‘ WE HELP EACH OTHER THROUGH THE HIGHS AND LOWS’
‘I’M DEFINITELY A multitasker,’ announces Karlie Kloss at 8am from her home in New York, seemingly unaware of how much of an understatement that is.
At 23 years old, the supermodel has covered every major fashion magazine, created a charitable cookie business, is godmother to Jourdan Dunn’s son and has been hailed by Diane von Furstenberg as a ‘force’ leading her generation – all while broadcasting her life to five million Instagram followers and running her own Youtube channel.
Alongside becoming the face of adidas by Stella Mccartney (‘an honour’),
Karlie’s s latest move is the launch of a two-week academy this summer, giving young women the chance to learn how to code and develop apps. She is also learning to code herself, and has just finished her first year at NYU, following a business course at Harvard.
Does she enjoy confounding expectations of what models should be? ‘Since the day I started modelling, there have always been false stereotypes,’ Karlie tells Grazia. ‘But I’m not here to prove the world wrong. I just want to be the best version of myself.
‘I recognise that I am in a position to influence other people, and I do not take that lightly. I want to use my influence to inspire people to push themselves. In two weeks we’re completely changing these young ladies’ knowledge of this technology. A lot of them leave transformed. That, to me, is success.’
Off-duty, Karlie is equally busy in her role as Taylor Swift’s right-hand woman and an integral member of her infamous squad. After meeting backstage at the Victoria’s Secret show three years ago, the pair became fast friends, travelling the world together and sharing an apartment in New York. They were most recently seen at Taylor’s annual Fourth of July party, alongside Cara Delevingne, Gigi Hadid, Blake Lively and the group’s latest addition, British actor Tom Hiddleston.
Friendship group envy? Yes. But the Squad has not escaped controversy. Last year, feminist writer Camille Paglia accused Taylor’s girl gang of being elitist, claiming that the singer’s ‘twinkly persona is… a scary flashback to the fascist blondes who ruled the social scene during my youth’.
Karlie is quick to brush off any criticisms, saying, ‘My friends are kind, caring, thoughtful people. I think that’s what draws everyone in the group together. We are all very supportive of each other. We are a big network of really great friends who all have very international schedules and lives. We try to get together as much as possible, even if we’re all travelling in different places.’
The group, she says, helps her through the ‘highs and lows’ of her career. Despite campaigns for Topshop, Dior and Lanvin, Karlie admits she hasn’t always felt comfortable in her own skin.
‘I grew up the tallest in my class and was always being teased for being skinny,’ she says. ‘Whether it was because of those people at school, or people online now, I had to develop a thick skin. You have to learn to cope with people’s opinions – it’s so important for women to be surrounded by people who truly support them. YouY have to have a core support group.’
As for the future? ‘I want to use my platform to reach my voice further and wider, keep building my career and reach and be able to make a positive impact in many ways.’ All in a day’s work for Karlie Kloss… Karlie Kloss is the face of adidas by Stella Mccartney A/W ’16 collection, now available at adidas.co.uk