From MIA to putting her health first: How is the fashion industry coping in Bella Hadid’s absence?

Courtesy of Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images

By Jennifer Raymont

Bella Hadid, a name that needs no introduction has been noticeably absent from 2023’s fashion months. This raised two questions, first, is she okay and second, what is the fashion world going to do without her?

Hadid, along with her mother Yolanda and younger brother Anwar, were diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2012 and earlier this year the model took to Instagram to confess her recent struggle. The bacterial infection can affect the joints, heart and nervous system while causing extreme fatigue, As in most cases health is wealth and Hadid took the decision to put her career on hold to prioritise her health, and us Bellabots are standing by her. 

Courtesy of @bellahadid

“Living in this state, worsening with time and work while trying to make myself, my family, and the people who support me proud, has taken a toll on me in ways I can’t really explain,” she shared. “One thing I want to express is that I am okay and you do not have to worry.”

Now that we have some assurance that our style icon is doing okay, we can safely move onto the next matter at hand. How will fashion cope until her big comeback? 

While the elder of the Hadid sisters, Gigi, featured in countless of the SS24 shows, Bella was absent. Diesel’s Creative Director, Glenn Marten’s even opted to send Bella’s doppelganger down the runway to close their SS24 collection, deceiving fashion fanatics, myself included. The model that shares a striking resemblance to our Bella is in fact British model Dalton DuBois. DuBois and her glass cutting cheekbones  are well on their way to paving her own way in this industry. 

Courtesy of @bellahadid

Fashion week aside, Bella’s impeccable street style in the last year has been sorely missed. While her wholesome equine instagrams have reassured us she’s making the most of her well deserved time off, the usual flurry of paparazzi pics showcasing her style, that in the past was a live stream of fashion inspiration, is sadly lacking. 

To put it simply Hadid has dominated the street style game in the last several years. She made cargo trousers a wardrobe staple, brought back ballet flats from the 2010s, she even made a case for Jane Norman as the IT vintage brand, and, believe me the list goes on. 

Hadid’s style bounces between Y2K, model of duty, 90s baby and straight up balletcore. Her style is eclectic and relatable, whilst also completely unique to her. Despite being a supermodel and completely out of reach for most of us, Hadid’s style is versatile enough that it can be adapted to any body type and manipulated to any style preferences no matter who you are. 

Courtesy of @bellahadid

Whether Hadid is seen scoffing down a pizza in a vintage leather jacket, platform UGGs and men’s boxers or busy making a case for blokecore, the Bellabots will without hesitation be drawing inspiration from the model. I personally spend hours on end scrolling through Vinted trying to recreate her fits, or in some cases ripping up my existing clothes to give them a new life. 

It goes without saying that Bella’s caliber of street style is irreplaceable, 2023, however, has seen us look elsewhere for inspiration in her absence. Sofia Richie Grainge gave us a Chanel wedding of dreams, Zoe Kravitz toyed with minimalism and stuck to staples while Hailey Bieber made red the colour of the moment as she preceded her husband, Justin Bieber’s, grey tracksuits in silk mini dresses. Sophie Turner even caught my eye with her relaxed courtroom style as she negotiates her divorce and children’s custody agreement.

There is no doubt that Bella Hadid is well and truly missed by the whole fashion community, but we love and respect her for putting her health first. If you couldn’t already tell I am a devout Bellabot and the severe lack of outfit inspo has sent me into some kind of fashion existential crisis as I attempt to curate my winter 2023 wardrobe. While we wait for her much anticipated return to the streets of New York, or wherever she may choose, we can only imagine what her comeback has in store for us, but one thing is for sure, she’ll be shaping trends for years to come.