The Making of V: Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Mario Sorrenti

To illustrate our V family values, we revisit this close-knit trio’s most scrapbook-worthy clips.

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To illustrate our V family values, we revisit this close-knit trio’s most scrapbook-worthy clips. These include the award-winning V114 cover starring Gigi Hadid and shot by Mario Sorrenti, one Hadid calls “her most memorable cover shoot ever.” (Also memorable? Gigi jumping off the page on a Fendi Jet Ski!) Sorrenti also shot Bella for V106, an au naturel contrast to her high-glam V cover debut this year, styled by Patti Wilson—her and Gigi’s co-pilot for their dual V96 cover. Here, the Hadids and Sorrenti reflect on full-circle moments and the business of beauty today.

GIGI HADID, MODEL: I’ve [always had three goals]: be kind, work hard, and make a friend every day. Those are the little things I try to do on set that then lead to creating new friendships and experiences. V114 was possibly my most memorable cover shoot ever. These legendary creatives, Mario Sorrenti and Stephen Gan, along with a third legend, George Cortina, dedicated their talent and energy to a concept and environment that allowed [me] to feel like my most empowered self. When Stephen first showed me the [concept], my jaw hit the floor; it was my dream cover. But the days we spent shooting the cover and video were beyond my wildest dreams. You can’t put into words the magic that was on set—there was so much passion, excitement, drive, creativity, love, and energy, from everyone, for each other. But the results don’t lie. [Experiences] like this are why we do what we do.

Fashion opens doors to [so many] unique experiences. I get to work with horses a lot for shoots and that always makes my day. Bella and I go horseback riding whenever we aren’t working. Having that as a getaway is such a blessing.

MARIO SORRENTI, PHOTOGRAPHER: [At the V114 cover shoot in Miami], Gigi and everyone involved were amazing and rocked it. [Gigi] totally made the pictures. [To quote Stephen], “You have to find ways of rewriting the book.” Our perception of beauty is always going to change. I think if you look at Linda Evangelista and Kate, they’re two completely different types of women. I think Bella is an interesting new beauty and Gigi is an interesting new beauty. To me, it totally makes sense that we, as a group of people and society, are always going to change what we think is attractive. I think it’s all linked socially; beauty and our ideas of beauty, art and all these things are linked. They make sense together and it makes sense to me what’s happening [still] today.

BELLA HADID [Like so many of] the stories I’ve shot for V Magazine over the years, my recent cover felt like a full circle moment. In V96, [the late supermodel] China Machado asked me and Gigi about our goals. My [longtime] goal has been to eventually get a barn, [where I could] ride horses and take photos. In working with V Magazine over the years, I have found a beauty within myself that I had never seen before. V has been a supporter of Gigi and I throughout our careers and [we] thank Stephen for his visions.

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