Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss is an American supermodel, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She is widely recognized for her distinctive runway walk, a legacy of her classical ballet training. Kloss gained significant recognition as a Victoria's Secret Angel and has graced the covers of approximately 40 international Vogue editions. She took on the role of host for the reality competition series Project Runway, leveraging her extensive fashion knowledge for television.

Beyond her modeling career, Kloss is a prominent advocate for reproductive rights and champions women in STEM fields. She established Kode with Klossy, a nonprofit organization that provides free coding education to girls and nonbinary teens. She launched the Gateway Coalition to support abortion clinics in the Midwest, and subsequently acquired i-D Magazine, becoming its CEO. Kloss continues to be a notable figure in fashion and media, known for her impactful business ventures and advocacy work.[edit]

Karlie Elizabeth Kloss was born on August 3, 1992, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. When she was approximately two years old, her family relocated, and she was subsequently raised in St. Louis, Missouri. From a young age, Kloss immersed herself in classical ballet training, initially aspiring to become a professional ballerina. This rigorous training proved foundational, later contributing to the distinctive, powerful quality of her runway walk.

Her journey into the fashion world began at 14, when she was discovered at a charity fashion show held in a St. Louis mall. It was there that her unique, "moody, catlike walk" captured the attention of a scout from Elite Chicago, leading to her signing with Elite New York shortly thereafter. Her initial forays into modeling included an editorial shoot for Scene Magazine in Chicago, photographed by David Leslie Anthony, and work for Abercrombie & Fitch as a teenager. Even before her breakthrough into global prominence, the industry took notice, with Vogue Paris naming her one of the Top 30 Models of the 2000s, an early indicator of her burgeoning career.

While she attended high school in St. Louis, maintaining a degree of privacy around her education, Kloss later famously paused a significant part of her career to pursue higher learning. She enrolled at New York University, marking a notable decision in her professional life. [edit]

After signing with Elite, Kloss began walking for major houses like Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, and Nina Ricci. Her breakthrough came in 2011 when she signed with Christian Dior and walked her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. From 2013 to 2015, she served as a Victoria's Secret Angel, which catapulted her to global fame. During this period, she fronted campaigns for Marc Jacobs's Lola fragrance, Christian Dior, Barneys, and others, and appeared on nearly every international edition of Vogue.

In 2015, she founded Kode with Klossy, a free coding camp for teenage girls, inspired by her own coding bootcamp experience. That same year, she launched Karlie's Kookies with Momofuku Milk Bar, donating proceeds to the charity FEED. She stepped away from Victoria's Secret to attend New York University, studying part-time while continuing to model. In 2019, she succeeded Heidi Klum as host of Project Runway. In 2023, she acquired i-D Magazine and became its CEO, marking a shift into media ownership. She continues to advocate for women in tech and reproductive rights, launching the Gateway Coalition in 2022. [edit]

Karlie Kloss is known for her all-American appeal, tall frame, and distinctive, powerful runway walk often described as moody or catlike. In fashion media, she is regarded as one of the defining supermodels of her generation, with a career built on high-fashion editorial work rather than celebrity endorsements. Her public persona blends professional polish with approachable warmth, especially through her coding nonprofit and social media content. She uses Instagram and YouTube to share behind-the-scenes fashion moments and advocacy work. Fans admire her for stepping away from Victoria's Secret to pursue education and for using her platform to promote women in tech and reproductive rights. [edit]

Karlie Kloss commands a unique space in the public eye where professional admiration blends with genuine mentorship. Unlike pop stars who rely on ritualized fan gatherings, her following is built on the tangible impact of her work in STEM education and her seamless pivot from high-fashion icon to tech mogul. Her audience engages deeply with her advocacy for Kode with Klossy and her journey into entrepreneurship, creating a community defined by empowerment rather than traditional fandom rituals. While she maintains a massive digital footprint across Instagram and YouTube, there is no formal collective name for her supporters; instead, the nickname "Klossy" serves as a loose, affectionate moniker for those who follow her life and charitable endeavors. This distinct lack of a branded tribe allows her influence to flow naturally through her projects, particularly her recent integration into elite business circles following major sports acquisitions. the 76th most famous person in Creators & Influencers, a position marking a slight shift down from 75th last cycle, underscores her enduring relevance in this specific sector. These placements are part of the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, which track such movements without needing further explanation.[edit]

