When it comes to the Hadid sisters Gigi and Bella, it seems that modelling definitely runs in the family. Their mother Yolanda is, of course, an established model in her own right, while their younger brother Anwar is also fast carving out a niche in the industry, most recently walking alongside his sisters in Tommy Hilfiger’s London extravaganza. Now, there’s another family member to keep up with: Joann van den Herik, who has just signed with talent agency UK Model Management as a ‘plus size’ model.
First, let’s clear up the family tree: as the daughter of Leo van den Herik, brother of Yolanda, 18-year-old Joann is the Hadid siblings’ first cousin on their mother’s side. The family resemblance between Joann, Gigi and Yolanda is particularly striking.
Despite being based in Holland, her Instagram account (you can follow her on @joannvdherik) proves that she’s still close to her stateside cousins: she recently posted a family group shot alongside Gigi and sent a birthday shout-out to Bella, writing: ‘You’re spreading your light and happiness around everyone you meet and I’m so proud that I get to call a hardworking, kind, loving, beautiful person like you my cousin!’
Speaking of Instagram, Joann uses her platform of 38,000 followers and counting to spread an uplifting message of self-acceptance. A UK size 12, she regularly posts unfiltered images of herself online and is a refreshingly vocal advocate for body positivity, writing in a recent post: ‘When you feel good, happy and healthy, why does it matter what other people think or look like? The only person who can make you love your body is YOU […] A person is most beautiful when they fully accept and love themselves.’
It’s surely only a matter of time before we see Joann snapped up for a major campaign. Watch this space...
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