Gigi Hadid is certainly raking in the big bucks now that she's a successful supermodel, but the 21-year-old millionaire's still got nothing on her father.
Mohamed Hadid, 67, is positively loaded — and the proof is in his incredible Bel Air mansion, luxuriously named Le Belvédère.
Mohamad and his wife Shiva Safai gave a peek inside their 48,000-square-foot home in the new issue of Harper's Bazaar Arabia, showing off a palatial estate that would make anyone wonder why Gigi and Bella would ever move out.
The home, which has its own website, sits on 2.2 acres of land and consists of a three-floor main residence and a guard house.
Inspired by a French chateau, it's more museum than house, constructed and decorated with the work of nearly 1,000 workers.
'Antiques and rare art objects enhance every surface; newly designed furnishings offset vintage accessories,' the site reads.
Several glamorous photos in the new issue of the magazine show Mohamad and Shiva at home, dressed to the nines to match the house.
Mohamed knows a thing or two about luxury. He designed Ritz-Carlton hotels and has developed other high-end properties including resorts and mansions ever since.
'The homes I have done in the Los Angeles area are a combination of neoclassical style with a very modern interior. I don’t follow trends so I make my own,' he told the magazine. 'I create homes that feel like a home — it could be a palace or a mansion — but each one has a comfortable feeling.'
They're also homes that are great for hosting. In an early episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Mohamed and his ex-wife Yolanda threw an Arabian Nights-themed graduation party for Gigi here.
The main level of his home includes a formal living room, a formal dining room that seats 20, offices, a music room, a bar lounge, powder rooms, a breakfast room, a main kitchen, a butlers' pantry, and staff rooms.
The entrance includes a crystal chandelier that hangs over a spiral staircase, with huge pieces of art decorating the walls.
In fact, many of the rooms are adorned with large works of art, while sculptures, vases, and antiques with Middle Eastern influences are at every turn.
'All the old French and English homes and palaces incorporated heirlooms that families brought with them from abroad. These are things I have accumulated over the years. I find a way to place them in my homes so that they become part of the house,' he said.
There is even a large portrait of Shiva, which he painted himself and she called 'one of the most beautiful things that anyone has ever done for me'.
The kitchen has a huge walk-in refrigerator, and the whole room was designed around a single carved wooden cabinet Mohamed found at a flea market.
Downstairs, there is a 5,000 bottle wine cellar, a ballroom that can accommodate 200 people, and a baroque home theater that seats 60 — where the couple has hosted viewing parties for the Oscars and World Cup.
'I want you to feel like you are going into a classic theatre but when you look up you see hand-painted paintings on the ceiling and yet still feel comfortable enough to put your feet up and watch a movie,' he said.
There's also a gym, a game room, and a Turkish-style spa with pieces imported from Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia, and China, which was once visited by Andrea Bocelli — who loved the acoustics.
Upstairs are several bedrooms, his and hers closets, his and hers dressing rooms, and even an outdoor sitting place with a fireplace.
And that's just the inside. The incredible verdant grounds include floral walkways and statues, a pool with a view, and fountains that bring European palaces to mind.
As amazing as the place is, however, Shiva indicated that it can be a bit overwhelming at times.
'It’s a beautiful home to live in but requires lots of work and constant maintenance,' she admitted.
It's also had it's problems: In 2014, Mohamed had his building permits revoked but continued to construct on the premises. He was then ordered to demolish the parts of the development built without permits and refused — and has since been charged with three criminal misdemeanors.
By Carly Stern
