Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik's Complete Relationship Timeline
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are adjusting to their life as co-parents after welcoming their daughter Khai in September 2020. The couple, who dated on-and-off for nearly five years, called it quits “for good” in late 2021. After a nasty dispute between Malik, Hadid, and her mother Yolanda, the exes are now on “amicable terms” and have decided to continue raising their daughter together.
Below, relive their entire romantic history.
November 2015
Hadid and Malik were first linked toward the end of 2015. Us Weekly reported that the pair was seeing each other after ending their previous relationships. Hadid split from Joe Jonas after four months in early November, while Malik broke off his engagement to Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards in August.
“It’s a very new thing. They’re just seeing where it goes,” a source told the outlet. “I wouldn’t call them boyfriend and girlfriend,” a second source added. “But seeing each other? Definitely. He’s chuffed.”
The outlet also published photos of the duo leaving Justin Bieber’s American Music Awards after party in the same car. Days later, they were spotted holding hands while exiting a restaurant in Los Angeles. An onlooker told E! of the outing, “Gigi and Zayn couldn’t keep their hands off each other.”
December 2015
The following month, Malik shared a black-and-white Polaroid of the couple cuddling closely on Instagram. Although there was no caption, the since-deleted photo basically confirmed they were an item.
January 2016
On January 2, Hadid shared her own black-and-white shot of Malik. In it, he’s holding her kitten Cleo while shirtless.
About 10 days later, Hadid declared “ZDAY 💛” while sharing a photo of herself wearing a “Z” gold chain necklace.
In an interview with Apple’s Beats 1 radio show, Malik dodged questions about his relationship. When asked about Hadid, he responded, “We’re good friends, yeah.”
However, when Hadid was seen in a Paris airport with Malik as her phone’s lock screen, most people assumed they’re officially more than pals.
The month ended with the ultimate couple confirmation: Hadid appearing in Malik’s “PILLOWTALK” music video, his first as a solo artist.
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A video surfaced of Hadid singing along to the single in the car. Malik and Hadid also sent some flirty tweets to each other about the steamy video.
February 2016
On the heels of the musical PDA, Malik confirmed the relationship during an interview with Zach Sang & The Gang. The following month, paparazzi captured the pair leaving her East Village apartment.
On Valentine’s Day, Hadid shared another black-and-white photo of Malik with her cat. She captioned it simply, “💘.”
April 2016
This month, the couple appeared in their first photo shoot for Vogue. In it, they showed off a ton of PDA while in Naples, Italy.
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Hadid’s ex Jonas weighed in on the couple that month. When asked about the relationship, per the Daily Mirror, Jonas said, “I think it’s interesting that she moved on so quickly. I mean, it was definitely very quick.” He also claimed that people had been comparing him to Malik “for years.”
May 2016
For the “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” Met Gala, the couple walked the red carpet together for the first time. Malik opted for Versace, while Hadid wore Tommy Hilfiger.
Hadid captioned a photo of the themselves later in the month “missing you ❤️.”
Further proof the duo was together came when Hadid wore a statement shirt that read, “lol you’re not zayn malik,” to Drake’s SNL after party.
June 2016
Although there are rumors about the couple splitting, Hadid confirmed the pair is very much on during an interview with ELLE.com. When asked whether she prefers a night out or night in, she replied: “Night in. Cook. Paint. Play with my dog. Hang out with my boyfriend. Watch movies. Just chill.”
E! News reported that the couple ended their relationship after seven months together. A source told the outlet, “During her birthday they were fighting,” adding that the pair had “broken up and got back together a few times.”
A second source said that while the pair did break up, “they can likely get back together tomorrow. It’s all very unclear what’s going on between them now. They [have] been having some issues lately that involved communication and getting along.” The source continued, “Gigi is really sad about this, though, and in a way would like to work it out. It’s more about that constant contact with Zayn that she misses and they did get very close.”
However, three days later Hadid’s spotted in West Hollywood wearing her “Z” necklace, signaling their relationship was likely back on.
July 2016
Fans’ suspicions Zigi was still together were confirmed when Hadid posted a selfie of the couple cuddling to Instagram.
September 2016
By September, the couple was back in full force, holding hands in Manhattan.
That same month, Hadid and Malik sat front row at the Versus Verace show during London Fashion Week.
