The Untold Truth Of Anwar Hadid
By now, we've all heard about sister supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid who've made names for themselves modeling for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Dior, respectively. But before Gigi and Bella became the household names that they are today, we caught glimpses of them on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills series on which their mother Yolanda Hadid starred. True Real Housewives fans know that Gigi and Bella aren't Yolanda's only kids. She also has a son, Anwar.
Anwar has recently begun pursuing modeling himself, and his career already shows promise (with a Hadid background, how could it not!?) He and Gigi appeared in the pages of Vogue together in 2017 and he's already earned spreads in NYLON, Teen Vogue, and more.
It's likely we'll start seeing Anwar just as much as we do his sisters Bella and Gigi (in part thanks to his recent smooch with Kendall Jenner), so what is there to know about the male model?
What does the name Anwar mean?
The son of real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and former model and reality star Yolanda Hadid, Anwar has a Palestinian and Dutch background. His parents chose to give him a name that reflects his Palestinian side, naming him after his grandfather and Mohamed's father, Anwar Mohamed Hadid. According to the Washington Post, Mohamed's father left Palestine with his family to avoid falling under Israeli control, and eventually led them to America where the family has certainly found the so-called American Dream.
According to Baby Center, the name "Anwar" is Arabic and means "luminous," and he takes the meaning very seriously. "My name means a lot to me, the meaning is something I think about ... I think about light as being what's good in the world," he told Paper Magazine in 2016. Like any young person, though, Anwar still struggles to find the bigger meaning behind what he brings to the world. "I guess I don't know what it all means just yet," he added.
He has the same disease as his mother and sister Bella
In 2017, Yolanda appeared on Good Morning America to promote her book Believe Me and opened up about her Lyme disease diagnosis. In talking about how the "invisible disability" has affected her life, the former model revealed that her children Bella and Anwar have both been diagnosed with Lyme disease as well.
According to the CDC, Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted through some tick bites. Short term symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash, and without treatment the disease can begin affecting joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics. Luckily, Yolanda has reassured that the model is "okay." "He's been treated for two years and he's really good," Yolanda said during her interview with Good Morning America.
Despite three members of the Hadid family having Lyme disease, the illness is not genetic. "It's not uncommon that a few members of a family have Lyme disease," Dr. Raphael Kellman, founder of the Kellman Center for Integrative and Functional Medicine, told People in 2015. "But it's not genetic, it's because they share the same environment."
What do Anwar Hadid's tattoos mean?
One look at Hadid's Instagram page and, once you get past his charming looks, you'll notice the many tattoos he has splayed across his body. From his back to his arms to his hands, it seems like no piece of Hadid's skin is safe from going under the needle.
On his back, Hadid has the number 1999 written between his shoulder blades, which symbolizes the year he was born. His also has a bird on his shoulder, which his tattoo artist Jon Boy called a "travel bird." Under that is a rose with petals falling off and the words "she loves me, she loves me not."
Hadid also has tattoos on his hands, including a Santa Barbara address on the side of his palm, also tattooed by Jon Boy who captioned a photo of Hadid's ink "family." The address is likely that of his family home, as Yolanda moved there with the children after her divorce from Mohamed. One of his fingers dons the letters 'OYL,' which, according to one of his Instagram posts, stands for "own ya light," a possible nod to the Arabic meaning behind his name.
He didn't want to follow in the family's modeling footsteps
Yolanda made a name for herself modeling in the 1980s. Both Gigi and Bella have obviously followed in their mother's footsteps (though according to Yolanda in a Harper's Bazaar video, it wasn't always Bella's first career choice). It only makes sense that her youngest child Anwar would also join the industry. However, it apparently took some persuading on Yolanda's part.
Anwar told Teen Vogue in 2016 that until recently, he never really considered becoming a model. "Modeling was never a thought in my mind growing up," Anwar revealed, "but my mom felt it was important for me to be open to business opportunities and expand my horizons." Despite it not being his dream job, Anwar told Teen Vogue that he's still going to give it his all. "I try not to think about anyone's expectations but rather focus on always doing my personal best," he said. "I'm excited to go for it!" So far, so good — he's currently signed to IMG models just like his siblings.
Modeling isn't his dream job
Hadid's modeling career is still in its infancy. But despite finding major success in the family industry, he admits that modeling isn't exactly where his heart is. Instead, he told Paper Magazine that the design aspect of fashion is more his speed. "I started working on clothing designs about two years ago but didn't think anything of it until recently," he explained. "I made a bunch of pieces — not just men's or women's, but for anyone who wants to wear them — and one of the things I really want to do is put them into production."
