Alana Hadid: 12 Facts About Bella And Gigi's Older Sister
We all know Bella and Gigi Hadid — but most of us are probably less familiar with their older half-sister Alana. Alana, who celebrated her 40th birthday in 2023, is the daughter of Mohamed Hadid (Bella and Gigi's father) and his first wife, Mary Butler. Although Alana may not be quite as famous as her younger sisters, she has also had a hugely successful career in the fashion industry. Not only has she dabbled with a bit of modeling, but she also launched her own androgynous clothing line and has done multiple brand collaborations in her time. She's also an activist, charity board member, and vocal spokesperson for body positivity.
Alana has also proven that age isn't something that should hold anyone back, making a stunning runway debut at 40 in Copenhagen, walking the catwalk for Saks Pott. Curious to learn a little more about this lesser-known Hadid sister? Here are 12 facts about Alana Hadid.
Alana Hadid started walking the runway at 40
Alana Hadid has worked in fashion for years, but it wasn't until 2023 at the age of 40 that she finally walked the runway. The model appeared on the catwalk at Copenhagen Fashion Week after being asked to walk for designer Saks Pott. "I had decided to come to Copenhagen [as] I love Danish brands," she said to Vogue, adding, "I've loved Saks Potts for a very long time so it was incredibly exhilarating to open for them." Hadid was photographed wearing a number of outfits by the brand, including a see-through maxi dress with a floral embroidered pattern and a black leather mini dress with cut-out detailing.
As Hadid explained, she may have had a late start walking the catwalk, but she was hoping to return for more shows in the future. "I'm actually so in love with walking runways," she shared. "It was not something that I came here to do, but it's been an exciting twist. I hope to come back again and walk more shows." We certainly hope to see her strutting her stuff again soon.
She has her own clothing line
In 2017, Alana Hadid co-founded the brand La Detresse with her friend, Emily Perlstein. The brand features stylish loungewear, knitwear, and denim. According to Us Weekly, La Detresse really took off during the pandemic when shoppers were searching for cozy items to wear around the house. "I love the fact that people are wearing our stuff when they want to be comfortable ... I love that it's their comfy go-to wear," Hadid told the outlet.
In 2022, Hadid expressed her gratitude to her family for their support of the brand. "I think one of the best things about our brand has been how supported we've always felt by our friends and family, which is why we named a lot of these pieces after our family," she said while launching the brand's Summer Trip collection, which included dresses named after her sister, Gigi (via E! News).
Hadid collaborated with Lou & Grey in 2016 and Strathberry in 2019
La Detresse wasn't Alana Hadid's first foray into the world of fashion. In fact, back in 2016, she collaborated with the brand Lou & Grey, creating her own capsule collection. For Hadid, it was a huge honor and a defining moment in her fashion career. "I feel humbled that Lou & Grey wanted to feature me and make me the face of the collection and I'm just enjoying it," she told Washington Life at the time.
The collection mainly featured accessories like bandanas, bags, and a sweatshirt. Hadid told Refinery29 about her decision to release so many bandanas as part of her collection, "I wear them all the time. I'm really obsessed with bandanas, and they're making a huge comeback." As she went on to explain, she was in a habit of wearing bandanas either in the traditional cowboy style or twisted into a choker in the evening. "I don't necessarily do the around-the-head thing, because I have a weird-shaped head, but it looks so cute on [other] people," she added.
Hadid took part in another fashion collab in 2019 when she partnered with the Spanish bag brand Strathberry. As usual, Hadid proved to be a trendsetter, discovering the brand before it took off in popularity. "I found Strathberry on Instagram and I immediately became a huge fan," she told Culture Whisper. Clearly, all the Hadids have good taste!
The Hadid sisters love chatting about fashion
So, how close is Alana Hadid to her sisters? Well, they all have one major passion in common — a love of fashion. And it turns out, they love to chat about their favorite looks. As Hadid told Glamour, she, Bella, and Gigi even share a sisters' group chat where they can gab about fashion anytime. Even though Hadid explained that her sisters have a great sense of fashion, she still helps them out from time to time.