They were also seen hanging with Taylor Swift, Malik’s “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” collaborator and ex-girlfriend of One Direction member Harry Styles.
Plus, Hadid shared a photo of the two seemingly on vacation, captioned with three palm tree emojis.
October 2016
The following month, the couple headed to Paris Fashion Week for the Givenchy show.
November 2016
About a year after the couple was first linked, Malik opened up to ES Magazine about how he and Hadid met. They met in early November 2015 at a Victoria’s Secret party. He reportedly recognized her “from her picture” and asked her out. Their first date went down at The Bowery Hotel’s restaurant Gemma in New York City. “She’s a very intelligent woman,” he told the outlet. “She knows how to carry herself. She’s quite classy and that. She’s not, like, arrogant in any way. She’s confident. She carries it well. She’s cool.”
Other tidbits from the interview? He likes to cook Yorkshire pudding for Hadid, they’d met each other’s families, and while they “haven’t officially swapped keys or anything yet, we live together wherever we are.”
December 2016
Malik reflected on asking Hadid out—and collaborating with her pal, Taylor Swift—in an interview with SiriusXM Hits1.
January 2017
In an interview with British Vogue, Hadid was asked about her typical date night in with Malik. “We like late-night movies and we order from this amazing place that does lattes and gingerbread cookies,” she explained. “I need coffee to stay up. I’m always like, ‘Babe, let’s go to a movie.’ Then I fall asleep halfway through and he’s like, ‘You’ve seen the first half of every movie out there and you have no idea how any of them end.’”
For Malik’s birthday, Hadid shared a black-and-white photo of him captioned, “happy birthday my handsome! so lucky to know and love a soul like yours ☄wishing you the best year ever!!!”
February 2017
“everyday 💘,” Hadid captioned a sweet selfie of the pair for Valentine’s Day.
March 2017
When Malik won the Best Music Video award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, he and Hadid appeared in a video together to accept the award.
The couple continued providing small insight into their relationship. During an interview with Sunday Times Style, Malik talked about the pair’s pet names for each other. “I call her Gee, she calls me Zee. There’s some other nicknames too, but I’ll keep those private,” he says.
Malik also posed alongside Hadid for the Versus Versace show, which she captured on Instagram.
The following month, Hadid posted a photo of the pair alongside a cake for her 22nd birthday.
July 2017
In a major relationship move, the couple appeared on the August 2017 cover of Vogue. However, controversy arose about the theme of the photoshoot and story in question, as Zayn and Gigi are branded “part of a new generation embracing gender fluidity.” Neither one publicly identifies as gender fluid.
Vogue released a statement shortly after, addressing the concerns:
The story was intended to highlight the impact the gender-fluid, non-binary communities have had on fashion and culture. We are very sorry the story did not correctly reflect that spirit – we missed the mark. We do look forward to continuing the conversation with greater sensitivity.
September 2017
Gigi’s mother Yolanda shared a photo of the young couple embracing on Instagram captioned, “❤️Summer Loving……. #Family.”
Further proof came out that the couple’s families are intertwined when they spent the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha with each other’s moms.
October 2017
The couple showed off their Halloween costumes on Instagram. Malik dressed as Spider Man while Hadid went as the Black Cat from the comics series.
January 2018
The stylish couple kicked off the year by stepping out in matching sunglasses and monochromatic black ensembles in NYC.
Hadid also wished Malik a happy birthday captioning a series of photos and videos of the pair, “love this man more than I could ever put into words, & am inspired by his drive to be and do better everyday ✨ cheers to YOUR YEAR my @zayn – happiest happiest birthday & 25th year of life !! I’m proud to be by your side x.”
March 2018
By March, ZiGi officially called it quits, with each sharing statements about the breakup on Twitter.
The Sun reported the couple had simply “grown apart,” with a source adding, “They have crazy work schedules that would put pressure on any relationship.”
April 2018
The couple of more than two years was spotted by TMZ kissing in the streets of New York, sparking reconciliation rumors.
May 2018
But before you could call it a comeback, a source told E! that the two parties may be on different pages. “Zayn really wants to be with [Gigi] and has made it clear,” a source told the outlet. “He misses her and can’t stand being apart.” However, the insider said, “Gigi’s a little bit more hesitant.”
Reportedly, the pair “broke up because it wasn’t working and nothing has really changed.”
