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

Gigi Hadid has an incredibly visible problem in New York.

While talking to Architectural Digest in a recent interview, Hadid revealed that she’s renovating part of her New York apartment to hopefully solve the rodent problem.

“My outdoor space in New York is getting a bit of an update because we had a problem with rats in New York, and some of the original design of the space didn’t help that problem,” Hadid, 29, told the site. “So that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

The supermodel is not alone in this unpleasant problem. The The New York Times reported in July that there are about three million rats in New York and that many of the methods used to get rid of them are ineffective. In 2023, Mayor Eric Adams appointed an official “Rat Emperor”, whose job it is to deal with the growing rodent problem.

Gigi Hadid at the LA Guest in Residence store opening on December 7, 2024.

Callaway River/WWD via Getty

Gigi Hadid shows off the unique apartment in New York that she ‘designed all last year’

Luckily, the rest of Hadid’s apartment is free of unwanted intruders and suits her perfectly, she says.

During the conversation, the star — who describes her home style as “eclectic, industrial farmhouse,” also said she’s become bolder in her aesthetic as her personal style has evolved.

“The way I initially designed and decorated my homes or apartments and the evolution of my fashion style are similar,” she explained. “When I first moved to New York, my style was always on trend, and the way I decorated my apartments was safe and pretty simple.”

“I had this desire to express myself through tchotchkes and things like that, but I didn’t have the experience or the way to be more creative,” she added. “Once I got to the point where I could buy my first apartment and have more of a creative hand on it, that was also the time in my [fashion] the style where I just thought, ‘F it; I have to wake up every day and express myself and it’s not for the opinion of others.’ And I think I managed to express myself in my living spaces.”

Bathroom in Gigi Hadid’s New York apartment in 2020. Gigi Hadid/Instagram

The activist also emphasized the importance of color in her clothing and design.

“Sunflower yellow is my lucky color. So you can see me in yellow all the time, in any season. But this season, let’s see… I love red cherry. I know it’s kind of obvious, maybe because we’re heading towards Christmas, but I just think the really red color of the cherry and poppy, even in the smallest details, is so cute,” she said, adding, “I just got this Caraway set in yellow. The new pan set is so good! I use them every day.”

Kitchen in Gigi Hadid’s New York apartment in 2020 Gigi Hadid/Instagram 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 New York abode is the craft room she designed for her daughter. (The star is mother to daughter Khai, 4, with ex Zayn Malik).

“There is one wall inside, and that is the wall on which he is allowed to paint in the house. And we do all sorts of things 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 pictures from her New York home in 2020 and posted about her “dream place” on Instagram at the time, writing: “I’ve spent the entire last year designing and curating my passion project… Of course, it all came together right before coming out of quarantine city…. but I’m excited for the time I’ll be able to spend enjoying all the special nooks and crannies that were made with a little help from some of my favorite creatives […] who accepted my ideas and didn’t call me crazy.”

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

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“I wanted to encourage people to invest in pieces that come with them through life. [The concept] it has a universal feel,” she said of the clothes in her collection – touted as “future heirlooms”.

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

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Source: HIS Education