malek are awaiting the story from Sadik’s side before believing anything. She has clearned that she doesn’t condone any form of abuse but as she doesn’t know the complete facts she is going to continue to support model Issack Abid until his allegations are proven.
