Arab News | Gigi Hadid taps Malika El-Maslouhi for denim launch

DUBAI: Supermodel Gigi Hadid tapped Moroccan-Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi and her sister Bella for the launch of her brand’s first-ever denim collection.

In a series of campaign photographs shared on social media, both El-Maslouhi and Bella show off one of four new jeans offered by Hadid’s knitwear label Guest in Residence.

This season marks the label’s first move beyond knitwear. Guest in Residence introduced its debut women’s denim collection for fall 2026, developed with US denim designer Benjamin Talley Smith, whose previous collaborators include Khaite, Madewell and Rag & Bone, according to WWD.

“Denim has always been at the heart of how I dress — it’s what I live in alongside cashmere; that combination has become my uniform,” Hadid told the publication in August.

The line is built around four silhouettes — the Traveler, a high-waisted wide leg; the Everyday, a relaxed straight leg; the Weekender, a tapered cut with a raw hem; and the Workday, a carpenter style with double-knee patches and a hammer loop.

Hadid founded Guest in Residence in 2022 and serves as its creative director. The label built its business on 100 percent cashmere knitwear before this season’s expansion and operates stores in New York and Los Angeles alongside its online store and wholesale partners.

She turned to her sister to promote the brand’s latest collection, with a cowgirl-themed campaign released in August. For her part, El-Maslouhi appears in a studio shot alongside Hadid herself.

El-Maslouhi, born in Milan to a Moroccan father and an Italian mother, began her modeling career at the age of 18. She has since appeared on runways for international fashion houses including Dior, Chanel, Valentino and Jacquemus, gracing the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks. Over the years, she has walked for brands such as Ulla Johnson, Prabal Gurung, David Koma, Boss, Missoni, Messika and more.

She has also featured in campaigns for brands such as Calvin Klein, Off-White and Lanvin, expanding her portfolio across both luxury and contemporary fashion.

In 2022, she was awarded the Model of the Year in Italy title.