Gigi Hadid Had a 'Rat Problem' at N.Y.C. Apartment, Is 'Looking Forward' to Evicting Rodents

12/16/2024 01:40 PM

The model and activist, 29, currently splits her time between homes in New York and Pennsylvania

Gigi Hadid has an incredibly relatable New York City problem.

While speaking to Architectural Digestin a recent interview, Hadid revealed that she's renovating a portion of her N.Y.C. apartment in order to hopefully resolve a problem with rodents.

"My outdoor space in New York is getting a little update because we had a rat problem in New York, and some of the original designs of the space didn't help that problem," the model, 29, told the site. "So that's what I'm looking forward to."

The supermodel is far from alone in this unpleasant issue. The New York Times reported in July that there are about three million rats in New York City and many of the methods used to eliminate them are ineffective. In 2023, Mayor Eric Adams appointed an official "rat czar," whose job is to address the growing rodent problem.

Related: Gigi Hadid Shows Off Unique N.Y.C. Apartment She Spent 'All of Last Year Designing'

The rest of Hadid's apartment, luckily, is free of unwelcome pests and suits her perfectly, she says.

During the conversation, the star — who describes her home style as "eclectic, industrial farmhouse," also shared that she's become bolder in her aesthetic as her personal style has evolved.

"The way I designed and decorated my homes or apartments at first and the evolution of my fashion style are similar," she explained. "When I first moved to New York, my style was very on trend all the time and the way I decorated my apartments was safe and quite simple."

"I had that want to express myself through tchotchkes and things, but I didn't have the experience or means to be more creative," she added. "Once I got to a place where I could buy my first apartment and have more of a creative hand print on it, that was also the time in my [fashion] style where I was just like, 'F it; I get to wake up every day and express myself and it's not for the opinions of others.' And I think that I've gotten there in expressing myself in my living spaces."

The activist also emphasized the importance of color in both her outfits and design schemes.

"Sunflower yellow is my happy color. So you can see me in yellow all the time, in any season. But this season, let's see ... I love a cherry red. I know that's kind of obvious, maybe because we're going toward Christmas, but I just think a really poppy cherry red, in even the littlest detail, is so cute," she said, adding, "I just got this Caraway set in yellow. A new set of pans feel so good! I use them every day."

Related: Obsessed with Gigi Hadid's Rainbow Pasta Cabinets? Meet the 'Pasta Ninja' Who Made Them

Hadid — who splits her time between homes in New York and Pennsylvania — also noted that one of her favorite rooms in her N.Y.C. abode is a crafting room she designed for her daughter. (The star is mom to daughter, Khai, 4, whom she shares with ex Zayn Malik).

"There's one wall in there that's the wall she's allowed to paint on in the house. And we do all sorts in there like clay and shrinky-dinks and obviously a lot of drawing and painting," she said, adding, " It's good for both of us. We love it."

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Hadid shared images from an N.Y.C. home in 2020 and posted about her "dream spot" in an Instagram at the time, writing, "Spent all of last year designing and curating my passion project … Of course it all came together right before quarantining out of the city.... but I'm excited for the time I'll get to spend enjoying all the special corners that were made with a lil help from some of my favorite creatives [...] who embraced my ideas and didn't call me crazy."

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Looking toward the future, Hadid also spoke to AD about her clothing line Guest in Residence, which is founded on the principles of quality and sustainability.

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"I wanted to encourage people to invest in the pieces that come with them through life. [The concept] has a universal feeling to it," she said of the clothes in her collection — which are advertised as "future heirlooms."

Guest in Residence has a flagship store in New York City and recently opened a second location in Los Angeles.