Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik’s Relationship: A Definitive Timeline
If there was a world record for most attractive couple, it’s likely that the photo in the Guinness Book would be Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid: a boy-bander turned sultry solo singer and one of the highest paid supermodels in the world. “Zigi”—their pop culture porte manteau—has spawned an army of stans, graced the cover of this very magazine, and, if the latest reports are to be believed, will soon be parents of a genetically-blessed baby who might as well sign a modeling contract in the womb.
But how did Malik and Hadid go from young-and-in-love teenagers to expecting couple? Even a casual tabloid peruser knows it’s been a roller-coaster of a journey, full of breakups, makeups, and glamorous photo opps. Below, find a definitive timeline of their relationship, from how they met to their current quarantine status at the Hadid family farm.
Early November 2015: Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid meet at a Victoria Secret’s Party. The singer recognizes her “from her picture,” and asks her out. They go on a first date to Gemma at the Bowery Hotel in New York City, where Malik instantly becomes smitten. (“She’s a very intelligent woman. She knows how to carry herself. She’s quite classy at that,” he tells The Evening Standard magazine a year later.) And, just like that, their saga begins. But the public doesn’t find out about it until…
Late November 2015: “Something's definitely going on between Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid,” wrote TMZ on November 25, 2015, after catching the two leaving The Nice Guy in Los Angeles together. At the time, it was a bit of a “wait, what?” sighting: Malik had called off his engagement a few months prior, and Hadid had just announced her split from Joe Jonas. “Anyone confused?” They wrote. Four days later, the celeb site published pictures of the two holding hands. Consider them officially linked.
December 2015: Malik posts a black and white polaroid of the two on Instagram.
January 2016: These two are out and about: Paparazzi catch them together in New York City, and they even caused a tabloid tizzy when they were spotted looking at apartments together. During Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, Gigi’s seen wearing a “Z” necklace—which she later Instagrams. Then, there’s her phone lock screen: a picture of Malik’s face.
Stans didn’t have to wait long for official confirmation: Later that month, Malik released a steamy video for “Pillow Talk,” starring his supermodel beau.
April 2016: Their first fashion shoot! The photogenic duo embraces la dolce vita style in Naples for Vogue.
May 2016: The couple attends the 2016 Met Gala, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” together.
June 2016: Trouble in paradise. E! News reports that Malik and Hadid have broken up after seven months of dating. Yet a source suggests this isn’t the last we will see of the two: "Zayn and Gigi did break up, but they can likely get back together tomorrow. It's all very unclear what's going on between them now.”
July 2016: Unclear is right—Hadid posts a picture of the two cuddling on July 8. “Squish you!” she writes. Rumors, squashed! Or, uh, squished.
2017: Just call this the Golden Age of Zigi. They post adorable photos. They’re out and about at fashion shows and restaurants. They go on vacation together. They wear couple’s Halloween costumes. There’s even some engagement rumors, thanks to a pretty gold ring Gigi sports on her finger. To paraphrase Buddy the Elf: they’re in love, they’re in love, and they don’t care who knows it.
March 2018: They break up. And not just a rumored one either. Both parties confirm it on social media. Writes Malik on Twitter: "Gigi and I had an incredibly meaningful, loving and fun relationship and I have a huge amount of respect and adoration for Gigi as a woman and a friend. She has such an incredible soul. I’m grateful to all of our fans for respecting this difficult decision and our privacy at this time…”
April 2018: ...but TMZ reports they are “all over each other” by the end of April. Is a possible reunion on the horizon?
June 2018: Malik graces the cover of GQ, and opens up about Hadid in the process. “We're still really good friends, and we're still in contact,” he says. "We're adults. We don't need to put a label on it, make it something for people's expectations.” Fun fact: on the advice of Gigi’s mother, Yolanda Hadid, he also purchased a farm in rural Pennsylvania.
January 2019: E! News reports that two are spending time apart.
November 2019: E! News reports the two are spending time together. Hadid’s summer fling with reality television contestant Tyler Cameron now seems like a distant memory.
January 2020: Hadid and Malik are seen celebrating his 27th birthday at Il Buco in New York City, along with sister Bella and Dua Lipa. Are they friends, or something more?
February 2020: We have photo proof of a reconciliation! On her Instagram photography account, @gisposable, Hadid posts a picture of Malik on the farm. “HEY VALENTINE,” she writes.
April 2020: TMZ breaks the news that Hadid and Malik are expecting their first child. Days later, mom Yolanda tells a Dutch outlet that she “can’t wait to be an Oma.” The couple hasn’t personally confirmed the news, but Gigi posts a picture of the two celebrating her birthday at the Hadid family farm.
Knowing the social-media savvy couple, it’s only a matter of time before they share the news themselves. And when that happens, this timeline will get just a little bit longer.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