Karlie originally dreamed of being a professional ballerina, a passion that directly shaped her iconic, moody runway walk. As a middle child, she shares a family tradition where all four daughters carry first names starting with the letter K. Before marrying Joshua Kushner, she converted to Judaism and celebrated with a small Jewish wedding ceremony. She joined Instagram just a week after their relationship began, and her love for cookies inspired her Karlie's Kookies line. Beyond these personal details, her legacy includes several legendary milestones. Her debut at age 15 for Calvin Klein's spring 2008 show marked the beginning of her supermodel trajectory. She served as a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2013 to 2015, cementing her status as a global fashion icon before gracing the covers of approximately 40 international Vogue editions. A modern chapter of her legend involves her successful transition from model to tech advocate, often retold through her coding initiatives. In August 2026, news broke that her husband Josh Kushner and Bob Iger purchased the Los Angeles Lakers in a record-breaking deal, propelling them into the spotlight as a new power couple. Another widely shared story from June 2026 highlights her reconciliation with Taylor Swift when she was invited to the singer's wedding, resolving past tensions between the two celebrities.[edit]

Karlie's parents are Kurt and Tracy Kloss. She has three sisters: Kristine, Kariann, and Kimberly, making her a middle child. The family moved from Chicago to St. Louis when she was about two. She married venture capitalist Joshua Kushner on October 18, 2018, in a small Jewish ceremony in upstate New York. They have three children: Levi Joseph (born March 11, 2021), Elijah Jude (born July 2023), and Rae Florence (born 2025). The family lives in New York City. She converted to Judaism prior to her marriage. [edit]

Karlie Kloss is frequently associated with the fashion houses she modeled for, including Christian Dior, Prada, Coach, Nike, Marc Jacobs, and Victoria's Secret. She is also linked to her husband, venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, and his brother Jared Kushner. In the tech and philanthropy space, she is associated with Kode with Klossy and the Gateway Coalition. Her acquisition of i-D Magazine connects her to the media world. [edit]

Karlie Kloss has kept her romantic life relatively private. Her only publicly documented relationship is with venture capitalist Joshua Kushner. They began dating in 2012, and she joined Instagram about a week after they started seeing each other. The couple got engaged in July 2018 and married on October 18, 2018, in a small Jewish ceremony in upstate New York with fewer than 80 guests. She converted to Judaism before the wedding. They have three children: Levi Joseph (born March 11, 2021), Elijah Jude (born July 2023), and Rae Florence (born 2025). As of 2026, Karlie Kloss is married to Joshua Kushner, and they continue to live in New York City. [edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Karlie Kloss's net worth in 2026 stands at $55 Million. This substantial figure reflects a diversified portfolio spanning modeling, media, and technology. As a top-tier model, she commanded significant fees for runway shows and campaigns with luxury houses like Dior, Prada, Coach, Nike, and Marc Jacobs. Her television presence grew when she took over hosting duties for Project Runway in 2019, leveraging her extensive fashion knowledge for a broader audience. In 2023, she expanded her role as a media executive by acquiring i-D Magazine and serving as its CEO. Her entrepreneurial spirit also led to the creation of Karlie's Kookies, a collaboration with Momofuku Milk Bar that donates proceeds to FEED, though this venture leans more toward philanthropy than pure profit. While her husband, Joshua Kushner, is a prominent venture capitalist and co-founder of Oscar Health, her financial standing remains independent. Her coding nonprofit, Kode with Klossy, operates as a charitable endeavor rather than a revenue generator. Although her real estate holdings remain private, they likely include a residence in New York City.[edit]