The Cult of Bella Hadid
“Have you seen what Bella Hadid wore yesterday?” is a commonly asked question amongst Gen Z. Whether you are active on social media platforms, interested in celebrity gossip, or a frequent fashion follower; the 26-year-old supermodel has most likely crossed your path.
The Hadid sister has a prominent presence on her Instagram account (@Bellahadid) accumulating 57.4 million followers. As an outstanding trendsetter, it is interesting to decipher how Bella stabilises influence over the fashion industry that dominates society.
Image source: Bella Hadid Instagram
The True Influence of Bella Hadid
Hadid is deemed the forefront of the current Y2k movement, championing baggy cargos and Ugg boots which have successfully altered our perception of fashion today. Named the ‘Power Dresser of the year’ in Lyst’s Year in fashion 2022 (Harper’s Bazaar, 2022), and as a result increased searches for inspired pieces worn by the model by 1900% (Vogue, 2022).
Accordingly, the increasing use of Tik Tok; amounting to 1 billion users in 2023, allows for Hadid’s control to prevail. Recently, a Tik Tok sound snippet of Bella, “So my name is Bella Hadid” has gone viral with an upward of 163,000 videos using the sound for tutorials to be spread of her iconic ‘slick bun’ and flaunting fans prominent cheekbones inspired by the model.
After the supermodel was photographed wearing the now viral ultra-mini platform Ugg’s, Tik Tok users surged a prominent rise in searches for Ugg boots, almost immediately selling out Hadid’s favourite style.
Image source: Whowhatwear Instagram
The Art of the Photo Dump
Following the rise of airbrushing and influencing on Instagram, candid photo dumps are now dominating Instagram feeds. As a result of the social media update allowing for a user to post multiple photos at once, photographs spread by celebrities have become increasingly casual.
Importantly, Bella Hadid governs this style of posting, exuding an effortless and relatable lifestyle to her millions of followers. Whereby, captured professional makeup practices are now a swipe away from a candid iPhone shoot of what the model is reading.
This chaotic posting method normally remains void of captions and allows for followers to have a personal insight into her bare faced, random everyday life contrasting to the professional and perfect Hadid we all know.
A Positive Impact?
Bella Hadid is not just a spontaneous poster, the supermodel uses her influence to spread information about important events on her Instagram stories.
With a multitude of highlights dedicated to numerous charitable causes, Hadid ensures that her followers are aware of some serious matters around the world, using her platform for the greater good.
Bella has used her Instagram as a platform to show support for the prochoice movement, gun control, and the Native American heritage month to name a few.
Due to Hadid’s Palestinian heritage, the model continues to raise awareness of her support for the #FreePalestine movement, sharing a dedicated Valentines Day post on her Instagram.
Image source: Bella Hadid Instagram
Overall, the influence of Bella Hadid appears to prevail into 2023 and it is likely continue for the years to come.
Whether you admire the supermodel or not, her social media presence certainly impacts many trends that embody our generation and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
