Every season sees a new model dominating the catwalks; in 2014, bushy-browed Cara Delevingne was fashion’s latest it girl, walking in over 50 shows, for everyone from Chanel to Burberry; 12 months later it was the turn of Kendall Jenner, who cemented her status as a ‘proper’ model (and not just Kim Kardashian’s little sister) by being chosen to walk for the best designers in New York, Paris and London. And this season? It’s the Hadid sisters, Gigi and Bella, that the fashion world is obsessed with.
The duo has racked up an impressive number of appearances so far this season – before arguably the biggest week, Paris, has even gotten underway – opening and closing for designers including MaxMara, Fendi and Versace. If Gigi is the more established of the two, having been a dominant presence last season too, September’s shows have seen Bella matching her success; not only did she open the Versus’ show (with Gigi and Zayn Malik watching from the front row) but also Fendi, Philosophy and DKNY. Meanwhile Gigi has cemented her status as the biggest model of the moment with a star turn in the Bottega Veneta show – which she closed with iconic actress Lauren Hutton. In the Moschino show, both sisters took to the catwalk an impressive four times – which is almost unheard of.
As if their omnipresence wasn’t enough to make them the talk of the season, they have also been dogged by drama, too – just last week Gigi made headlines for being attacked by prolific prankster Vitalii Sediuk, who grabbed her crotch and carried her away outside the MaxMara show, prompting an outraged reaction from both sisters. Meanwhile Bella was the unfortunate victim of a painful-looking tumble at the Michael Kors show, something that will probably only serve to confirm her status as one of the biggest models in the world – after all, it did nothing to hurt the career of Naomi Campbell, did it?
So what’s the secret to the sisters’ success? Well obviously, the first factor, is that they are both stunningly beautiful. With an exquisite blend of Dutch and Palestinian heritage, as well as a mother who was a model, their feline beauty is both exotic and all-American, somehow. It's also a bonus that one is blonde and one is brunette, too – it gives them both an edge and USP rather than being carbon-copies of one another.
Another thing that makes them feel so 'of the moment' for designers is undoubtedly that they also both embody fashion’s newfound appreciation for a more curvy, womanly aesthetic – they look more like the Amazonian supermodels of the 1980s, with their more sizeable (in fashion terms at least) breasts and bottoms – a look that hasn’t been ‘in’ for decades.
The final and most important factor though? It’s their social media following, of course. In 2016, the only currency that matters is the number of people liking your photos, and the Hadids have the most. Gigi boasts an awe-inspiring 23 million, while Bella has 6.5 million. Although Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne have more (Jenner has almost triple Gigi’s number, with 65.9 million), Delevingne has all but retired from the modelling world and Jenner can now be selective about which shows she does – she has no need to be quite so prolific.
Will the sisters’ domination continue into Paris Fashion Week? Almost certainly. Watch this space...
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