V Magazine #114 Fall Preview : Gigi Hadid by Mario Sorrenti

[vogue28]

 

[StockholmFW]

Cover story: 'Fearless'

Photographer: Mario Sorrenti
Model: Gigi Hadid
Stylist: George Cortina


vmagazine

Interview by Serena Williams:

Gigi Hadid and Serena Williams are a generation apart and dominate different fields—Hadid as today’s reigning supermodel and Williams as tennis’s GOAT. But besides success, the two have more in common than you think—so much so that Williams’s first post-pregnancy outing was to present Hadid’s Glamour Women o f the Year award. Hadid has defined herself professionally through modeling, but she has serious athletic chops, too: a hardcore athlete circa high school, Hadid’s passion for sports propels her fiercely competitive streak and impressive work ethic. She is a force to be reckoned with, now more than ever before. Here, the two MVPs reunite to talk perfectionism, sister-sister dynamics, and how to inspire future generations of powerful women. SAMUEL ANDERSON

SERENA WILLIAMS We’ve known each other for a long time. What do you remember about how we met?

GIGI HADID When I jog my memory, I can remember a lot of fun times from early in our friendship but I can’t actually remember how we met... it’s been a long time now! But, I’ve seen you play all over the world and we always have so much fun together.

SW How do you think you’ve grown and matured over the past few years?

GH I think I’ve learned a lot about myself, and every day I learn more about how to navigate this life. There’s no handbook for being in the public eye, so a lot of the learning about what your personal needs are, in such a bizarre way of life, is through trial and error. I think it’s good to have compassion for yourself too, which is hard because I’m a perfectionist. But I have patience for the rhythm of life and I take the lows with the highs. I feel lucky to feel, which I’ve been thinking a lot about. I enjoy learning during every part of the roller coaster.

SW Do you have a favorite memory of us together?

GH I love seeing you win. I think every woman feels like they win when they watch you play, or at least that’s how I feel. One of the best nights we’ve ever had was out in NYC after you won the U.S. Open one year, if I remember correctly...I won’t go into too much detail! [Laughs.]

SW We both have close relationships with our sisters. How does it feel to have a successful sister in the same field? What is that dynamic like for you?

GH I absolutely love it. It’s very rare to have what Bella and I have in fashion, what you and Venus have in tennis. I feel very lucky to be able to have a piece of home in my work environment. We are each other’s biggest fans. It has been a huge joy of my life to watch my little sister flourish, and to help when I can!

SW What is some advice you gave Bella when she first started?

GH I personally really loved the challenge of learning a lot of the fashion ropes on my own when I started working in New York, so I didn’t want to take that experience away from Bella when she started. I was always there whenever she had a question about a specific client or situation, but I tried not to be too protective, which comes naturally to me with her. We’re always FaceTiming to keep each other company on work trips.

SW You were really serious about volleyball and went to the Junior Olympics qualifier in high school. Do you ever think about what your life would be like now if you’d followed that path?

GH I think about it all the time, but I am really grateful for the time I spent playing in high school and still use so many tools I learned as an athlete in my work life today. The work ethic, dedication, and drive you develop as an athlete is hard to unwire. I go back and surprise my old coach’s teams at practices whenever I get a chance. I love playing with the kids and feeling the unequivocal energy of a team on a court, but they do make me feel old at 23! [Laughs.]

SW You and Bella were also really serious about equestrian sports. What do you think it’d be like now if you’d both pursued that professionally?

GH We both would have definitely been very happy going that route as well, but I think fashion opens a lot of doors to different and unique experiences and opportunities. I get to work with horses a lot for shoots and that always makes my day. Bella and I recently got horses again and ride at our farm whenever we aren’t working. Having that as a getaway is such a blessing. I would love to compete again one day when I have more time!

SW Competitiveness is such a key aspect of sports. Is competition still a driver of your success?

GH It’s interesting because I think most of my competitive nature comes from my mental competition with myself. I’m competitive with my personal best; I won’t stop if I know I can do better. In volleyball I was on a team, and I took that responsibility very seriously, just as I feel about my relationship with a horse I compete on. I want to be the best, but it’s about knowing I worked hard to perfect something more than it will ever be about beating someone else. That goes for volleyball, horseback riding, and modeling.

SW What’s one thing you and Bella get really competitive about, personally or professionally?

GH I would say that out of everything, Bella and I are the least competitive about our careers. We are more competitive about holiday cooking.

SW I’ve read that you love crime TV. What’s your favorite show and why?

GH I’ve watched pretty much all the crime shows and movies. I love Elementary because I find the human condition and relationships just as interesting as the crimes themselves. I guess that’s why I studied criminal psychology in college rather than forensics, which is what I originally wanted to study as a kid. I also love documentaries, that’s what I’m usually watching, both crime and others. I like to think I can recommend anyone a documentary that they’d love.

SW What else motivates you to be fearless and ambitious?

