Gomez and Bieber's Academy Museum Gala Appearances Spark Debate Amid Beauty Brand Rivalry Discussion
Following a public de-escalation of perceived rivalry concerning their cosmetic lines, Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber both made high-profile appearances at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala.
The 33-year-old Gomez graced the philanthropic event on Saturday, October 18, alongside her husband Benny Blanco, marking their inaugural red carpet outing as a married couple since their recent nuptials.
Both Gomez and the 37-year-old Blanco chose coordinating Armani outfits. The music executive donned a sophisticated midnight blue velvet suit paired with a complementary silk shirt, while Gomez shimmered in a bespoke Armani Privé black gown adorned with delicate crystals across the bodice, completed by a matching velvet evening jacket draped over her shoulders. The acclaimed Only Murders in the Building star further elevated her look with exquisite De Beers fine jewelry.
Her beauty regimen featured a rich plum-hued lipstick alongside a coordinated manicure, and her iconic dark hair was styled into an elegant, polished updo.
Selena Gomez Shares, Then Removes, Her Stance on Hailey Bieber's Brand Remarks
The 28-year-old Bieber graced the red carpet later in the night accompanied by her close friend Kendall Jenner. Mirroring Jenner's dark ensemble, Bieber selected a rich chocolate-hued strapless Schiaparelli dress featuring a sheer corset, accessorizing with elegant earrings and rings from Tiffany & Co.
Just preceding their high-profile red carpet appearances, Gomez publicly responded to Bieber's recent remarks drawing comparisons between their competing beauty ventures.
“Simply allow her to be. She is free to express herself as she pleases,” Gomez penned in an Instagram Story post that was subsequently removed, as captured in screenshots by various media sources. “It bears no impact on my existence. This concerns popularity, not intellect. Practice kindness.”
Gomez further stated, “Every brand offers inspiration, and there is ample space for all; ideally, we can all move past this.”
Bieber had been prompted during a Wall Street Journal interview to comment on whether her beauty line, Rhode Skin, perceived itself as a direct rival to Gomez’s Rare Beauty.
“It is consistently frustrating to be positioned in opposition to others. That was not my request,” Bieber conveyed to the publication in a conversation released earlier in the week. “When individuals choose to perceive you in a specific manner and have fabricated a narrative about you in their thoughts, it is not your responsibility to alter that.”
For an extended period, enthusiasts have hypothesized a long-standing tension between Gomez and Hailey, stemming from their separate romantic histories with Justin Bieber. Gomez was involved with Justin, 31, intermittently between 2009 and 2018. Justin then began a relationship with Hailey subsequent to his split from Gomez.
“Consider if Hailey proves to be the woman I am destined to marry, correct? Should I prematurely commit, and in doing so, cause her harm, that damage will endure,” Justin recounted to GQ in March 2016. “It is exceedingly difficult to mend such deep wounds. It is profoundly challenging. … My sole desire is not to cause her pain.”
Both Justin and Hailey, who exchanged vows in September 2018, alongside Gomez, have collectively refuted widespread rumors suggesting any overlap in their relationships.
“Discussing this proves difficult for me as I prefer not to speak on behalf of either party, given it was their private relationship,” Hailey shared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in 2022. “I sincerely hold deep respect for that, yet I am aware of the circumstances when we reconciled. And I understand what measures were necessary for that reunion to occur in a healthy manner, which I believe was the most sound, mature choice he could have made, and I commend him for it.”
Hailey and Justin subsequently announced the arrival of their first child, a son named Jack Blues, in August 2024.
