An Instagram influencer has been accused of faking a business class trip online.
Oceane El Himer shared a photograph on the social media website posing in one of Emirates’ business class cabins.
“Next Stop – Monaco. Je fly toute la night,” she captioned the post.
Comments on the image have since been turned off.
A picture later surfaced online appearing to show Himer sat in economy class sporting the exact same purple tracksuit as in her photograph.
The post was shared on Twitter, with the caption: “Dubai model exposed by co-passengers after she posed in business class cabin & posted photos online then returned to her seat in economy before takeoff.”
After the photographs gained traction on Twitter, a debate erupted among users about influencer culture.
Twitter user @Thisguyhere88 said: “Been saying social media an illness. Got people lying for attention and others wanting to make a career out of it.”
“If you’ve ever been out this way, this sums up the culture,” @lLexxLugger posted. “A bunch of people pretending to either be rich, a model, or an entrepreneur. 90% of the people in that city pretending.”
@teria224 wrote: “Crazy how ppl go to hell and back to impress people they don’t know people who apply nothing to their life.”
Responding to a tweet questioning people’s desires to expose others, @BestOpinions1 wrote: “It’s good to expose these unrealistic standards these fake internet models set for the young girls and boys so they don’t grow up idolizing the wrong people and lifestyle.”
@shawzo617 shared: “I mean also weird asl to even care about what shes doing like that. I mean she’s just existing in a society that makes it mandatory to seem poppin in order to do #s on social media, and she certainly isn’t the only one faking it.”
Other people added that it’s Himer’s decision and people should be less invested in the lives of others.
Himer defended the photograph in a Snapchat story in which she said there’s “no shame in traveling in eco class.”
“I took several flights to arrive in the south, including one in eco class,” she added. “‘took a picture and I accepted. I fully assume the fact of traveling in eco class, I’m not the type of girl who likes to show her money… Yes I traveled in eco and in business. And so?”
She went on to question why people have an issue with the photograph, adding that there are “much more serious things are happening in life.”
Newsweek has contacted Himer’s representatives for comment.
@oceanelhimer Instagram