"We talk to each other every day, we have our sister chat and I'll say, 'Ooh I love this,' or they'll say, 'I'm doing this, what do you think?'" Hadid explained. "Sometimes, they'll be, like, 'What shoes do I wear with this?' All sisters get to do that with each other but it's fun because we get to have a little more fun with it." We can only dream of how great that group chat (and Hadid's fashion tips) must be.
Alana Hadid and her sisters have a surprisingly normal life
Aside from their fashion group chat (which must be the stuff of legends), Alana Hadid and her younger sisters have a surprisingly ordinary routine when they're not strutting the catwalk or posing at a photoshoot. As the eldest Hadid sister told Grazia in 2019, "We're pretty normal." Apparently, they enjoy things like takeout (usually pizza and Vietnamese) and chilling in front of the TV. "Regardless of Gigi and Bella's fame, and how hard they've worked, we really are just sisters," Hadid explained. "We go shopping, we do a little cooking ... We do all the things that sisters do."
They're also an incredibly tight-knit group. As Hadid reassured Grazia, they've never let fame or competition get between them. "I'm not in competition with my sisters or brother," Hadid said. "We are really protective and supportive of each other ... We love each other, we want to be close, and we've never thought anything of each other apart from that we're brothers and sisters — that's why we remain so close." For such a famous, successful family, their dynamic certainly sounds incredibly healthy — and shockingly normal!
She is proud of her Palestinian roots
Alana Hadid's father, Mohamed Anwar Hadid, is a Palestinian who grew up in Damascus and Beirut. According to his interview with Fortune Magazine, he is a descendant of Daher al-Omar Alziadani, a famous Bedouin tribesman who played a role in briefly separating Palestine and the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century. Mohamed attributed his success to his roots in Palestine. ”The Palestinians are like the Jews,” he told Fortune. ”Everything was taken away from them. So they try to become better businessmen to free themselves from the stereotype and build a new life.”
It seems that his daughter, Alana, is equally proud of her heritage. Alana has posted numerous times on Instagram speaking up about Palestine. On May 15, 2023, she posted in honor of NAKBA Day, writing, "NAKBA day is the commemoration of 75 years of violent displacement from our homeland." In another post featuring her father, she wrote, "Proud ... of my heritage, my people, my family and our strength."
As Alana told Muslim Girl, she thinks a lot about what she posts online — and her father is proud of her for doing so. She explained, "I want to amplify all sorts of voices, not just Palestinian voices — Israeli voices, Jewish voices, American voices, voices that are saying something that I think that are really important."
Hadid has a pretty busy morning routine
Alana Hadid takes her mornings (and her sleep) pretty seriously. As she explained to The Fashion Spot, she actually follows the same routine every day. "My morning routine does not consist of coffee, but I do really love an Alfred matcha," she said. "Since I'm not a huge morning person, I usually catch every last minute of sleep before enjoying a morning workout. After I get a sweat in, I usually return emails and head to meetings."
Hadid added a new practice to her morning routine — practicing gratitude. As she explained in an Instagram post in 2023, she and her partner have a gratitude ritual they practice every morning. "We start our day with gratitude: every morning we give each other space to share a few things, we are grateful for in our life and about each other," she wrote. According to Hadid, the ritual has helped them find a state of "happiness and calm."
The model has developed her androgynous style over the years
Having worked in fashion for years, Alana Hadid has developed her own distinct sense of style. Her fashion journey began during her childhood in Washington. "I definitely didn't have an East Coast style profile," she said to Washington Life. While her friends usually wore preppy styles, she preferred to wear second-hand and vintage clothes. "[I] wore a lot of printed tights under short overalls and jeans under dresses," she recalled, adding, "I definitely had a California style ideology before I moved."
