Yolanda Hadid's Photos When She Was Young Prove She Was Destined to Be a Model

See throwback photos of Yolanda Hadid before she was a model and appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Long before Yolanda Hadid stepped into sharing her life on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, she had already made a name for herself in the fashion world as a model, walking the hottest runways and gracing the covers of magazines.

In her time as a Housewife, Yolanda offered a glimpse into her former marriage to musician David Foster and her loving parenting skills with her children Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and Anwar Hadid, all of whom would eventually follow in her footsteps and become models.

While Yolanda’s lifestyle consisted of luxury, she didn’t mind going back to her roots and riding English horses in the great outdoors. In fact, on Season 5 of RHOBH, the cast visited Yolanda’s home country of Holland, where they rode bikes on a scenic trail and met some of her family.

Are you interested in learning more about Yolanda’s childhood before she catapulted into the spotlight? Let’s take a trip down memory lane with these precious throwback photos of Yolanda that show she was always destined to be in front of the camera.

Baby Yolanda Hadid wearing a raincoat

Yolanda was born in Papendrecht, South Holland, on January 11, 1964, and like most babies at an early age, she loved smiling for the camera.

As previously mentioned, Yolanda returned to her hometown on Season 5, Episode 16 of RHOBH with her castmates, where she showed them the home she grew up in and reunited with a someone special from her youth.

“I’m excited to take them to Papendrecht, where I was born and raised,” she said in a confessional interview. “I guess I’m just still a little girl at heart because I’m proud of where I came from that’s what made me who I am today.”

Yolanda Hadid holding a baby doll when she was a kid

Yolanda Hadid wearing a dress with a white collar as a young girl.

In the picture above, little Yolanda happily enjoys playtime with her baby doll while sitting cozily in a wooden chair.

When reflecting on her early memories from her hometown on Season 5 of RHOBH, Yolanda noted that “the core of me is that tiny little town in Holland.”

Young Yolanda Hadid with her brother, Leo van den Herik

Yolanda isn’t the only one from her family who’s photogenic. In the photo below, Yolanda can be seen bonding with her older brother, Leo van den Herik.

Leo appeared on RHOBH in Season 5, Episode 16, when the cast met him in Holland. During the episode, Yolanda reflected on her relationship with her sibling and mom, Ans (the latter of whom passed away in 2019). “Seeing my mom and brother, you know, it just warms my heart because that’s my family,” she explained. “I love being with them. Unfortunately, you know I don’t get to see them enough.”

Young Yolanda Hadid with her horse

Yolanda Hadid as a young girl wearing pigtails with her horse.

From a young age Yolanda grew up riding horses and continues to do the activity today. The blonde beauty even left the glitz and glam behind in Beverly Hills for a simple life on the East Coast.

Yolanda bought a Pennsylvania farm after leaving RHOBH, where she now spends most of her time embracing nature and caring for her animals, including horses and cows.

Yolanda Hadid as a young girl sitting among her horses.

In a vintage video filmed for BravoTV.com in 2020, Yolanda opened up about living in the country with lots of land while standing with one of her horses. "I've gone through the seasons with the trees and saw the blossoms coming and going," she said. "For that, it's been incredible."

Yolanda Hadid with bangs

Yolanda Hadid smiling as a young girl wearing a uniform.

Bangs will never go out of style! In the adorable snapshot, a young Yolanda had luscious blond locks styled with bangs.

Hair has always served as a tool of self-expression for Yolanda. We've seen her switch up her hairdo in many styles over the years, from a long ponytail to a short hair with swoop bangs. She even looks a bit like Bella here!

Yolanda Hadid resembles her eldest daughter and fellow model Gigi Hadid

This photo of teenage Yolanda showcases her voluminous hair and smile, resembling her eldest daughter, Gigi.

In Season 5, Episode 10 of RHOBH, the mom of three expressed how proud she was of Gigi for working hard early on in her career as a model. “I’m in awe of how much Gigi has accomplished in her first year and a half in New York, in the fashion industry,” she shared. “19 years of seven days a week, 24-hours a day, you invest in this child and there’s no greater reward than seeing them be successful in what they love to do.”

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