GH I feel very blessed to do what I do and be where I am. I think that a lot of what is meaningful nowadays takes a lot of courage. It’s sometimes scary to speak your mind with today’s media climate, but kids that do it so fearlessly give me the courage to do what feels right in my heart. The love and support I receive from fans motivates me every day to keep getting better all-around and speaking up for what I believe in.

SW I presented you with a Glamour Women of the Year Award in November. What was that experience like?

GH It was a huge honor to be included, and really sank in and became emotional for me when I got to hear all the women speak that night. I was really nervous to give my speech, and I almost couldn’t speak because I really felt that honored and touched. On top of it, you flew in to present my award just after giving birth to Olympia! I felt so lucky and grateful.

SW How do you feel about all the young ladies that look up to you?

GH I have so much love for them and always want them to know that I’m not perfect. I am figuring life out every day just like them. I hope to inspire them to find everything they are passionate about and not let anyone tell them they have to feel defined by anything singular.

SW How do you hope your work can impact or have an effect on the world?

GH I’m really proud of the dozens of schools that will be built in Ghana, Guatemala, and Laos through my Stuart Weitzman collaborations with Pencils of Promise. It makes me so happy to think that the schools will hopefully give many generations of kids the opportunity to get the education they deserve. I want to keep connecting with organizations surrounding world issues I’m passionate about, and to use my platform and time to give back however I can. Besides any tangible charity work, I hope to always spread the message of compassion, for yourself and others. You don’t have to wake up feeling 100 percent ever day, but finding something that inspires you on a daily basis, whether it be something small and creative or big and philanthropic, it’s important to let your light shine for yourself and therefore on the world. Learning from others, challenging myself to perfect new trades, getting informed about what I’m passionate about, and helping others have brought me so much joy, and I hope to inspire others to embrace all that life has to offer.

 

[dodencebt]

Hey, at least it's something experimental, opulent and downright fabulous. Not necessarily a fashion photograph but I'll take it.

The editorial has some great shots but I think that's all on Mario.

 

[MDNA]

This looks better than her Olympic-theme coverstory for US Vogue, we don’t really see her face though.

 

[TaylorBinque]

The underwater shot just doesn't work. But I love the offroad shots and the energy is through the roof.

 

[Benn98]

Definitely not what I was expecting at all! The cover is so refreshing, not only for V, but also for Gigi and Sorrenti. I'm really not the biggest fan of his work, but this looks great. For her edit, I'd have preferred only the underwater shots.

Odd to see such a summer cover for autumn....

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Finally something different, not sure I would pick it up though.

 

[Karl Boucher]

I don't like her makeup

 

[Zposen]

Gigi is so over exposed...nothing she does is exciting anymore!

 

[mepps]

The editorial is different than what I expected, but that's a good thing.
I love Sorrenti and what he did here.

The interview was super cringey and pointless.

 

[StockholmFW]

Two more covers:

[

 

[MON]

This screams Mario Testino, but had to settle with Mario Sorrenti emulating Testino.

Fearless? More like pretentious.

 

[SLFC]

It's not fashion, but I think can put that aside to say that I think this is awesome. The interview though, horrible. The trend of celebrities being interviewed by other celebrities needs to end.

 

[Benn98]

This screams Mario Testino, but had to settle with Mario Sorrenti emulating Testino.

I think it altogether likely. You'll recall Gan was the one who hoped aloud for the Testino ban to 'blow over.'

Quite like the last cover, but with a more effortless stroke. The tilted head looks too strategoc, to highlight the products, I'm sure. If it was a Vogue I would understand. Their primary aim is sell, sell, sell after all. But a quarterly like V don't need such blatant advertising.

 

[JPineapple]

Actually, I like the covers and editorial. Is giving me like some fresh air. I was getting tired of those Inez and Vinoodh covers with grey backgrounds.

 

[pivoslyakova]

I love the underwater cover. The first one is quite funny lol, jumping through the V.

 

[maxlinden]

I was about to give them some credit for a stunning cover and spread, until I read "Gigi Hadid and Serena Williams"???????????????????

Like in WHAT UNIVERSE can you compare Serena ******* Williams LEGENDARY career to that of a fashion model, let alone Gigi Hadid?????

Are they mental?

I was told there were idiots working at V and this was confirmation.

 

[KateTheGreatest]

More than anything I am surprised it is not yet another music issue...

The trend of celebrities being interviewed by other celebrities needs to end.

Definitely agree, it is very silly!

 

[RanThe]

I only really like the first cover. Really unnecessary to have two other covers, but hey whatever they need to do to sale the expensive magazine.

I will only buy if I like what it looks like in person.

 

[Benn98]

I was about to give them some credit for a stunning cover and spread, until I read "Gigi Hadid and Serena Williams"???????????????????

Like in WHAT UNIVERSE can you compare Serena ******* Williams LEGENDARY career to that of a fashion model, let alone Gigi Hadid?????

Are they mental?

I was told there were idiots working at V and this was confirmation.

What is mental is Gigi's response to her first question...I don't remember how we met. Lol! As if Serena is just some random starlet she'd have bumped into at a party. I mean, let's have some respect here. The rest of her answers sounds like your generic Miss America type responses.