Gigi Hadid Posts Rare Photos with Her Daughter Khai

Gigi Hadid offered a rare look at her two-year-old daughter Khai and their relationship.

The model shared a series of photos on her Instagram this morning, kicking off one carousel with a shot of herself and Khai holding hands. “Some stuff I thought about posting the last few months but forgot lol srry ly part 2,” Hadid wrote in the caption. The slideshow also includes a photo of a birthday cake to Hadid from Khai.

In another Instagram, Khai appears in Hadid’s arms:

Hadid and Zayn Malik, her ex-boyfriend and Khai’s father, have chosen to protect their daughter’s privacy and not show her face in photos.

In July 2021, Hadid wrote about the decision in an open letter to paparazzi, press, and fans: “I write this all to say: to the Paparazzi, press, and beloved fan accounts, you know we have never intentionally shared our daughters face on social media. Our wish is that she can choose how to share herself with the world when she comes of age, and that she can live as normal of a childhood as possible, without worrying about a public image that she has not chosen. It would mean the world to us, as we take our daughter to see and explore NYC, and the world, if you would PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE blur her face out of the images, and if and when she is caught on camera, I know it’s an extra effort, but as a new mom, I just want the best for my baby, as all parents do…”

Hadid recently spoke to ELLE about the version of herself that only Khai knows. “She obviously sees me in every state and way, and whether she knows it or not, I’m going through and learning through life with her,” the model said. “I think that she has a really realistic kind of 24/7, around-the-clock view. We’re up chatting in the middle of the night if she’s up; we’re talking about, I don’t know, random stuff, but it’s fun. Having a daughter, although it shifted my life to make me really want to feel more settled, has also really made me appreciate the chaos as well. Being at shows and shoots and just being in the city again; being around friends [after] becoming a mom, with everyone also coming out of COVID—I have an appreciation for both sides of it.”

Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.