Khai Turns 6 With Long Blonde Waves and a Squishmallow Party
Khai Malik’s 6th birthday gave fans a rare glimpse into the private world of Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik’s daughter, as the former One Direction singer shared photos from her colorful birthday celebration.
Malik posted the photos on Instagram on September 22, one day after Khai’s sixth birthday. The carousel offered several glimpses of the celebration, including moments between father and daughter, a colorful birthday cake, party decorations and an outing filled with rides and activities. IInStyle+1
One detail immediately caught attention: Khai’s exceptionally long blonde hair.
In one of the photos, her dark golden-blonde hair appeared to fall all the way to her waist in loose, natural-looking waves. Another image showed her wearing the long hair in a ponytail while taking part in the festivities.
The birthday celebration was centered around a Squishmallow theme, with colorful decorations, a multi-tiered cake and activities at American Dream in New Jersey. IInStyle+1
Khai Malik 6th Birthday Photos Give Rare Glimpse
Khai has largely remained out of the public spotlight throughout her childhood.
Both Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik have generally protected their daughter’s privacy, with photos shared publicly often avoiding a clear view of her face. InStyle has previously noted that the former couple has chosen to keep Khai away from the public eye while occasionally sharing small glimpses of family life. IInStyle
That approach continued with the latest birthday photos.
Malik’s September 22 carousel showed Khai from different angles while focusing on the celebration rather than making her the subject of a conventional celebrity photo shoot.
The first image reportedly showed Malik lighting candles on a rainbow-colored birthday cake while Khai stood nearby. Her long blonde waves were visible from behind.
The cake featured bright colors and playful decorations, fitting the cheerful theme of the celebration. IInStyle
Khai’s Long Blonde Waves Steal the Spotlight
The most talked-about detail from the new pictures was Khai’s hair.
At six years old, she appeared with dramatically long dark-blonde hair styled in loose waves. The length reached approximately to her waist, creating what InStyle described as a mermaid-inspired look. IInStyle
Another photograph showed her hair pulled into a ponytail as she explored a food truck at the party.
Khai’s long hair is not entirely new to fans who have followed occasional family snapshots over the years. Previous photos have shown her with long blonde hair, braids and ponytails.
A 2024 photo shared by Hadid, for example, showed Khai with long braided hair during a family outing. Other images have shown her enjoying horseback riding and outdoor activities. UUs
The latest birthday pictures nevertheless offered one of the clearest glimpses yet at how much she has grown.
A Squishmallow-Themed Birthday Celebration
The birthday party had a strong Squishmallow theme.
According to InStyle, Khai and her friends enjoyed colorful decorations, themed treats and a large birthday cake. The celebration also included a food truck decorated with pink, purple and blue balloons, along with a large illuminated number six. IInStyle
The centerpiece was a multi-tiered Squishmallow cake featuring a colorful heart-shaped design.
PEOPLE also reported that the celebration included rainbow decorations, a balloon arch and a Squishmallow-themed birthday sign. PPeople.com
The theme appeared throughout the event, giving the party a playful and colorful atmosphere appropriate for a sixth birthday.
Malik thanked the people and organizations involved in making the celebration special.
He specifically mentioned American Dream and baker Elizabeth Rowe in his Instagram caption.
“The girls had the BEST time!” Malik wrote in the post, according to InStyle. IInStyle
Khai Celebrates at American Dream
The birthday wasn’t limited to a traditional party at home.
Malik took Khai and her friends to American Dream, the entertainment and shopping complex in New Jersey, where they enjoyed rides and attractions.
The celebration included a visit to a Hasbro-themed arcade and Nickelodeon Universe theme park, according to InStyle. IInStyle
Photos showed Khai and her friends enjoying the attractions together.
One image featured Khai in a colorful Squishmallow-print dress with puffed sleeves. The outfit complemented the bright colors used throughout the celebration.
The outing gave the birthday a more experience-focused feel, with the children spending time together rather than simply posing for photographs.
Zayn Malik Shares a Rare Father-Daughter Moment
One of the more personal images showed Malik lighting the candles on his daughter’s birthday cake.
The singer was dressed casually in a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt and had recently adopted a buzz-cut hairstyle with light facial hair, according to InStyle. IInStyle
The image was notable because Malik has historically kept much of his family life away from the spotlight.
His decision to share a handful of photographs from Khai’s birthday therefore offered fans a limited but meaningful look at the celebration.
The photos also reflected the way Malik has previously spoken about his daughter.
For Khai’s fourth birthday in 2024, he shared a tribute describing her as the most important person in his life and expressing pride in watching her grow. UUs
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik Continue Co-Parenting Khai
Khai’s birthday also comes against the backdrop of her parents’ ongoing co-parenting relationship.
Hadid and Malik began dating in 2015 and welcomed Khai in September 2020. They separated in 2021 but have continued raising their daughter together. IInStyle
The former couple has generally kept details of their parenting arrangement private.