Apparently, modeling skills aren't the only gene that Hadid inherited from his family. His affinity for clothing design sits in the family tree as well. "My grandfather was a men's shirt designer in Holland," Hadid revealed to Teen Vogue. Those are big dreams for a teen, but Hadid is willing to take it slow for now. He said he just wants "to collaborate with the brands and publications that inspire" him.
He's a mama's boy
While some guys growing up in a house full of women might crave male companionship, for Anwar Hadid, it's worked out just fine. "I'm comfortable around girls because I grew up with two sisters and a single mom," he told Teen Vogue. "I feel very lucky for all they have taught me." According to Paper Magazine, Hadid is a "self-proclaimed mama's boy" and he considers his mom his "biggest role model in life."
She's not a bad role model to have, either. Having forged her own path from having just $55 in her pocket when arriving in America at a young age to being the icon she is today, Yolanda certainly leads by example. And Anwar isn't the only person to recognize Yolanda's strengths — she was named "Mother of the Year" at The Daily Front Row's 2017 Fashion Los Angeles Awards, according to E! Online. "I'm just honored to be a mom every day," she said upon receiving her award. "I love being a mom. Every day I feel like it's a blessing."
He's close with his sisters
Bella and Gigi may be among the most popular celebrities of the moment, but it hasn't detracted from their relationship with their younger brother. In fact, if Anwar's Instagram account is any indication, they're super close. His Instagram feed is littered with photos of him and his sisters together, often accompanied by hearts in the captions. It appears the feeling is mutual, as both Bella and Gigi have shared photos of themselves with Anwar.
His supermodel sisters are also part of the reason he decided to join the industry. "I only got interested in fashion a couple of years ago, when Gigi and Bella started modeling," he told Teen Vogue in 2016, and they've given him some tips along the way. He revealed to Teen Vogue that the two told him to remain true to himself and focus on having fun. And, of course, to "focus on eye expressions." Yes, we can confirm that the Hadids certainly have the smize down pat!
Is he dating Kendall Jenner?
If you had no clue Gigi and Bella had a younger brother before, you likely couldn't avoid hearing about it after he and fellow model (and Gigi's best friend) Kendall Jenner were caught making out in June 2018. TMZ posted a photo that allegedly shows Jenner and Anwar kissing during a CFDA after party.
Of course, this led to tons of speculation that Anwar was now dating his sister's best friend, which was especially controversial considering Jenner had just been seen apparently striking up a romance with Philadelphia 76ers player Ben Simmons. However, a source told E! Online that that isn't the case. "Anwar and Kendall are just having fun for now," the insider reportedly said. "Both of them recently got out of relationships, and don't want anything too serious."
Will this little makeout sesh have any effect on Gigi, Bella, and Jenner's friendship? According to TMZ, not so much. A source told TMZ that "there's no bad blood" between the three.
Did he cheat on Nicola Peltz?
The relationships between Gigi, Bella, and Jenner weren't the only ones affected by Jenner and Anwar's kiss. Before getting caught making out with Jenner, Anwar was last known to be dating actress Nicola Peltz. It appears the two started seeing each other some time in early 2017. "They are dating," a source told E! Online in January 2017. It's a fairly new relationship, but they are really good friends and part of the same group of friends." When asked about her relationship with Hadid that same month, Peltz reportedly said, "We're hanging out. Honestly, he is an angel. He's such an amazing person."
However, it appears things have soured after Anwar and Jenner's kiss. It isn't clear whether or not the two were broken up before Anwar hooked up with Jenner, though TMZ reports that they broke up in May. The last public photo of Anwar and Peltz together is dated May 8, 2018, which supports that theory. And while Anwar still has plenty of romantic photos of him and Peltz on his Instagram, Peltz has removed all evidence of their relationship. Neither of them (or Jenner) has made a public statement.
Gigi warned him about Kendall
Modeling tips aren't the only pieces of advice Anwar gets from his big sister Gigi, for whom family seems to come before friendship. Despite her close friendship with Jenner, Gigi reportedly sent a warning to her younger brother after he was caught making out with Jenner.
According to Hollywood Life, Gigi wasn't all that pleased to hear about the possible relationship between her younger brother and best friend, and went so far as to warn him about Jenner's ways. "Gigi knows that Kendall puts work and her career first with little time for a serious boyfriend or a long term relationship," a source told Hollywood Life, which, at least to this point, has proven to be true. Jenner is notoriously low-key with her relationships, and has admitted to always focusing on her career instead of boys.
"Gigi has made it clear to Anwar that while Kendall is a beautiful, sweet, smart, sexy, and a trusted friend, she is not to be messed with," the source continued. That's what big sisters are for!