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Here's how 20-year-old Gigi Hadid became the hottest model in the fashion industry

Aly Weisman   

Here's how 20-year-old Gigi Hadid became the hottest model in the fashion industry
Entertainment4 min read

Gigi Hadid is only 20-years-old, but she's already climbed her way to the top of the modeling industry.

Gigi Hadid

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

Hadid's success is due largely in part to her relatable social media presence and the connection she has with her fans.

Gigi Hadid

Arthur Mola/Invision/AP

"I have more than 4 million followers on Instagram. All the companies I work for want me to guarantee how much I'll post for them, but I'm not going to force my career onto the people who follow me," Hadid said earlier this month in a W magazine cover interview (she has gained over 1.2 million followers since the issue came out on August 3). "I refuse to do 40 Instagram posts about any campaign."

Hadid embraces the business side of the modeling industry, and understands the importance of seamlessly moving between mass and class.

Gigi Hadid W magazine

W magazine

Hadid on the August cover of W magazine.

"I have always been aware of the business side of this industry. I've always seen it as a career that required work and planning," she tells W magazine. "My Pirelli calendar is hanging on the wall of my friend's frat house, and he doesn't know anything about fashion. That balance is what leads to big campaigns outside of fashion. But I never want to choose one or the other. Both commercial and high fashion are what make my job so interesting."

Hadid has had quite the year.

From being one of 16 top models featured in the annual swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated...

Gigi Hadid Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

... to being named the newest face of Maybelline, the number one cosmetics brand in the world, which counts models like Christy Turlington and Jourdan Dunn among other spokeswomen.

gigi hadid maybelline

Brad Barket/Getty Images for Maybelline

She walked countless runways.

Gigi Hadid model

Fulvio De Filippi/Getty Images

Gigi Hadid walks the runway at the Moschino show during the Milan Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2015

And was named Model of the Year at the Daily Front Row's Fashion Awards.

Gigi Hadid paparazzi

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Starred in the "Bad Blood" music video alongside her bestie Taylor Swift.

taylor swift bad blood

Youtube/TaylorSwiftVevo

And has appeared on many magazine covers.

Gigi Hadid teen vogue

Teen Vogue

Gigi Hadid Vogue Espana cover

VOGUE ESPANA

After starting her career as a Guess model at age two...

... she is still modeling for the brand 18 years later.

Gigi Hadid Guess

Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

But modeling is in Hadid's blood.

Her mother, Yolanda Foster, was a succesful model in the 80s and rejoined the spotlight as a cast member on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Gigi entering the modeling world was an early storyline on the show.

Gigi Hadid Yolanda Foster real housewives

Bravo/


Gigi's mother, Yolanda, is married to mega music producer David Foster.

Gigi Hadid David Foster Yolanda Foster

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Her biological father is Mohamed Hadid, a real estate entrepreneur who is estimated to be worth around $200 million.

Gigi's younger sister, Bella, is also a model.

GIgi Hadid Bella Hadid

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Image

In June, the two appeared on the cover of V magazine.

Gigi Hadid Bella Hadid V magazine

V Magazine

And while this year saw the break up of Gigi Hadid and singer Cody Simpson...

Gigi Hadid Cody Simpson

Danny Moloshok/Reuters

It has also seen the new relationship between Hadid and Joe Jonas, together dubbed "G.I. Joe."

Gigi Hadid Joe Jonas

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

And judging by her Instagram account, it's good to be Gigi Hadid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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