After being scouted at the age of just two by fashion designer Paul Marciano, successful fashion model Gigi Hadid has since risen to become one of the biggest names in the industry. Winning the ‘International Model of the Year’ award at the British Fashion Awards in 2016, Hadid established herself as one of the world’s biggest household names and, with that level of success, made some pretty high-profile BFFs.
Gigi Hadid has a close-knit circle of influential friends that include celebs such as Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, and Rihanna. Generally, together with her sister, Bella Hadid, the model is a social butterfly with more than one or two close friends.
Hadid, whose relationship with Brit heartthrob Zayn Malik has been hotly discussed over the years, has always made her love known to her closest friends. Yet, given their iconic celebrity status and prominence in pop culture, the Hadid sisters have also developed a number of heated rivalries too.
The Inner Circle
When talking about’s Hadid’s inner circle, it’s worth mentioning that the model has a mature, nuanced outlook on the meaning of friendship. Talking about maintaining friendships after becoming famous, Hadid once said: “a lot of interesting things in friends come out [when you become famous].
“So in a way it’s good because you learn that it’s better to have a few really good friends than tons of friends you aren’t really sure about”.
This attitude is perfectly reflected in those that Hadid has stayed close with.
Taylor Swift
One of Hadid’s closest friends, Taylor Swift is one of the biggest socialites around and has always sought to surround herself with likeminded individuals. Close friends since 2014, Hadid regularly attends Swift’s concerts, saying: “I would totally buy [the tickets] but Taylor is very generous”.
Speaking about the concerts themselves, Hadid also said: “I would go lie on her couch while she starts hair and makeup, and then I’d be in the crowd. I was like, ‘How are we both just chilling, and now I’m a little tipsy, dancing at your concert and you’re up there in a glittery suit?’ It’s an interesting duality to experience in a friendship, because I love her and cherish her as a friend. But I’m also her biggest fan.”
Although both celebs are very high-profile, the two largely keep their friendship under wraps, but Hadid has spoken about their close bond on several occasions.
The model once said: “An amazing thing about my friendship with Taylor has been that she is a songwriter that I’ve connected to through my childhood into my adult life, and becoming friends has given me an insight into the mind that creates those lyrics. She writes words that people experience but can’t put into words themselves.”
Kendall Jenner
Two of the world’s biggest supermodels, it’s no surprise that Hadid and Kendall Jenner bonded over their shared profession. Close friends for the best part of a decade, Kendall Jenner and the Hadid sisters frequently hang out, work, and go away together.
Talking of her friendship with the two sisters, Kendall Jenner said: “Gigi and I just started getting close when we started modeling, but Bella and I were actually really good friends since high school, and hung out every day in school before either of us started working”.
In fact, not only are the Jenner’s and Hadid’s close, it recently emerged that the two families are actually believed to be related (kind of) through a string of ex relationships and marriages – at one point the two sets of siblings could have been stepsisters.
Hailey Bieber
Clearly, the Hadid sisters are well-connected, so, of course, they’re also close friends with Hailey Bieber – previously Hailey Baldwin until she married global superstar Justin Bieber.
Hailey Bieber and the Hadid sisters go back a long way and add another element to their high-profile girl clique.
Yet, despite their close friendship, the Hadid sisters were actually unable to make their friend’s wedding as it clashed with Paris Fashion Week and the two were bound to the catwalk.
Gigi Hadid on Friendship
Hadid’s network isn’t limited to supermodels and world-renowned artists though, and the celeb has spoken out about her upbringing and how her modeling career changed her existing friendships.
She said: “There are people who understand that I love them and who know that when I get back to town I’m going to call them, but sometimes I can’t call every day because I’m in weird places. I’ve lost a lot of friends because I’ll get busy for a short period of time, and they’re not reaching out, but if I don’t reach out, then it’s like I’ve changed”.