Gigi Hadid calls out Kanye West for 'bullying' Gabriella Karefa-Johnson

Gigi Hadid has criticised Kanye West for "bullying" fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.

The rapper sparked controversy on Monday when he stepped out at his Yeezy fashion show staged as part of Paris Fashion Week wearing a shirt with the "White Lives Matter" slogan emblazoned across the back.

Following the event, Karefa-Johnson called out West for his "indefensible behaviour", and a short time later, he uploaded a string of posts about the Vogue contributing editor, including one in which he diminished her outfit choices and labelled her "not a fashion person".

In light of the controversy, Hadid took to Instagram to defend Karefa-Johnson.

"You wish u had a percentage of her intellect. You have no idea haha.... If there's actually a point to any of your s**t she might be the only person that could save u (sic)," she wrote. "As if the 'honor' of being invited to your show should keep someone from giving their opinion ..? Lol. You're a bully and a joke."

West has not yet explained why he chose to wear the top to the Yeezy show, as White Lives Matter is a white supremacist phrase that originated as a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

In response to the move, a representative for Black Lives Matter called the "stunt" a "clear affront" to the civil rights campaign.

"It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimise violent assaults on Black people," they commented. "Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.'