June 2018
Once again, sartorial choices signaled a reconciliation. On June 28, Malik was seen in NYC wearing eyewear from Hadid’s Vogue Eyewear capsule, according to Vogue.
For the singer’s GQ cover, he resisted labeling their relationship status. “I’m really thankful that I met her…We’re adults,” he began. “We don’t need to put a label on it, make it something for people’s expectations. I had a very negative outlook on things [while recording my first solo album]. That might have been adolescence or testosterone or whatever the f*ck was running through my body at the time. She’s helped me to look at things from a positive angle,” he continued.
July 2018
Next, Hadid defended her relationship with Malik, responding to an Instagram post she was tagged in that claimed their romance was fake. She posted a lengthy comment, which begins, “Seems like u guys tag me in a new post every day … pls stop.. it’s just negative, I really have no hard feelings towards you I just know what a beautiful world there is to go out and live in instead of trying to dissect a relationship between two people that you don’t even know and that you do not see 99% of… for someone who is virtually inactive on the app, I don’t need his follow- my eyes are tattooed to his chest.”
August 2018
Then a report from The Daily Star, via The Sun, claimed that Malik was eyeing a proposal “to prove his love,” per a source. “He’s head over heels in love and wants to prove to the world he’s committed and their relationship is the real deal.” Reportedly Malik “has suggested a secret wedding with no guests.”
But the insider said talks of that kind of commitment halted after Hadid “made it clear they are not ready to get engaged just yet.”
September 2018
Malik shared a photo of Yolanda Hadid holding his GQ cover on Instagram.
January 2019
By the start of the year, multiple outlets were reporting the couple had broken up. On January 3, E!, Entertainment Tonight, and Us Weekly all had sources weigh in on the news.
“Gigi and Zayn have broken up, but not because they don’t love one another,” ET‘s source explained. “After trying for a long time, the couple just couldn’t make it work. Zayn has been dealing with personal things for a while and Gigi has become a comfort blanket for him.”
“They could get back together, but it’s over for now,” Us‘s source said. Malik had “a lot of his own issues that she couldn’t help him get through.” A second source claimed, “She focused all her time and energy on him, but it just got to be too much.”
Meanwhile, E! reported that the couple had been “on a break” for two months. A source said the two “have been spending time apart since early November. [They] think it’s best for the sake of their relationship right now.” But there didn’t seem to be drama, as Hadid continued to follow Malik on Instagram, liking recent social media posts at the time.
In mid-January, The Sun captured photos of Hadid leaving Malik’s apartment, suggesting the two may be back together. But no official confirmation either way was given.
March 2019
In March, Malik made two post-breakup moves that confused fans. On March 2, he tweeted, “@GiGiHadid love you.”
A few weeks later, a fan tweeted, “Zayn loves that I love his ‘I’m with you’ bracelet and he himself confirmed that it’s HIS favourite.” Malik responded, “I love it because Gigi bought me it.”
Despite Malik’s public declarations of love towards Hadid, Us Weekly reported that they weren’t back together. “Gigi and Zayn still talk,” a source claimed. “She still has feelings for him, of course, but he has major issues and she knows they aren’t compatible. She’s still very single.”
April 2019
After false rumors emerged that Hadid was dating Selena Gomez’s ex Samuel Krost, Malik took to Twitter to clarify his feelings about it all. On April 3, Malik fired off a series of tweets, which some interpreted to be his response to Hadid dating Krost. Amongst the tweets he wrote, “How about you all go f*ck yourselves with your irrelevant bullshit? This ain’t a place for feelings. And you aren’t the person you said you were.”
However, once fans tied Malik’s comments to the rumors, he tweeted more directly. “My tweet was not about @GiGiHadid so leave her the f*ck alone,” he explained. He went on to write, “she is the most amazing woman I’ve ever known,” followed by, “And does nothing but love and support me when lord knows I don’t deserve it.”
August 2019
After Hadid very publicly began dating former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron, Us Weekly gives a status update on Malik’s feelings.
“He has been sad about their breakup and was very sad after their breakup,” a source told the outlet. The source also added that Malik bought a $10 million New York City apartment “less than 10 months ago” to be closer to Hadid’s place, although he “never fully” moved in.
