Karlie Kloss

Karlie Elizabeth Kloss was born on August 3, 1992, in Chicago, Illinois, to Kurt Kloss, an emergency physician, and Tracy Kloss (née Fares), a freelance art director. She has three sisters: an older sister, Kristine, and younger twins, Kimberly and Kariann. The family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1994, where Kloss attended Webster Groves High School, graduating in 2011, and participated as a cheerleader. Of Danish, German, and Polish descent, she stands at 6'2" (1.87m) with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. Kloss was discovered at age 13 in 2005 at a local charity fashion show in St. Louis, leading to her signing with Elite Model Management at 14 in 2006. She debuted professionally with early work for Abercrombie & Fitch and appeared on the cover of Scene Magazine. By 2008, she modeled in New York City for major brands, gaining recognition as one of Vogue Paris's top 30 models of the 2000s. Her breakthrough came with Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows from 2011–2014, earning her 'Angel' status in 2013, though she left in 2015 to study at New York University (NYU), starting classes in 2015. Beyond modeling, Kloss expanded into business and media. In 2018, she became Estée Lauder's global spokesperson and host/executive producer of Project Runway. She married Joshua Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital, on October 18, 2018; they have three sons—Levi Joseph (born March 11, 2021), Elijah Jude (born July 2023), and a third child announced as expected in March 2025. Her interests align with entrepreneurship in health, energy management, sustainability, and vision & strategy, reflected in her ventures and NYU education.