World Cup Fan Catches L'Oreal's Eye—Briefly

Belgium's Axelle Despiegelaere gets famous, then infamous, in a hurry
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 10, 2014 7:09 PM CDT
Updated Jul 11, 2014 9:28 AM CDT

Argentina may be playing Germany in the World Cup final this weekend, but Australia's News Network is already anointing a different tournament winner: 17-year-old Axelle Despiegelaere of Belgium. The teen got famous in classic Internet fashion as photos of her cheering on her team went viral around the world. That caught the attention of cosmetics giant L'Oreal, which quickly featured in her a "beauty tutorial" on YouTube and made her the focus of a social media campaign in Belgium. But she was never an official "brand ambassador," notes the Independent, and her association with the company was short-lived.

Business Insider reports that Despiegelaere quickly got a taste of the not-so-pleasant side of fame. After Despiegelaere posted a slew of photos online for her new fans, she took flak for one on a hunting trip that shows her behind what appears to be a dead gazelle. In the caption, she joked, "ready to hunt americans today haha," referring to a coming game. She soon removed the comment and explained she didn't mean to offend, then later took down her entire Facebook page. And now L'Oreal says Despiegelaere's ever-so-brief contract with the company has been "completed," and reiterates that she was not a spokesperson for the brand, the Independent reports. The company would not say whether the photo or caption influenced their parting. (More Axelle Despiegelaere stories.)

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