As for the exes’ relationship, the source added: “Everyone around Gigi is very supportive of her moving on. It was not a good move for Gigi and Zayn to be around each other. It wasn’t a healthy situation for her.”
November 2019
E! reported that the two were in contact again after her relationship with Cameron fizzled. Early in the month, Hadid and Cameron unfollowed each other, signaling an official end. A source told the outlet that Hadid “has always had a soft spot for Zayn and they have a lot of history together.” They continued, “They went through a phase where they took time apart and weren’t communicating at all, but they have been in touch recently. She is supportive of him. They chat here and there but it’s been casual.”
As for an official reconciliation, the source explained, “They are definitely not getting back together but are on good terms right now.”
December 2019
Fans speculated that the pair could be back together after Hadid posted an Instagram Story where she was making a recipe from Malik’s mom. She even tagged Trisha Malik in the post, writing, “Sunday in the kitchen: about to marinate the chicken for one of my favorites!!! @mammamalik’s Chicken Curry Pasta Salad.” Trisha also re-posted the clip and tagged Hadid in a video from a Zayn/Gigi fan account where Hadid was asked “What’s your favorite restaurant in the world?” and she responded, “My boyfriend’s mom’s house.”
January 2020
By mid-January, the couple seemingly confirmed they’re back on. Hadid and Malik were spotted on an NYC date night with her brother Anwar and his girlfriend Dua Lipa. A source told E! that the pair is, in fact, back together. “Gigi and Zayn got back together right before the holidays in December,” the insider said. “Zayn has been reaching out to Gigi for the last month and she is giving him another chance.”
The source added, “She has always loved him and the break between the two was needed. Zayn has been working on his past music and focusing on his health and is in a really good place currently.”
The following day, the newly-reconciled pair walked through New York City again. This time, they showed PDA in matching black outfits while strolling in Madison Square Park.
February 2020
On Valentine’s Day, Hadid went Instagram official with Malik (again). She posted a polaroid of Malik on her Gisposable account’s grid, writing, “HEY VALENTINE Z on the farm ♡ Dec 2019.” This meant that tabloid sources were correct about the date of the couple’s reconciliation.
Yet another sign that this couple was fully together? Hadid came to her man’s defense after YouTube star Jake Paul tweeted the following about Malik: “almost had to clap up zane [sic] from 1 direction because he is a little guy and has an attitude and basically told me to f–k off for no reason when I was being nice to him…zane [sic] ik you’re reading this…stop being angry cause u came home alone to ur big ass hotel room hahaha.”
Hadid wittily responded: “Lol cause he doesn’t care to hang w you and your embarrassing crew of YouTube groupies…? Home alone with his best friends like a respectful king cause he has me, sweetie. Unbothered by your irrelevant ugly ass. Go to bed…” Paul later deleted the tweet, but not before social media erupted over the interaction.
March 2020
Hadid made it clear that she and Malik have been together again for a while after she posted a throwback shot of him on Instagram. On March 24, she shared a series of old photos with the caption, “(Oldie) camera roll finds ! 💛 #stayhome.” Among the throwback pics was a photo of her and Malik kissing by a Christmas tree.
April 2020
For Hadid’s 25th birthday, she shared several photos from her celebration while in quarantine. Included in the pictures was a snap of her and Malik embracing.
She also posted a Boomerang of herself, Malik, and sister Bella next to her 25th birthday balloons. Hadid captioned the sweet post, “❣️🍰.”
Hadid’s birthday photos were significant for another major reason—they provided the first glimpse at her baby bump. TMZ and Entertainment Tonight reported on April 28 that Hadid was about 20 weeks pregnant with her and Malik’s baby. A source told Entertainment Tonight that “Gigi and Zayn are expecting their first child together and the couple is very excited! Gigi has kept the secret close to her family and friends for a while as she’s only a few months along. Once Gigi and Zayn got back together at the end of last year, it was like they never skipped a beat and knew what they had was special. The couple and their families are overjoyed.”
Some speculated that Hadid’s blue-stringed balloons in her birthday photos meant she was having a boy. But TMZ reported soon after that she was actually expecting a baby girl. A source told Entertainment Tonight that Hadid and Malik were “over the moon” to be having a daughter. “At the end of the day, it didn’t matter to the couple what the sex was, but now they can prepare for the new addition before she arrives,” the source added.