As an adult, Hadid typically leaned into more masculine styles — that is, until she began experimenting. "I have a very androgynous look, and I always have," the model and stylist told Refinery29 in 2016. However, over the years, she has allowed her look to become a little more girly. "We've done stuff [in the Lou & Grey capsule] in pinks and purples; if someone had asked me if those colors were in my color wheel, I would've said no," she said. It sounds like her style journey has included a few surprises along the way!
Alana Hadid grew up in Washington, D.C.
Alana Hadid spent much of her childhood in Washington, D.C., thanks to her father's job. She eventually moved to Los Angeles and has since settled down there. However, as the model and stylist told Washington Life in 2016, she still visits Washington from time to time to visit family and explore her old haunts. "When I'm in D.C. I spend most of my time in my family and friends' living rooms, but I love walking around in Georgetown," she said. "There are places I always stop because they remind me of childhood." She also makes sure to go to her favorite childhood cafe for lunch and a local museum for a bit of culture.
Hadid also credits her Washington upbringing with teaching her how to achieve a pulled-together look — and while it may not be her look of choice, it's something she can appreciate. "I think there is something to be said and respected about the pulled-together, polished and head-to-toe look that D.C. women achieve," she gushed. "It takes effort and attention to detail and it's unique in this time in fashion. I love it."
She often shares her cosmetic procedures online
Alana Hadid has had a number of different procedures done over the years — but she always seems to be extremely transparent with her fans about each procedure. In June 2022, Hadid posted a video showing the process of getting her brows microbladed. Hadid also showed off her freshly tinted and shaped brows in before and after shots. A few months later, Hadid got Em Sculpt on her abs along with a Forma facial. "It's all about making things tight today," she said in a video.
Then, in April 2023, Hadid showed her followers her experience getting Botox on her neck and forehead. In the video, she explained, "Getting a little tune up from Doctor Sunder — getting ready for summer." In April 2023, Hadid filmed herself getting Sculptra filler for her cheeks and jawline, explaining the procedure and its benefits. It's clear that Hadid is a big fan of getting cosmetic procedures to help her look and feel her best — and we love that she opens up about them online!
Hadid is all about self-love and body positivity
A big part of Alana Hadid's online presence is her commitment to spreading body positivity and messages of self-love to her followers. As Hadid explained in a 2023 Instagram post, she hasn't always felt good about her body — instead, it's something she has had to learn. "I used to look at myself in the mirror every day and force myself say 3 things I loved about myself," she wrote. "I made it a practice, I did it daily, now I can name 20 things I love about myself easily!" She then encouraged her followers to give the ritual a try, too.
In one post, Hadid showed off some Valentine's Day lingerie and encouraged her followers to "make your body your Valentine." In another 2023 post, Hadid once again wrote about the importance of speaking to yourself and your body with kindness. "Try loving yourself like you are your own best friend," she wrote.
It turns out, Hadid actually had some help learning to love herself. In a 2022 Instagram post, she explained that she had been through what is known as the Hoffman Process in 2021. Throughout the process, Hadid unlearned negative self-talk and even had some creative inspiration.
Alana Hadid is involved in several charities
When she's not designing or modeling, Alana Hadid is involved in a number of charities. During an interview with Reel Talker, Hadid explained how she became involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a board member. "A friend of mine, John, is a board member, and he knew how much I love to get involved in charities, philanthropic activities, and he thought I might be, like, a young, fun, fresh... exciting addition to the board," she said.
In addition to sitting on the board of Make-A-Wish, Hadid has also collaborated with Food & Friends, a charity designed to help AIDS patients, Knockout Abuse, a charity that helps victims of domestic abuse, and Water Drop LA, a charity that helps bring water to the poor areas of Los Angeles. Hadid is also an ambassador for Project Zero, an organization that aims to encourage more eco-friendly practices to support the health of the oceans. Evidently, helping others through her philanthropic endeavors is hugely important to Hadid.