Gigi Hadid

April 23, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Gigi Hadid, born on April 23, 1995, is a Los Angeles-born American fashion model and media personality. Hadid began her modeling career with IMG Models and rose to prominence when she began modeling during her high school years. She is now one of the world’s most popular models. Hadid is only 23 years old, but she is already one of the highest-paid models in the world earning over $20 million. She has subsequently worked with make-up company Maybelline, fashion retailers Topshop and Tommy Hilfiger, and car manufacturer BMW. She has walked the runways of New York, Paris, and London Fashion Week. On this day, we celebrate Gigi and her achievements.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Jelena Noura 'Gigi' Hadid

Nickname:

Gee

Birth date:

April 23, 1995

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Taurus

Height:

5' 10"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$29 million

Background

Gigi Hadid was born on April 23, 1995, in Los Angeles, California, to Mohamed Hadid, a Palestinian Jordanian real estate tycoon, and Yolanda Hadid, a former model. Bella and Anwar, Hadid’s younger siblings, are also well-known models. Hadid went to Malibu High School and was the volleyball team’s captain. Hadid’s modeling career started when she was two years old when she was found by Guess’s Paul Marciano. Before deciding to concentrate on her education, she began modeling for Baby Guess. She returned to Marciano’s squad in 2012 and was selected as the face of a Guess campaign, which she shot three ads for. She relocated to New York after graduating in 2013 to pursue her modeling career while continuing her studies in criminal psychology. She eventually paused her studies to focus exclusively on her career.

In 2013, Hadid signed with IMG Models, and in February 2014, she walked for Desigual at New York Fashion Week. She then participated in Tom Ford’s eyewear ad the following year. Maybelline appointed her as their brand ambassador in January 2015 and by May, she had walked for Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Michael Kors, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Max Mara. In December 2015, she made her first runway appearance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and joined Tommy Hilfiger as a worldwide brand ambassador in January 2016. She made her second appearance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in December 2016, earning her wings for the first time, and also earned the International Model of the Year title at the British Fashion Awards in the same month, handed to her by Donatella Versace. She was chosen as one of “Glamour” magazine’s ‘Women of the Year,’ alongside Nicole Kidman, Solange Knowles, Muzoon Almellehan, and others, in 2018. Hadid has also engaged in many forms of activism and in May 2018, Hadid revealed that she would be collaborating with UNICEF to aid children all around the world. On August 25, she embarked on her first UNICEF expedition, which took her to Bangladesh to see their programs. On May 3, 2020, Hadid and other celebrities teamed up on Facebook Gaming to play a virtual charity tennis match.

Hadid started dating English singer Zayn Malik in late 2015, however, the couple has since broken up and reconciled several times. She made an appearance in Malik’s “Pillowtalk” music video and they became the third couple to feature on the cover of “American Vogue” in August 2017. They also worked together on a Versus (Versace) campaign, with Hadid serving as the photographer. After rumors of her pregnancy began to circulate, Hadid announced that she and Malik were expecting their first child during an interview on “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon in April 2020. Khai Hadid Malik, their daughter, was born in September 2020. Following four charges of harassment against Hadid’s mother Yolanda, Malik and Hadid ended their romance.

Career timeline

2011

Hadid Starts Her Career

She starts her career with Guess and is named the face of a Guess campaign the following year.

2013

She is Discovered by a Modeling Agency

She signs with IMG Models.

2014

She Makes Her Fashion Week Debut

In February, Hadid makes her New York Fashion Week debut, walking in Desigual's collection.

2016

‘International Model of the Year’

She is given the title of International Model of the year by the British Fashion Council.

2018

Her First Collaboration with Reebok

She launches her first collaboration with Reebok in November, creating sneakers for the company.

2019

She Appears in a Food Network Episode

Hadid features on an episode of the cooking show “Beat Bobby Flay” — she pairs up with chef Anne Burrell to take on Bobby Flay, a restaurateur and chef.

Why We Love Gigi Hadid

She has a wonderful sense of humor
In interviews, Gigi's sister, Bella, has remarked that something people don't know about her is that she's a pretty humorous person. This truth didn't surprise us; there's something special about a babe who can make you chuckle. We, like Hadid, enjoy being ridiculous and having a good time.
She’s a go-getter
Gigi got to walk Victoria's Secret runway in their annual fashion show, which she had always wanted to do. What her fans may not know is that she didn't receive the job the first time she auditioned. Yolanda Foster, Gigi's mother, revealed in an interview that her daughter had tried out for the fashion show twice before being accepted. Her determination enabled her to finally realize this lifelong ambition.
She is actively involved in political issues
Gigi Hadid puts her heart into the issues she believes in. In 2017, she and her sister Bella didn't waste any time protesting anti-immigration measures in the streets of New York.

5 Surprising Facts

She loves to cook
Hadid enjoys cooking and regularly shares her culinary masterpieces on social media.
She’s a skilled equestrian and volleyball player
Hadid was an extremely ambitious athlete in high school, according to a 2015 “Vogue” interview — "I stopped modeling because I was a very competitive horseback rider and a club volleyball player."
She believes in supernatural beings
She revealed that she and her boyfriend at the time, Malik, believe in aliens.
Over 20 issues of “Vogue” covers
She has appeared on the covers of “American Vogue,” “British Vogue,” “Vogue Paris,” “Vogue Australia,” and “Vogue Arabia.”
Her favorite color is yellow
In an interview with Reebok, she stated that “Yellow is a color that can inspire happiness; in a way it makes me feel energized and uplifted,”