The winters Gigi Hadid moved from Los Angeles to New York nearly a decade ago was especially harsh on the US East Coast. Needless to say, that freezing weather was a setback for her: “I’m cold even when others are hot,” she sighs. Luckily, her parents had anticipated this and packed the clothes they wore on the colder California days, so teenage Gigi showed up to her New School faculty in a gray turtleneck with leather strap fastenings that she picked up. borrowed from her mother and a wraparound knit button-down cardigan from her father. In this moment of transition, as exciting as it was disconcerting, those warm knitwear made her feel at home. “For a long time those were my only cashmere items,” Hadid admits. “I still have them.”
Gigi and I are talking on Zoom. The supermodel called me from her London hotel room, wearing a gorgeous orange cashmere turtleneck; what other garment could it be? But this one is not borrowed, but from Guest In Residence, the brand he just launched. “This is my first time wearing anything from the brand. I love the color,” Hadid says with a hint of excitement. Said sweater is part of a series of timeless garments ( tight joggers, hoodies, t-shirts, scarves, hats, and the like).) that come in a myriad of warm tones: bubblegum pink, turmeric yellow, and cherry red, to name a few. They’re also working on limited editions, like what Hadid calls “varsity funk,” which showcases her flair for preppy color blocking, like classic rugby gear.
Gigi Hadid, who is now 27 years old, has put all her efforts into creating this line of cashmere clothing, which began three years ago. The idea came when covid stopped the world and Gigi, who was pregnant with her daughter Khai, took refuge on her family farm in Pennsylvania. “I think a lot of people assumed that the logical thing to do was launch my brand,” says Hadid, who has worked on several collaborations with other labels, from runway collections for Tommy Hilfiger to capsule swimwear collections for Frankies Bikinis, the brand. of Francesca Aiello, with whom she has been a friend since they both went to high school. “I didn’t want to rush. I knew I would come up with something that would convince me, something consistent.”
With so many multifaceted designers on the scene, his latest career move couldn’t be more timely. Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, and models Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have long proven that there are multiple paths to fashion. As photographed on the street as she is on the catwalk, Hadid has also developed a sharp style all her own and is a social media superstar. Her collaborations with some of the most talented designers in the industry also help. “If you’re attentive, being a model teaches you wonderful things that go far beyond posing,” she says.
More than anything, though, the style Hadid has embodied in Guest In Residence is a reflection of what she learned at home. “My parents usually invest in the things they like, it’s something I learned from a very young age,” she explains. As his model is direct sales (from the brand to the consumer), the most expensive garments do not cost an arm and a leg: for example, the classic crew neck sweater that he wears during our Zoom chat is priced at $295. And Hadid doesn’t skimp on quality. She has gone to great lengths to source long cashmere fibers from Mongolia. and it has been made with a type of biodegradable thread that avoids the classic problem of devotees of knitwear: pilling. “My goal is to make simple, sustainable garments that last a long time,” she says.
The two golden rules for which he bets were given to him by his grandmother. The first: everything that looks good in hair looks good in cashmere. The second is that instead of washing the sweater after each use, it should be hung on the clothesline at the end of the day: “Cashmere is a natural fiber, so it gives off odors on its own,” says Gigi.
Some of his relatives are especially eager to get hold of the new collection. Her sister Bella has had her eye on the cropped cardigan with hook-and-eyes and raw hems, which they originally referred to as “the infiltrator”: “Bella stopped by the office and took it with her. She loved it,” says Gigi of this garment. weathered And although Gigi’s daughter is barely walking yet, she is on the same path as her aunt: “Khai is not even two years old and already chooses her clothes. The other day she took a dress out of the laundry basket. I told her: ‘What are you doing, it’s dirty,’ but there was no way he was going to wear anything else. He already has a great opinion of his own,” says Gigi. “She will be our first intern.”