By the end of the month, Hadid confirmed the pregnancy news herself on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “Obviously, you know, we wish we could’ve announced it on our own terms, but we’re very excited and happy and grateful for everyone’s well wishes and support so…I’m trying [to be present for every part of it],” she said during the virtual interview. “Especially during this time, it’s a nice silver lining to be able to be home and together and really experience it.”
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As for her early cravings, Hadid said her ultimate vice was “everything bagels.” She confessed, “I eat an everything bagel everyday and so I was already like, so excited that my birthday cake was the everything bagel.” Hadid also admitted she got emotional over her birthday cake, made by Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro, a reaction she attributed to a mix of hormones and quarantine.
May 2020
After Hadid spoke about the pregnancy news, a source spoke to Us Weekly about how Malik was feeling about becoming a father. “Zayn has always been so into Gigi and she’s always been such a big part of his life,” the source said. “Even when there were times that they weren’t a couple, the love was still very much there.” The insider went on to say that Malik “couldn’t be more thrilled” for their new arrival and that the couple was “solid.”
With the debut of Malik’s new ink, rumors swirled that he and Hadid could be engaged. The arm tattoo appears to show the Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran’s poem “On Marriage.” Fans posted side-by-sides of the poem and Malik’s tattoo.
Hadid offered a rare update on their relationship during a Maybelline tutorial for Instagram Live alongside makeup artist Erin Parsons. “My mans is going to be like,” Hadid observed of her makeup look, smiling. “You know what’s so funny, is that I don’t think that he like, obviously when I walk in from work, can be like, ‘Oh that’s an Erin look,’ or ‘That’s like a Patrick [Ta] look,’ or whatever, but he does really love, like, he—how do I say it? He reacts the most excited when Erin does my makeup without knowing. He’ll be like, ‘Wow, you look amazing.'”
June 2020
Things remained fairly quiet for the parents-to-be as they quarantined in Pennsylvania. Hadid did, however, share a selfie of herself and Malik for British Vogue to raise money for the NAACP and NHS Charities Together. That same month, Hadid snapped photos of her sister Bella for an ELLE quarantine shoot.
July 2020
Then Hadid shared her the first photo of herself and Malik since they confirmed they were expecting. “Baby daddy,” she captioned the selfie, which shows the couple kissing.
She also offered a rare look into the New York City NoHo apartment where she and Malik will be raising their daughter. She captioned several photos of her home on Instagram, “Spent all of last year designing and curating my passion project / dream spot. Of course it all came together right before quarantining out of the city…. but I’m excited for the time I’ll get to spend enjoying all the special corners that were made with a lil help from some of my favorite creatives (tap!) who embraced my ideas and didn’t call me crazy. 💛 ++ my mamma:) who is the greatest homemaking-sounding-board I could ask for (she called me crazy when required) ☺️ grateful to and for all.”
Per the New York Post, Hadid owns two units in the building and plans to combine them. She bought the first for $3.97 million back in 2015, which includes two bedrooms, two and-a-half bathrooms, and a chef’s kitchen. In December 2018, she quietly snapped up a second unit, a $5.82 million townhouse with three bedrooms and three and-a-half bathrooms, which also includes a landscaped private terrace with a fire pit, barbecue grill, and outdoor refrigerator.
Hadid also showcased her pregnant belly on Instagram Live while promoting her V Magazine Gigi Journal Part II issue. “Obviously I think a lot of people are confused why I’m not sharing more but like, I’m pregnant through a pandemic, like obviously my pregnancy is not the most important thing going on in the world,” she said on the Live. “That’s a reason that I felt that it’s not really something that I need to share apart from with my family and friends. Obviously a lot of people have lost lives due to coronavirus that was in the beginning of quarantine and still happening. And then we moved obviously into the re-emergence of the [Black Lives Matter] movement, and I thought that our presence on social media should be used for that.”
“I have been taking a lot of pictures of my bump and sending it to friends and family and it’s been very cute and exciting and I’m trying to document it well because I’ve heard a lot of people say ‘make sure you don’t miss it,'” she continued. “And I will be sharing stuff like that in the future. I just am not rushed to do it, and I feel like right now I just want to experience it, and I write in my journal a lot, and I just don’t want to worry about waking up everyday during my pregnancy and like worry about having to like look cute or post something and like so, a lot of questions were about that and I just wanted to do that.”