In previous interviews and social-media posts, however, both have offered occasional indications that Khai remains the central focus of their family relationship.
PEOPLE reported that Malik and Hadid have expressed mutual respect and love for each other as parents. PPeople.com
Malik also spoke about his feelings toward Hadid during a 2026 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, saying he would always love her because she is the mother of his child while emphasizing his respect for her. IInStyle
The birthday celebration itself did not provide details about the private arrangements between Khai’s parents.
Instead, the public photos simply showed Malik celebrating his daughter’s milestone.
Khai Has Grown Up Mostly Away From the Spotlight
For a child with two globally recognized parents, Khai’s relatively limited public exposure is notable.
Hadid and Malik have consistently avoided making their daughter’s face a regular feature of their social-media accounts.
That has allowed occasional photographs to focus on small moments from family life without turning Khai into a constant celebrity presence.
Previous glimpses have included family trips, horseback riding, birthdays and time spent outdoors.
In 2025, Hadid shared photos that showed Khai enjoying outdoor activities and spending time on the family’s farm. A separate photo archive compiled by Us Weekly has documented occasional glimpses of Khai growing up, including her long hair, riding activities and family celebrations. UUs
Hadid has also previously spoken about how motherhood has changed her life.
In a recent interview, she discussed practicing runway walks with Khai at home and described her daughter as increasingly aware of her modeling career. PPeople.com
A Colorful Celebration for Khai’s Sixth Birthday
The latest images reveal a birthday built around childhood favorites rather than celebrity glamour.
There were colorful balloons, themed decorations, rides, a food truck and a cake covered in Squishmallow-inspired designs.
PEOPLE reported that gifts included a National Geographic bug habitat and a butterfly-growing kit, adding another child-focused element to the celebration. PPeople.com
The party therefore combined several different interests, from toys and animals to amusement rides and colorful desserts.
Most importantly, the photos appeared to capture Khai spending time with friends and family on her birthday.
Why the Photos Are Getting Attention
The interest surrounding Khai’s birthday photos comes partly from how rarely her parents share images of her.
Celebrity children can often become subjects of intense public attention, but Hadid and Malik have taken a more private approach.
As a result, even relatively simple family photographs can attract significant attention when they are shared publicly.
The latest carousel also offered a visual milestone.
Khai’s sixth birthday marks another stage in her childhood, and the images showed just how much she has grown since her parents first announced her arrival in 2020.
Her long blonde hair, colorful birthday outfit and playful party setting provided fans with a glimpse of that transition without revealing more of her private life than her parents appeared comfortable sharing.
What Gigi Hadid Has Shared About Motherhood
Hadid has previously spoken publicly about the importance of motherhood and balancing her professional career with raising Khai.
In earlier interviews, she has discussed working around her daughter’s schedule and making the most of the time available when Khai is with her father.
Hadid has also shared occasional family photos, although she has generally avoided showing her daughter’s face.
That privacy-first approach has remained consistent even as Khai has grown older.
In March 2026, Hadid shared another small glimpse of Khai’s personality and style in a photo carousel. The images showed the child wearing a gingham jacket, knit sweater and other playful pieces while her face remained obscured. IInStyle
The latest birthday pictures follow that same pattern.
Khai Malik 6th Birthday Marks Another Family Milestone
Khai Malik’s 6th birthday was a colorful celebration filled with friends, themed decorations, amusement-park activities and a memorable cake.
For fans, the most striking visual detail may have been Khai’s extraordinarily long blonde waves.
For her parents, however, the occasion appears to have been primarily about celebrating another year of their daughter’s life.
Malik’s photo carousel offered a rare father-daughter glimpse while maintaining the family’s longstanding approach to privacy.
Hadid and Malik may no longer be a couple, but their daughter continues to connect their lives as they navigate co-parenting away from the most intense parts of the celebrity spotlight.
At six, Khai is growing up with two famous parents while maintaining a childhood that, at least publicly, remains relatively private.
Her latest birthday photos provided just enough of a window into that world: colorful decorations, a Squishmallow theme, long blonde waves, amusement-park fun and a proud father celebrating his daughter’s special day.
Suggested External Links
- InStyle — Original birthday report
- PEOPLE — Khai’s sixth-birthday celebration
- InStyle — About Khai Hadid Malik
Suggested Internal Links
- Gigi Hadid’s latest family photos
- Zayn Malik’s relationship with daughter Khai
- Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik’s co-parenting story
- Khai’s previous birthday celebrations
Image ALT Text
Khai Malik 6th birthday with long blonde waves at Squishmallow party
Image note: For publication, use the original InStyle/Instagram image only if your site has the appropriate rights or license. Otherwise, use a properly licensed editorial image and avoid implying it is one of the original birthday photographs.
