Influencers criticized for stripping in bikinis near the Eiffel Tower

Two influencers who filmed themselves posing in bikinis in front of the Eiffel Tower have divided opinion online.

Brazilian influencers Gabriela Versiani, 24, and Gabily, 27, took part in the stunt in Paris, France to promote their bikini line on October 31, 2022.

They filmed themselves posing in front of the landmark, before police officers approached them and allegedly asked them to cover up, New Zealand Herald reports. The video quickly went viral online and sparked some outrage on social media.

The video shows the two women heading towards the Eiffel Tower before stripping off long black coats to reveal they’re wearing nothing but bikinis underneath. A third woman also participated in the video.

Footage shows crowds of tourists at the scene, before police intervene. Vanessa Lopez, a friend of the women who shot the video, shared the story on social media.

She said: “We guys almost got arrested because we were advertising bikinis and they said we couldn’t. We said, ‘Ah, but that’s a bikini. “”

“I even said, ‘Madam, it’s because we have a bikini business,'” she added.

But when the women explained to the police that the photos were for their swimwear business, the police replied that it was still illegal. The police explained that taking half-naked photos in front of tourist attractions is prohibited in France.

Brazilian TV personality Luane Dias, 28, was also visiting the Eiffel Tower and filmed the incident on her own phone. She shared the footage on social media, captioning her own video: “I’m glad I’m not with them.”

The video divided opinion online. Some commenters posted in favor of the two women, while others called it “unnecessary” marketing designed to offend followers.

One said, “Sometimes the meaning has to come before the marketing.”

Gabriela Versiani, who has 4.5 million Instagram followers and founded swimwear brand Versiani Swim, posted a new video after the incident, showing her in a bikini at the Eiffel Tower. She added the caption: “In Paris we use VS @versianiswim.”