About
Karlie Elizabeth Kloss was born on August 3, 1992, in Chicago and grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis. Towering at 6’2″ with a ballet-trained posture, she stormed international runways while still a teenager and became a fixture of high-fashion magazines. From earning her Victoria’s Secret Angel wings (2013-2015) to fronting campaigns for Dior, Louis Vuitton, and countless others, Kloss built a reputation for professionalism, poise, and a famously powerful “panther walk.” Outside fashion she’s a tech advocate: her nonprofit Kode With Klossy offers free coding camps that have taught thousands of teens and young adults since 2015. These days she balances modeling, angel investing, and hosting stints on Project Runway with mom life—she and husband Joshua Kushner are now parents of two little boys and, as announced in early 2025, they’re expecting a third child.
Before Fame
Karlie’s first passion was ballet. Training at Caston’s ballet school in St. Louis shaped the fluid yet athletic stride that casting directors love. At 13 she walked in a local charity fashion show, where scouts spotted her potential. One year later she appeared in Teen Vogue and relocated to New York for Fashion Week, juggling photo shoots with homework from Webster Groves High School. By 2008 she had walked 64 shows across New York, Milan, and Paris, becoming one of the most-booked newcomers of the season.
Trivia
- The “panther walk.” Designers coined the term for her elongated, gliding stride.
- Cookie philanthropist. She collaborated with Momofuku Milk Bar on “Karlie’s Kookies,” directing proceeds to meals for children and disaster relief.
- Coding champion. A single Stanford summer course sparked her fascination with computer science; she later founded Kode With Klossy to give others the same spark.
- Pop-culture cameo. Kloss appears as “Knockout” in Taylor Swift’s star-studded “Bad Blood” video.
- Bookworm on the go. She often packs a Kindle in her carry-on and says re-reading Pride and Prejudice calms pre-runway nerves.
Family Life
Karlie is the second of four daughters born to Tracy, a freelance art director, and Kurt Kloss, an emergency physician. Close ties to sisters Kristine, Kariann, and Kimberly keep her Midwestern grounding intact even amid the fashion whirl. In October 2018 she married venture capitalist Joshua Kushner during an intimate ceremony in upstate New York. Their first son, Levi Joseph, arrived on March 11, 2021, and their second, Elijah Jude, was born on July 11, 2023.The couple shared in January 2025 that another baby is on the way, filling their New York home—and frequent Miami getaway—with even more toddler energy.
Associated With
- Taylor Swift: Long-time friend and road-trip buddy; Swift even named a cat “Karlie.”
- John Galliano & Karl Lagerfeld: Early champions who cast her in headline-making Dior and Chanel shows.
- Tim Gunn & Christian Siriano: Co-stars when she stepped in as host for Project Runway seasons 17-18.
- Goldman Sachs Women in Engineering: Ongoing corporate partner that hosts Kode With Klossy summer intensives.
- IMG Models: The agency that manages her global career and brand collaborations.