Why Bella Hadid is More Than Just a ‘Nepo-Baby’
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The online discourse surrounding nepotism in the modelling industry feels more prevalent now than ever before. In a recent cover story with Elle, actress and model Lily-Rose Depp criticised her ‘nepo-baby’ label, stating ‘If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, “Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor…I went to medical school and trained.”’ Depp, who is just 5”3, walked for Chanel as her runway debut; a feat achievable due to the connections she holds within the fashion industry. Without disputing her hard work, for her to deny the enormous privilege she has thanks to her famous parents comes across as tone-deaf, and the comment unsurprisingly earned her backlash online. This begs the question: how can one transcend the label of ‘nepo-baby’ and use their privilege for good? The answer: Bella Hadid.
The youngest daughter of TV personality and former model Yolanda Hadid, she has dominated every corner of social media this past fashion month; her stardom and relevancy transcending the high-fashion space to mainstream culture. She walked more than 20 shows this season, most notably closing for Coperni SS23, where she posed almost unclothed as the designers sprayed a liquid-polymer dress onto her body in real-time. This viral moment was posted and reposted all over the Internet, cementing her supermodel status. In comparison to the world’s current highest-paid model, Kendall Jenner, who has stated she cherry-picks her jobs, Hadid’s work ethic is refreshing, especially knowing her privilege would allow her the comfort of mediocrity or complacency.
Yet her importance stretches beyond her work. Hadid’s Palenstinian background is a point of pride; she is unapologetic about her heritage, and regularly uses her extensive platform to advocate for Palenstinian rights. Unafraid to show her followers the gruelling realities of the Palenstine-Israel conflict, she has risked compromising her reputation to share educational resources. But this has not come without a cost. The model has spoken about the repercussions of her activism stating, “I really do believe that if I started speaking about Palestine, when I was 20, I wouldn’t have gotten the recognition and the respect that I have now…I had so many companies stop working with me.” From the Dixie Chicks controversy, to Marlon Brando’s 1973 Oscar’s speech, public figures being reprimanded for their activism is nothing new. Whether it be promoting her acting debut in season 3 of Ramy - a show centred on Egyptian immigrants in the US -, or showcasing the Palenstinian ‘Labour of Love’ exhibition in Doha, Qatar, the model finds an array of avenues to show off and proudly represent her Middle Eastern roots to her 50M+ Instagram followers. Her willingness to stand for what she believes in, often at the cost of losing work, is what separates her from the negative ‘nepo-baby’ stereotype.
Bella Hadid does not let the label of ‘nepo-baby’ undermine her work as a model, and instead uses her privilege to elevate the causes she believes in. Her career thus far goes to show that when your talent and work ethic precede you, people are less likely to associate you with the negative connotations of privilege. The ability to recognise nepotism as a huge advantage, yet not a deciding factor, is what makes Bella Hadid so special as a model.