Hadid’s comments arrived around the time when British Vogue published a story with the since-deleted headline “Gigi Hadid Reveals How She Disguises Her Pregnancy.” She responded to the headline on Twitter, writing, “Disguise ….? I said in a baggy jumpsuit the front and side views are visually different stories- not that that was intentional or I was trying to hide anything. Will be proud and happy to share ‘insight’ when I feel like it, thanks.”
She continued, “For now I am proudly experiencing and sharing this time with my family and loved ones.”
August 2020
A more official look at Hadid’s growing baby bump landed in August. She shared personal photos of her pregnancy in a shoot taken by fashion photographers Luigi and Iango on Instagram. “Growin an angel :),” she captioned her first post.
In the second, she revealed the pictures were taken on July 26.
And in the third, she credited her collaborators on the shoot. “cherishing this time. appreciate all the love & well wishes ♡ will never forget creating these special images with my friends @luigiandiango @gabriellak_j @erinparsonsmakeup thank you. I love you!” Hadid wrote.
A second batch of maternity photos arrived the following week:
In the final days of Hadid’s pregnancy, a source spoke to E! about how she and Malik are preparing to become parents. “Zayn and Gigi are really excited and have been loving this experience together,” the source said. “They both are reading parenting books, have had fun planning the nursery and picking out items together. Things are going really smoothly, and they are closer as a couple more than ever.”
September 2020
More photos from Hadid’s pregnancy emerged on Instagram. “from about 27 wks 🥺💙 time flew,” she captioned a set of photos, which were posted about a week before her baby was born.
“Waiting patiently for her angel to be born……,” Gigi’s mother Yolanda captioned a photo of the pair on Instagram.
Where there are photos, there are also pregnancy cravings. Hadid opened up on Twitter about a few indulgences leading up to her daughter’s birth. “Pregnancy is real when u order nationally shipped @sprinkles to be delivered to yourself,” she wrote, adding, “. @sprinkles do I have to defrost the whole box right when I get it or can I defrost them one by one to make them last longer?”
Also on her list of pregnancy cravings: “Supreme triple chunk brownies & make-your-own ranch mix dip w carrots …… lol,” Hadid responded to a fan on Twitter.
Days before becoming a father, Malik broke his Instagram silence. He shared a polaroid photo of himself, showcasing new ink on his back while standing next to a man wearing a black face mask. “Got some stuff to show ya soon!” he simply wrote, to which Hadid commented, “!!”
Bella Hadid also got in on the last-minute posting, sharing a sunset photo of herself and Gigi. “June 11, 2020 …🖤” Bella wrote. “Two buns in the oven except mine is from my burger and gigi’s is from @zayn ✨👼🏼✨ i love you both so freaking much -can’tstopcrying 🥺”
On September 24, both Malik and Hadid broke the news of their daughter’s birth. After Malik shared the news on Twitter, Hadid posted a similar black-and-white shot on Instagram. “Our girl joined us earth-side this weekend and she’s already changed our world. So in love🥺💕,” Hadid wrote alongside a photo of Malik’s hand holding on to their baby’s.
October 2020
Hadid shared the first family photo of Malik, baby Khai, and her together for Halloween. Hadid dressed up as Zero Suit Samus from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros and Metroid series. Malik dressed up like a Slytherin student from Harry Potter, and baby Khai appeared as the Incredible Hulk. People reposted the photo, which caught the eyes of Marvel Incredible Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo. “Happy 1st Halloween to a fellow Strongest Avenger 💚 You look smashing,” the actor commented.
December 2020
Hadid let fans get a glimpse of her first Christmas as a new mother. She shared pictures of her family on Christmas day. One shot was of Malik holding their baby girl, and a second featured their daughter wearing a Gucci onesie and custom knitted Jordan booties.
Gigi’s mother Yolanda also shared an intimate photo of the couple opening up gifts for their daughter. The two received a winter onesie for Khai:
January 2021
On January 12, Malik celebrated his 28th birthday. Gigi shared a tribute for her longtime boyfriend on Instagram. She posted a rare throwback photo of the two and an illustration of him and his daughter. “Team No Sleep! Happiest birthday to our Zaddy baba. So special. Love you long time, thank you for makin’ me a mamma to the best girl ever ☺️ Wish you the best every single day,” she captioned the post.
