‘We are interested in raising our daughter together’

In a candid interview with Vogue on Tuesday, Gigi Hadid fondly discussed co-parenting her three-year-old daughter, Khai, with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik. The supermodel, known for her poise both on and off the runway, reflected on how she and Malik had worked to create a supportive and respectful co-parenting relationship despite their high-profile past.

Hadid and Malik, who dated for about six years, saw their relationship under intense media scrutiny, particularly toward the end. While Hadid remained private about their past, she made it clear that the pair’s focus was entirely on their daughter.

“Zayn and I decided upon custody schedules months in advance,” Hadid told Vogue, emphasising the importance of structure and planning. “That didn’t mean that it didn’t change here and there, but we helped each other out and had each other’s backs.”

 

The model-turned-entrepreneur shared glimpses of their life as co-parents, scrolling through her phone to show heartwarming moments: Malik holding Khai on her first day of pre-kindergarten, a father-daughter bond evident in the photos. She highlighted the natural musicality Khai has inherited from her father, describing the joy she found in watching her daughter express herself creatively.

While the public had long been invested in Hadid and Malik’s relationship, she acknowledged the challenges that came with being in the spotlight. “There was the hard part of the world knowing this much, and thinking they knew everything,” she said. “And at the end of the day, we weren’t interested in giving everyone our whole story.”

Instead, Hadid focused on fostering a positive environment for their daughter. “What we were interested in was raising our daughter together, with so much respect for each other, and not just as co-parents, but what we had been through together.”

Despite the complexities of their past, Hadid and Malik seemed to have reached a place of mutual understanding, moving forward with what Hadid described as “love, and a feeling of camaraderie.” Their approach to co-parenting – structured yet flexible, bound by respect – demonstrated their dedication to giving Khai a stable and loving upbringing.

For Hadid, it was clear that no matter what the world might speculate, her focus remained on her daughter’s happiness. And in this next chapter of their relationship, she and Malik were writing a story that prioritised family above all else.