Topshop Taps Gigi Hadid For AW15 Campaign

Topshop roped in many huge stars for their campaigns in the past, with Cara Delevingne starring for Fall 2014 and Spring 2015, and Hailey Baldwin debuting as the British retailer’s face of its denim collection this spring. Even the Jenner sisters got a piece of the Topshop pie, with Kendall and Kylie recently collaborating with Topshop for their fun summer capsule collection. It is obvious that the mammoth retailer is going after the social media-savvy crowd as these celebrities have millions of followers.


Gigi Hadid is the latest addition in the Topshop campaign family and the images are beautifully shot by Tyrone Lebone and styled by Kate Phelan. Hadid already has a Max Mara and Balmain campaign under her belt this season and this partnership further solidifies her position in the world of fashion. Her effortlessness, confidence and Californian style makes her the perfect ambassador for the brand.

In the campaign pictures, the 20-year-old model poses in fall staples like faux fur coats, short plaid skirts, a black dress, patterned hoodies and a tailored black tux. Gigi Hadid has a Dutch-born American mother and a Palestinian father and seems like the perfect picture of diversity and now, she has added another fashion takeover to add to her rich CV.



Gigi Hadid Q&A
How does it feel to be Topshop’s campaign girl?
It’s 100% cool. I just love anything Topshop. I’m the biggest Topshop fan. I’ve really enjoyed the shoot – it doesn’t feel forced or posed – which I think is very much my style too.

How would you describe your everyday style?
I like to say casual chic because I have to be comfortable, but also like to stay on trend. My Met Ball after party look was a Versace mini dress with Adidas trainers – I like mixing glam and casual.

Have you always been comfortable in front of a camera?
My Mom was my first photographer and stylist when I was really little, so yes! When she stopped modelling she got really into photography and was always taking pictures of me and my sister. So when I got my first modelling job with Paul Marciano for Guess – I just felt really comfortable and it didn’t really feel like work.

Any other secret talents?
I’m a real geek about criminal psychology. I have no idea where that came from – my mom used to catch me sitting home at 9 years old watching Forensic Files instead of the Disney channel. And she was like - my daughter’s either brilliant or really weird! I need to figure out a way to go to class without doing the homework because I don’t have the time! I just like being part of a conversation and listening to people talk. That’s what I love about school.

How was it shooting Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood video?
Absolutely epic. I’ve never been on a production that huge. What people don’t understand about how massive it was is that none of those were green screens they’re all real sets – so the effort that Taylor and Joseph put in to make it seem like a real badass secret agent training camp is real. It was like the supermodel Hunger Games. Shooting with your friends is amazing – it went by so quickly. I think we stopped shooting at midnight and ordered in probably 50 burgers and fries and just sat around devouring everything. After walking around on huge heels through gravelly dirt all day, all we wanted was burgers.

You’re also part of the Instagram generation – what do you and your friends love so much about it?
It’s about being able to look inside worlds that you wouldn’t normally experience. I like following graffiti artists and musicians because it gives me a new insight. It’s not even about celebrity versus no celebrity – one of my best friend’s sisters is travelling the world saving whales and she’s posting underwater pictures everyday – and she’s not a celebrity, but it’s completely cool. It’s cool to work in a generation where we have that tool.

What do you think it’s like being a model in 2015, compared to say the ‘90s supermodels?
I’ve heard from a lot of people in the industry that the supermodel is coming back, which is really exciting for me. For a long time you would see a girl for one season and then you’d never really hear about her again. Now models are getting to create a fanbase that keeps them around.

Do you think social media has had a part to play in this?
I guess that’s the biggest difference today. We live in a time where you’re not just a fan of a model because you like her picture in the magazine but you like her sense of humour. Or you might have the same style or like the same pizza and were able to share those things through social media. That’s what people want to follow – they want to see us hanging out outside of the studio, backstage at the show. The whole ‘squad goals’ thing is a big part of our generation – I think that’s what will help us create a new supermodel crew.



by: Adeline Tan