Hailey Bieber Has Had Quite The Transformation

Hailey Bieber may be known to many as Justin Bieber's wife, but the entrepreneur achieved immense success long before her last name changed. Hailey is what many consider a "nepo baby, " a slang term for kids of very famous parents. While some see the term as a certain kind of privilege, it's not something the model shies away from. Instead, she embraces it, proudly wearing it on a crop top acknowledging that her very famous father, Stephen Baldwin, helped her skip a few ladders on the road to fame and fortune.

Like her bestie, Kendall Jenner, the Arizona native used her last name to get in the door as a model, skyrocketing to become the face of several major designers. Hailey has graced many catwalks and runways in her career, but her true passions lie in her efforts as a businesswoman. Years ago as a teenager, she was already itching to build her own identity. "I couldn't wait to just adult," she told GQ. "I was young, eyes wide open, super independent, couldn't wait to move out, couldn't wait to make my own money."

After growing up and making a career for herself, Hailey is under the spotlight for different reasons. Marrying one of the world's biggest pop stars has come with its fair share of challenges, ones that she's been candid about overcoming. From being raised in the spotlight to honing in on her passions as a business owner, Hailey has had quite the transformation over the years.

Not only is Hailey Bieber a nepo baby due to her dad's stature in Hollywood, but Bieber's mother, Kennya, was also well-connected in the industry. Bieber's maternal grandfather was the Brazilian Grammy Award-winning musician, Eumir Deodato. Deodato famously produced and wrote hundreds of songs for artists and for soundtracks of movies, including 1980's "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang, which earned a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame for its cultural prominence over the decades.

It turns out that the model is half-Brazilian, with her mother's side of the family hailing from the Latin American country. Bieber embraces her Portuguese culture, even speaking a bit of the language herself. In a segment of "The Late Late Show With James Corden," she explained that her mother and grandmother are constantly speaking Portuguese in front of her, and while she's able to understand the language, her speaking skills are limited.

That being said, she has picked up how to flirt in Portuguese. Bieber showed off her skills in the interview, teaching Corden and his co-hosts how to say, "Shut up and kiss me," in her mother's native language. She also posted various photos from her husband's tour stop in Brazil, showing off some famous South American food and sweets from the trip. "I love you Brazil. I'll be back soon, I promise," she wrote in her Instagram caption.

Long before they tied the knot, Hailey and Justin Bieber had a years-long friendship that eventually developed into a romantic relationship. The pair first crossed paths in 2009 when she was just 12 years old on the set of the "Today" show, thanks to an introduction from Stephen Baldwin. "We've been enjoying your music," said Baldwin in the clip, unaware that nearly a decade later the pair would tie the knot.

The story goes that after first meeting years before, they crossed paths once again at their shared church, Hillsong. "One day Justin walked into Hillsong and was like, 'Hey, you got older,'" Hailey told Vogue. "I was like, 'Yeah, what's up?' Over time he became my best guy friend. I was running around with him as his homie, but we weren't hanging out [romantically]."

Hailey and Justin briefly dated each other from 2015 into 2016 while the pop star was on a break from his longtime on-again-off-again girlfriend, Selena Gomez. The pair attended church together, vacationed together, and rang in the New Year together, all the while denying rumors that they had a romantic relationship. This changed, however, and the pair later admitted they had strong feelings for each other. But Hailey told E! News back in 2016 that she and Justin were "not an exclusive couple," adding, "He's about to go on tour." After splitting up that year, the two would later reconnect.

After reconciling in 2018, Hailey and Justin Bieber quickly got engaged and later tied the knot, breaking the hearts of many Beliebers and Seleners. The "Baby" singer had been spotted out with his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, just months before, having fans wondering what led to his decision to marry Hailey. Amidst the speculation, Justin took to Instagram to announce the news of their engagement. "My heart is COMPLETELY and FULLY YOURS and I will ALWAYS put you first! You are the love of my life Hailey Baldwin and I wouldn't want to spend it with anybody else. You make me so much better and we compliment each other so well!!" he raved in his caption. 

The singer credited divine intervention and spirituality for reunifying the pair and solidifying their relationship. Months after their wedding, Hailey admitted that the pair continued to work on their marriage to help make it stronger, and even met with a therapist through tough times. "The thing is, marriage is very hard. That is the sentence you should lead with. It's really effing hard," the model told Vogue in 2019.

All roads lead back to the church for the two, who credit their religion for keeping them together. "Being able to share that with each other — to have that bond of faith and spirituality — is so [critical] for us," Hailey explained to Elle. "Following Jesus together, being a part of the church community together. It's everything."

Victoria's Secret came under fire over the brand's exclusivity, with its models often representing an elite group of slender, tall, women that don't represent the majority of the female population in terms of physical features. With major competition stemming from brands like Savage X Fenty by Rihanna, viewers called into question the representation of the brand, leading the lingerie giant to cancel its famous yearly "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" in 2019 to focus on rebranding.

The lingerie line announced the launch of Victoria's Secret's VS Collective, replacing the several VS Angels that were the brand's face for decades. At the forefront of the new brand was Hailey Bieber, who shared her decision to model for the company via Instagram in 2021. "I am so happy to announce that I am joining the @victoriassecret #VSCollective — a platform for strong women to use their voice in an authentic way. Looking forward to partnering with VS on [this journey] and all to come!" she wrote at the time.

Bieber joined the likes of Bella Hadid, Megan Rapinoe, and Naomi Osaka as founding members of VS Collective. "I'm humbled to be in the company of these amazing women, many of whom have inspired me in countless ways with their own stories," read her statement on the Victoria's Secret website. "I look forward to helping to create positive change as part of the VS collective."

Hailey Bieber wears many hats — and we're not just talking about fashion. The former runway model not only graces the covers of magazines but also runs her own company. Bieber launched Rhode in 2022, a skincare and beauty line that features a wide range of products, from lip peptides to facial cleansers. "I just could always remember my mom, as a child, getting [me] out of the bath, drenching me head to toe, just hydration, hydration, hydration, very focused on keeping the skin healthy," she told Allure ahead of the launch.

But despite being the face of the company, she isn't in charge of formulating the products. Instead, she focuses more on the product design. "I think the biggest thing for me is I do understand that there are certain things that I don't know how to do and I try to be really open about that," she explained, adding that she leans on other celebrities with skincare lines for advice, like Kim Kardashian.

Rhode is also relatively affordable, thanks to Bieber's market research. No single item exceeds $30, excluding kits that come as a package. "I know what I want to give to people," she explained to WSJ. "The whole ethos of my brand is access to really good quality products that are really affordable. I just don't see why a $200 cream has to be the answer to good skin."

The barrage of online hate over the alleged fight with Selena Gomez took a toll on Hailey Bieber's mental health. She took to her Instagram story in April 2023 to dish on just how difficult her year had been, revealing (via Teen Vogue) that she has trouble admitting when she is at her breaking point.

"Truthfully since 2023 started I have had some of the saddest, hardest moments I've ever had in my adult life and my mind and emotions have been fragile to say the least," she explained. "And I know so many other people feel the same way I feel, so just know you're not alone." Bieber called on her followers to be more supportive to each other, and lift each other up in times of need. "Let's just be there for people.. let's keep showing up for each other even when it's hard. We're better together," she added. 

The model's story came shortly after Gomez publicly defended her amidst the ongoing backlash by Internet trolls who believed she was feuding with the "Wizards of Waverly Place" star. "Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity," Gomez wrote on her Instagram story (via Teen Vogue) the previous month. "This isn't what I stand for. No one should have to experience hate or bullying."