Gigi Hadid's happy with her different walk and body type, so exit to the left, haters
Gigi Hadid has become one of the most recognisable faces in fashion, walking for major designers, starring in campaigns and joining the Victoria's Secret runway. With that kind of visibility comes a steady stream of online criticism, and much of it has focused on two things: her runway walk and her body. Gigi has made it clear that she is not interested in reshaping either to please the commenters.
Too curvy for the runway?
Unlike many of her peers on the high-fashion circuit, Gigi has an athletic, curvier frame, shaped in part by years of volleyball and horse riding. For some critics that meant she did not fit the traditional mould of a catwalk model, and they were not shy about saying so on social media. Gigi responded by pointing out that she has never pretended to look like anyone else and that her body is part of what got her where she is. She has said she is proud of her figure and wants to show young women that there is more than one way to look beautiful in fashion.
A walk of her own
Her walk has also been picked apart, with some viewers calling it unusual or inconsistent compared with seasoned runway veterans. Gigi has acknowledged that her walk is different and has embraced it rather than apologising. She has explained that she works on her craft constantly, but that she also wants to keep her own personality on the runway instead of turning into a carbon copy of every other model.
Responding to the haters
Instead of ignoring the criticism completely, Gigi has used her platforms to address body-shaming directly. Her message is simple: comments about someone's body say more about the person writing them than about the person being judged. She has encouraged fans to stop tearing others down online and to focus on what makes them feel strong and confident. Many followers, including fellow models, responded with support, praising her for speaking openly about pressures that most people in the industry only discuss in private.
Why it matters
The fashion world has been slowly opening up to a wider range of body types, but the change is uneven and criticism remains harsh. When a model at Gigi's level talks about feeling judged, it helps normalise the idea that even the most successful people in the industry face insecurity, and that confidence is something you choose to practise rather than something you are given.
The bottom line
Gigi Hadid is not changing her walk, and she is definitely not changing her body to satisfy anonymous critics. She is happy with who she is, she is working harder than ever, and she has made peace with the fact that not everyone will like it. To the haters, the message could not be clearer: you know where the exit is.