In addition to her post, Hadid went all out for Malik’s 28th birthday, throwing a small video game-themed celebration at their New York City home. Hadid rented arcade machines and decorated the space with balloons and confetti with Malik’s face on it. The mini party’s guest list was limited as only Hadid, her friend Leah McCarthy, and Malik were the only people photographed at the occasion. (It was during the coronavirus pandemic, after all.)
On Jan. 15, Malik released his third studio album, Nobody Is Listening. The lyrics of “When Loves Coming,” featuring Syd, explores Malik’s thoughts about settling down with the woman he loves—seemingly Hadid. Malik sings, “I need you in my life / Yeah, you could be my wifе for real / Only takes a woman / To show you what it means to lovе.”
On Jan. 22, the couple finally announced the name of their baby girl, Khai. Gigi subtly revealed her daughter’s name on her Instagram bio. A source told TMZ that the couple named their daughter after Hadid’s grandmother, Khairiah, on her father’s side.
February 2021
In early February, Vogue published its interview with Hadid for its March cover. Hadid revealed that she and Malik plan to raise their daughter Khai on their Pennsylvania farm rather than in New York City. “The greenery and the farm-y lifestyle are similar to what made me feel really centered as a kid, and I think that’s really important to Zayn and me,” Hadid said. In the interview, Hadid revealed that her and Malik’s home is close to her family’s farm, where she grew up. “We have our space to be our own little family,” she said.
Hadid also spoke about the couple’s decision to keep their daughter’s face off of social media and generally keep Khai’s life private. “I have friends who are public figures and that’s how they’ve gone about it, and I see their kids really blossom in a different way,” she said, referring to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, who have three daughters.
On Valentine’s Day, Hadid shared PDA-filled photos of her and Malik. She expressed her love for her boyfriend, writing to him, “I love you, Valentine && love the Valentine we get to share forever. 👼🏼”
October 2021
After months of Hadid and Malik keeping relationship mostly private, People reported on October 28 that Malik and Hadid ended things again. Hours before the report broke, TMZ ran a story where multiple sources said that her mother Yolanda Hadid claimed Malik “struck” her. Malik denied the allegation to TMZ, saying, “I adamantly deny striking Yolanda Hadid and for the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private.”
A rep for Hadid made a brief comment on the report, stating, “Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time.”
Of the breakup, a Hadid family friend told People that Gigi and Zayn “are not together right now. They are both good parents though. They co-parent. Yolanda is of course very protective of Gigi. She wants the best for her daughter and grandchild.”
January 2022
Following the dispute between Malik, Gigi, and Yolanda Hadid, Malik pled no contest to criminal charges of harassment. As of the new year, however, the former couple was “on amicable terms,” per Us Weekly.
A source told the publication that “Gigi and Zayn are getting along just fine. They’ve been in each other’s lives in some way or another for the past few weeks.”
The source added that Malik and Hadid weren’t battling for custody over their daughter, and that they decided to continue co-parenting.
June 2022
Hadid wished Malik a happy Father’s Day via Instagram. After posting a tribute to her dad Mohamed calling him “sweet baba,” she posted another Story featuring Malik and the couple’s daughter, Khai. She referred to Malik as “Khai’s baba.”
September 2022
Amid rumors of Hadid dating Leonardo DiCaprio, the supermodel gave a sweet shoutout to Malik for planning Khai’s 2nd birthday. “Her baba [Malik] threw her the best party,” Hadid wrote on her Instagram Story. Hadid tagged Malik in an additional Story showcasing
the impressive Peppa Pig birthday cake that Carlo’s Bake Shop made for their daughter.
Editorial Fellow
Savannah Walsh is an Editorial Fellow at ELLE.com.
Starr Savoy is a fellow at ELLE.com, where she writes about celebrity, culture, beauty, and fashion. When she is not working, you will find her pumping iron at the gym, watching Netflix’s latest phenomenon, and indulging in retail therapy.
Assistant Producer
Hannah Malach is an assistant producer at Hearst Magazines, where she covers entertainment news, the royals, and more for brands including Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. She’s previously written for Billboard, WWD, and The Hollywood Reporter. If she’s not catching up on the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, you can probably find her curled up with a good book or exploring one of New York City’s many museums.
