Sporting a beauty mark and a full-body golden tan, actress and model Bella Hadid is arguably the most exciting new face on the scene today.
The 23-year-old’s meteoric rise to fame was inevitable: as a child, she was cast in commercials for Pepsi and Campbell’s soup, and subsequently landed her breakout role in Disney’s The Beaches, opposite Gabrielle Union. Since then, she’s racked up several high-profile endorsements, including clothing lines and makeup products, and appeared in films such as Suits, The Boss and Room. Last year, she opened her own fashion label, entitled Bella Hadid.
But as stunning as she is, it’s the wife of director and producer Robert Pattinson (her father is Palestinian immigrant Khalil Hadid) who is truly responsible for her career ascent.
The Woman Behind Bella Hadid
After meeting at a private school in London, Roberts Pattinson began dating Hadid’s mother, Sally, a stylist who worked with top designers during the course of her career. Impressed by his passion for fashion, Sally encouraged her son to pursue a career in film. He attended the London School of Economics and Political Science, then secured a job at ICM, the international creative agency.
The couple wed in an elaborate ceremony in December 2014, and Bella Hadid has since been by her husband’s side as he launched several of his projects. She’s starred in four of his films (including The Rover), and in an interview with Vogue, she revealed that she’s already begun working on her first acting role as an adult: “I have a small part in the new James Bond film, which I am very excited about. It’s a very glamorous role, and I can’t wait to work with such an iconic studio.”
Bella’s Passion For Skincare
Since the beginning of her career, Hadid has been all over the map when it comes to her skincare routine. Early in her modelling career, she would put on heavy makeup and starve herself so that she could fit into smaller clothes. As a result of this over-drying and overusing of products, she developed cystic acne, which contributed to her decision to go on a limited skincare routine.
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Hadid revealed that she currently uses only two products, both of which are from Christian Dior. The first is the HydraFacial cleansing product, which she feels is vital for maintaining a clear complexion. “I use the Dior Hydralife product every other night, after washing my face,” she said. “It deeply exfoliates, strips away dead skin cells and lets your skin breathe.”
The second is the HydraCreme hydrating mask, which she said that she “absolutely loves.” “I use it when I wake up in the morning, after washing my face,” she said. “It leaves my skin feeling plump and revitalized.”
Asked whether or not she felt that women were viewing her as an inspiration, Hadid laughed and said: “I love it when people assume that. I had such a happy childhood, and it’s been my absolute pleasure to be able to share that with my fans.”
The Fashion Icon And Rising Star
Although she’s only been in a few movies, Hadid has already cemented her place in fashion history. In April 2015, she became the first-ever face of Gucci’s menswear and women’s ready-to-wear cosmetic collections (and the first female face in the brand’s history), and the Italian luxury goods company subsequently announced that they would be extending their partnership with Hadid.
The following month, she became the face of Balenciaga’s menswear and women’s cosmetic collections, and appeared on the cover of L’Uomo Vogue.
She has also graced the covers of several high-profile fashion magazines, including Vogue, GQ and Harper’s Bazaar, and is frequently seen on Instagram, where she has over a million followers.
An Instagrammer With A Purpose
While many stars turn to social media to share their daily antics with their fans, Hadid uses the platform to tackle important issues affecting women and girls. In a 2015 interview with Vogue, she said that the “purpose behind [her] Instagram really is to speak up for all the women who need to be heard.”
Since September 2015, after the release of Pattinson’s film The Rover, she has been posting regularly to Instagram to promote gender equality and combatting gender stereotypes. In these posts, she highlights a different feminist cause or issue every week, ranging from the fight for equal pay to ending violence against women. She regularly posts about issues impacting women, especially in and around London, where she is based.
The Future Of Fashion
Hadid’s fashion influence is far-reaching and she’s quickly becoming the face of a new generation of designers. Since the beginning of this year, she’s been unveiled as the new face of Dior, Balenciaga and Gucci, and is currently the brand ambassador for several other European brands. As well as working with big-name brands, Hadid also graces the covers of fashion magazines, including Vogue, GQ and W. In 2016, she’ll be featured in numerous fashion magazines, including Vogue, as well as on the cover of W and Harper’s Bazaar.
As for her own future, Hadid didn’t rule out a return to acting and expressed her hopes to work with some of the biggest names in the industry. “I’d love to be able to work with Woody Allen one day,” she told Vogue, “or Martin Scorsese, or Ridley Scott. I think that would be such an incredible experience.”
As for what’s next, for fans of Hadid, it’s clear that she’s not one to shy away from a challenge. She’s already started work on her own clothing label, and next year she’ll be expanding her brand into a beauty line too.