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Next in Fashion Season 2 returned to Netflix at the beginning of the month. However, there was a huge shake-up to the cast for the sophomore season. In addition to a whole new crop of designers, the season also boasts a new co-host and celebrity judge. While Tan France returned to the show for its new season, Alexa Chung was absent from the reality TV series. Instead, Gigi Hadid took over the role that previously belonged to Chung. Fortunately, the supermodel had a wonderful rapport with France. But considering the duo were besties before they ever began filming the show, this isn’t too much of a shock.

Tan France and Gigi Hadid film an episode of Netflix's 'Next in Fashion'
‘Next in Fashion’ stars Tan France and Gigi Hadid | Netflix

How did Tan France and Gigi Hadid first meet?

France and Hadid first struck up a friendship over five years ago. In fact, it was another Netflix reality TV show that led to the pair first connecting. Like millions of others, Hadid fell in love with Queer Eye, the show that made France and his penchant for “French tucks” a household name. The supermodel was dying to meet France, so when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at the chance.

The Next in Fashion Season 2 hosts actually first met virtually via FaceTime. The mom of one was scrolling Instagram when she realized that France was visiting Eva Chen’s office. Since Chen was a friend of hers, the 27-year-old decided to shoot her shot and give Chen a call. “I was like, this is my chance,” Hadid recalled on The Drew Barrymore Show. “Like, I saw it on her stories, and [I was] like, I’m just gonna FaceTime. It was clearly, like, nine in the morning and like a Saturday. And we just hit it off.”

The ‘Next in Fashion’ Season 2 co-hosts quickly became fast friends

But Hadid wasn’t content with just a virtual meeting. Wanting to extend her conversation with France, she invited him over to her house that same day to hang out. While France was supposed to take his Queer Eye co-star, Antoni Porowski, out for a birthday lunch that day, the reality star agreed that going to Hadid’s house was the more fun option. Thus, they accepted Hadid’s invitation and went to hang out with the supermodel.

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For his part, France wasn’t expecting his friendship with Hadid to have longevity. “Never would I have believed that this is how it was gonna turn out,” the designer admitted. “I was like, OK, we’ll be casual friends for a little while, and then she’ll get over it and she’ll never talk to me again.” Hadid was quick to chime in “And then we became best friends,” she shared. “Yeah!” France added.

Hadid and France are grateful that they worked well together on ‘Next in Fashion’

Despite being IRL besties, the duo seemed just a little apprehensive about working together on Next in Fashion. Even after five years of being besties, they didn’t know if they’d work well together. Fortunately, they had nothing to worry about. “And thank God we like working together, ’cause it could have gone really bad,” Hadid shared. “It’s a gamble,” France agreed. Clearly, spending weeks on end with each other only strengthened the duo’s bond. We’re sure many Next in Fashion fans are hoping they team up again if the show gets a season 3.

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