Gigi Hadid is keeping daughter Khai close to her heart.
The supermodel covers InStyle’s March 2022 issue wearing a pair of personalized pearl necklaces by New York brand Lottie that spelled out her and her little one’s names.
Charlotte Alden, who founded her jewelry line during the pandemic, dished on how 26-year-old Hadid ended up in the hand-beaded pieces, which retail for $165 each and feature freshwater pearls and 14k gold.
“I think it’s really interesting because it was sending a message, kind of, because of everything that’s going on with the press,” Alden tells Page Six Style — seemingly referring to the model’s drama with ex-partner Zayn Malik, with whom Hadid shares 1-year-old Khai.
Alden added that she felt that Hadid’s parenting journey was a major “focal point” in the InStyle feature, making the mom-and-daughter accessories all the more relevant.
Alden, who worked as a senior specialist at the now-defunct online auction house Paddle 8 before the company went under, was behind the design of the necklaces, but it was celebrity stylist Julia von Boehm who “specially requested” they spell out Gigi and Khai’s names.
“She knows exactly what people want and what they want to see,” the designer added.
Alden had originally connected with von Boehm by DMing her through Instagram, with very little faith that she would ever hear back. But the InStyle stylist, who has worked with everyone from Nicole Kidman to Reese Witherspoon, immediately asked to see samples of Alden’s work.
Just days later, Alden received a request for two custom pieces that would be featured all over Hadid’s InStyle spread.
“Can you believe it? I am still in shock. Like I’m still processing it,” Alden tells us.” Gigi Hadid is the top model in the world, which is also crazy.”
Alden also opened up about the difficulties of starting her own business, calling herself a “one-woman show.”
“I don’t really outsource help,” she said. “I’ve had to learn how to make jewelry, how to source materials, how to photograph, how to edit pictures, social media, styling, and graphic design, building a website, marketing, PR, celebrity press, influencers, accounting, finance, processing orders, organizing, production … I’ve been pinching pennies because everything I make, I put right back into the business.”
But since Hadid’s cover story dropped, she added, sales have been “insane.”
“I kind of had to sacrifice everything,” Alden said. “You have to believe in yourself. There’s so much self-doubt. You have to put yourself through the wringer … But now, no matter what, I know I have this.”
The interview will be featured in InStyle’s March 2022 issue, hitting newsstands on February 11.
