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Gigi Hadid’s voice trembles. But it’s not nervous, I can assure you. After all, she’s graced the covers of major fashion magazines, made her way for some of the world’s biggest brands, and as of August, according to Forbes, she’s the fifth highest-paid model in the world with an estimated earnings of $900 million (Dh330,000) check.
What nerve?
That’s because, at just 21, traveling the world, meeting screaming and crying fans who packed shopping malls just to get a glimpse of her, and insisting on following her every Instagram post, sometimes things It can become a little overwhelming.
“I still don’t get it,” she said, wearing an all-black outfit — leather pants and an oversized jumper — from a collection she designed with Tommy Hilfiger, for which she traveled to Dubai to promote. “Like, things still shock me when a certain number of people show up just to look at me. Sometimes I think ‘why? ’. Obviously I’m very grateful for everything, but people often ask me if I understand the extent of all this, and I’m like, ‘Honestly, not really’. But I guess it’s a good thing…”
Hadid returned to the UAE on Monday as part of her global #TogetherTour to promote the TommyXGigi capsule collection. Her itinerary included media interviews, interactions with so-called Emirati “influencers” and a meet and greet with fans at The Dubai Mall.
While her overly cautious handlers have strict guidelines on what we can’t ask – no one questioning her Arab roots, her safety concerns, the pranks she and Kim Kardashian played on her and Kim Kardashian during Paris Fashion Week, her relationship with Kendall Jenner’s friendship—and her 23 million Instagram followers—hadid was more receptive.
Traveling to the Middle East always feels like coming home, she said.
“I love it here, I love going to places that remind me of my father’s side.” Hadid’s father, Mohammad Hadid, was born in Palestine and immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was 14.
“I especially love it when you meet other Arabs,” she said, cheering up the topic. “Whether you’re related or not, you have this sense of family anywhere in the world. When people come to me and they tell me, ‘I’m Palestinian’, we connect and it’s beautiful.
“My boyfriend is also half Middle Eastern. It’s just a connection you make, which is really cool. It’s hard to explain, but you feel like you’re in it [your] people. “
Hadid’s boyfriend Zayn Malik’s parents are from the UK and Pakistan, both of which are included in some broad definitions of the Middle East. Both love Arabic, the region’s main language, and Malik has Arabic tattoos and uses Arabic script on merchandise that Hadid often wears.
She also loves coming to the UAE, “because you can do anything here.”
“In one day, you can skydive, ski, and go deep into the desert. My aunt lives here with all my cousins and second cousins,” she said.
On Monday, designer Tommy Hilfiger revealed that 50 percent of the Gigi Hadid collection was sold out. The line, which includes women’s activewear, footwear and accessories, including watches, sunglasses and fragrances, debuted last month during New York Fashion Week.
Hadid, who has appeared in a campaign for the brand, said it was Hilfiger’s idea to create a capsule collection.
“Last August, I was talking to Tommy’s team about shooting a commercial. When I started working with Tommy, he saw that I was a creative person and liked my attention to detail. When he got to know me, He realized we could do something more interesting and creative,” she recalls.
“[Tommy Hilfiger] is a brand that I really get into with style. I love these clothes, I think I can bring more street feel to it. They also have a very good plan, including the whole collaboration, tour and meeting fans. Really thoughtful. “
Under the contract, Hadid was required to attend each design meeting for an hour.
“I was in it for over eight hours,” she laughs. “I just don’t want to leave. But that’s who I am. I won’t leave until every detail is done, until I know it’s perfect.
“Tommy’s collection last season was all nautical. So we wanted to go with a similar theme, but I wanted a lot of vintage stuff. I went through a lot of archives and brought back a lot of shapes and patches and buttons and cords. It has so many layers , but they gave me a lot of space, really listened to my ideas, and most importantly made me feel like they wanted to execute it for me.”
Traveling the world for shows can take its toll, but Hadid says she’s lucky to have the right team to take care of her.
“I’m thankful that my team understands the importance of taking time off when needed. If I’m working the entire Fashion Week month, I’ll take a few days off and then I can work another three weeks,” she says.
“Rest days are very important, not only to recharge your energy, but also to stay excited about things. It’s good to work hard, but if you do it all the time, you lose motivation. If your team won’t listen to you, it’s okay Wouldn’t treat you like a human being, and that wouldn’t be cool.”
Hadid started modeling at the age of two and went on to study criminal psychology. “My mom wanted me to, so when I grew up and changed my mind about modeling or didn’t make it, I had something to fall back on.”
Hadid’s mother, Yolanda Hadid, was a model and interior designer known for her reality TV appearances Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
When Hadid was 18, she decided to make modeling her career choice. Soon, her sister Bella followed.
“Everyone always asks if we have competition,” she says, “We’re in the best position because we look completely different. If anything, I’m competing with other blondes in the industry. I’m glad she does Brilliant. I always feel so relieved to see her at fashion week and have her there. So many girls are alone, but to have a family there is amazing.”
She didn’t think about inheritance or anything like that, but she knew how she wanted to work.
“I always say when I go to work, my goals are: be nice, work hard, make friends. That’s been my philosophy from day one,” she says. “If you go to work and engage with someone or people, those are the relationships you build that will take your place.
“You may be the most beautiful person in the world, but if you’re hard to work with at the end of the day, it won’t last long. I want to be that person when they come home, and at the dinner table they say, ” Her kindness really amazes me”. Maybe the next day, they’ll push or vouch for me on the campaign trail. I think that’s how you create opportunities.”
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