You’ve seen her on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills sipping lemon water or looking like a proud, slightly terrifying hawk in the front row of a Chanel show. But honestly, calling Yolanda Hadid just "Bella Hadid’s mom" is kinda like calling the sun a decent lightbulb. She’s the architect. The strategist. The woman who basically blueprinted the modern supermodel era before her kids even knew how to walk a runway.
Lately, though, the conversation around Yolanda has shifted. It’s not just about the "almond mom" memes or the dramatic TV exits anymore. In 2026, she’s navigating a weirdly quiet, yet totally transformative chapter of her life that involves Texas ranches, health battles that won't quit, and a high-profile breakup that caught everyone off guard.
The "Hadid Method" and the Making of Bella
People love to debate whether Bella and Gigi would be where they are without Yolanda. Let's be real: they wouldn't. Yolanda wasn't just a mom; she was a pro who had already logged 15 years in the industry after being discovered by Eileen Ford.
She had rules. Very strict ones.
Bella and Gigi weren't allowed to model professionally until they were 18. Yolanda’s logic? She didn’t want the world judging them before they knew who they were. While Gigi was the "all-American girl" early on, Yolanda saw the "free spirit" in Bella. She pushed for character over just a pretty face, famously telling them that there are thousands of more beautiful girls, so they had to be the kindest and the hardest working on set.
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It wasn't all sunshine and lavender fields, though. We've all seen the resurfaced clips of her telling Gigi not to play volleyball because it would make her "bulky" or the infamous "chew an almond" advice. While those moments sparked a million "toxic parent" think pieces, they also highlight the brutal, calculated discipline Yolanda believed was necessary for survival in fashion.
What's Really Going on With Her Health?
The "Lyme journey" is probably the most polarizing part of Yolanda’s public life. She’s been vocal—maybe too vocal for some—about her struggle with what she describes as chronic neurological Lyme disease. In late 2025, things got scary again. Bella was hospitalized, and Yolanda was right there, posting photos of the "invisible disability" that has haunted their family for over a decade.
Critics have spent years questioning the diagnosis, especially since "chronic Lyme" isn't a universally accepted medical term in the way she presents it. But for Yolanda, it’s her reality. She’s claimed she lost the ability to read and write at one point. Whether you believe the science or not, the impact on her family is undeniable. It’s the reason Bella had to give up her Olympic equestrian dreams, and it’s the shadow that still hangs over their daily lives in 2026.
The Surprise Split from the "Cowboy"
For a long time, it looked like Yolanda had finally found her "forever" in Joseph Jingoli. He was the construction CEO who swept her off to horse shows in Texas and Pennsylvania. They got engaged in 2022 (though we didn't find out until 2024), and he seemed like the perfect antidote to the high-drama world of her exes, Mohamed Hadid and David Foster.
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Then, June 2025 hit.
The news dropped that they called off the engagement after seven years together. No big scandal. No plates flying. Just a quiet realization that they were better off as friends. It was a shock to fans who saw him as her "calm in the storm."
Life in 2026: The New Pennsylvania Mansion
If you thought Yolanda was going to fade into the background after the breakup, you don't know her. She’s currently in the middle of a massive real estate pivot.
- She recently took her iconic $11 million Pennsylvania farm off the market.
- She’s moved into a "smaller" (still huge) $4.25 million mansion nearby.
- Neighbors say she’s basically gutting the place—ripping out floors and fixtures to make it hers.
She’s also spending a ton of time in Fort Worth, Texas. It turns out the "cowboy" influence stuck even if the guy didn't. She’s built a life there complete with a "honey bar" and a tornado shelter, because apparently, even supermodel moms need to be prepared for a twister.
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Why She Still Matters
Yolanda Hadid is a polarizing figure, and she’s okay with that. She’s the woman who kept the Hadid name even after two divorces because she wanted to match her children. She’s the one who turned a Dutch farm-girl background into a global empire.
Love her or hate her, you can't ignore the "Hadid Method." It’s a mix of old-school discipline, questionable health theories, and a fierce, almost primal protection of her children’s brands.
What you can do next:
If you're following the Hadid family trajectory, keep an eye on Yolanda’s new lifestyle ventures. She’s reportedly leaning further into the "clean living" space, likely inspired by her ongoing health battles and her daughter Bella's success with Kin Euphorics. Also, if you’re looking for a deep dive into the industry she built, checking out her book Believe Me gives a much more raw look at her perspective than any 40-minute reality episode ever could.