Luxury shopping at airports is usually a quick, indulgent ritual – especially during something as high-profile as the Winter Olympics. But for Russian figure skater Adeliia Petrosian, a stop at Milan airport turned into something far more uncomfortable.The 18-year-old athlete recently shared that she was refused service at boutiques of Dior and Louis Vuitton after staff saw her Russian passport – and the internet has been reacting ever since.
A shopping stop that didn’t go as planned
Petrosian had travelled to Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics and, like many athletes and travellers, decided to browse through the airport’s luxury stores. She walked into a Dior boutique hoping to pick up a ring and a pair of earrings – nothing out of the ordinary.But things took a turn when the staff asked to see her passport.Speaking on the ALEKÓ In My Bag show, she recalled the moment quite plainly. The sales assistant noticed her burgundy Russian passport and told her they wouldn’t be able to sell anything to her. Just like that, the purchase was off the table.“I still feel a bit bitter about what happened,” she admitted, adding that the experience stayed with her long after she left the store.
Not just Dior
What made the situation more surprising was that it wasn’t limited to one brand.According to Petrosian, Louis Vuitton follows a similar policy. Hoping to work around the issue, she even asked a friend from Georgia to buy the items for her – but that didn’t work either. Store staff reportedly refused the sale again after noticing that the friend was travelling onward to Moscow.“They apologised and still said no,” she shared. “It just felt strange.”And honestly, you can see why. For someone used to the global, welcoming image of luxury fashion, the experience felt jarring.
The bigger picture behind the refusal
While the situation might feel personal in the moment, it’s actually tied to much larger geopolitical decisions.The European Union has placed strict sanctions on Russia following the Ukraine invasion. One of those rules includes banning the export of luxury goods priced above €300 to Russia. That covers everything from designer bags to jewellery—essentially, the very items sold at brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton.These sanctions are part of a wider effort by the EU and G7 nations to limit Russia’s economic access globally. Instead of simply increasing trade tariffs, they’ve restricted both imports and exports – especially in sectors like luxury, technology, and industrial goods.So, while it might feel like a store-level decision, it’s actually a compliance issue that luxury brands are expected to follow closely.
When fashion meets politics
The incident also highlights how deeply politics has started to intersect with fashion and lifestyle – something that wasn’t always this visible.Luxury brands have long positioned themselves as global and inclusive, but situations like this show that they are still very much influenced by international policies. And for individuals like Petrosian, who competed at the Olympics as a neutral athlete, the lines can feel even more blurred.It’s also worth noting that Russian athletes have already faced restrictions on the global stage, including limitations on participation in major sporting events.
A moment that sparked conversation
Petrosian’s experience has struck a chord online – not just because it involves big names like Dior and Louis Vuitton, but because it raises bigger questions.Can luxury ever be truly apolitical?Where do brands draw the line between policy and personal experience?And how does it feel for customers caught in the middle?For now, there are no easy answers. But one thing is clear – what was meant to be a simple shopping moment turned into a conversation far bigger than fashion.And in today’s world, even a passport colour can change everything.
