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Gigi Hadid speaks out about pressure to be ‘perfect’ and being told she’s ‘not Arab enough’
'But I’m half Palestinian. I’m just as much Palestinian as I am Dutch and I want to embrace that'
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Gigi Hadid is one of the most successful models on the planet, but the 23-year-old has revealed she struggles with the everyday pressures of being in the limelight.
Speaking at an event in Sydney to promote her new collaboration with Reebok, the Victoria’s Secret model explained how she’s found ways to deal with the high expectations people have of her, saying: “Just because people see you as being perfect, that doesn’t mean that’s the pressure you have to put on yourself.”
She went on to address some of the criticisms she has faced throughout her career, touching on the backlash she received for fronting the cover of Vogue Arabia in an embellished Hijab, “People told me I’m not Arab enough,” she said.
“But I’m half Palestinian. I’m just as much Palestinian as I am Dutch and I want to embrace that.”
The young model reflected on being chosen to front Reebok’s "Be More Human" campaign, which she said prompted questions from fans asking what made her “human” when they all thought of her as perfect, Yahoo reports.
“But that’s the point,” she said. “Regardless of who you are, or what you do, you always are allowed to give yourself room to screw up and learn and grow.”
Hadid went on to explain how making mistakes can be fundamental to a person's career.
“I’m a human and someone that can make mistakes,” she said. “But I can still learn and grow and be better.”
The model was speaking at an event held at Carriageworks alongside three Australian women, including paralympic athlete Kelly Cartwright, diversity activist Amna Karra-Hassan and award-winning dancer Amrita Hepi.
Hadid announced she would be releasing a new capsule collection for Reebok on Thursday, which has been inspired by sportswear from the 80s and 90s.
She offered fans a first glimpse of the trainers she has designed for the line, named “Future Nostalgia”, on a press tour in Tokyo Japan.
One pair is black with yellow laces and the other is white and hot pink. Both have a retro-inspired feel to them, having been inspired by the brand’s famous Freestyle Hi sneaker, which was first released in 1982.
“This collections is about looking at the past and reinterpreting that creative boldness for today, for women who define their own style boundaries and aren’t afraid to challenge convention,” Hadid said of the collection.
The autumn/winter Reebok x Gigi Hadid capsule collection is available worldwide from 7 December.
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