Karlie Kloss
She transformed from a runway superstar into a tech-savvy entrepreneur and advocate for young women learning to code.
Born 1992 (age 34)·American fashion model·Birthday: August 3·Millennials
Biography
Karlie Kloss stepped onto the global stage as a teenager, her distinctive walk and striking features making her a fixture for fashion houses like Marc Jacobs and Dior. By her early twenties, she had become a Victoria's Secret Angel and graced countless magazine covers, solidifying her status in the industry's top tier. Yet, Kloss deliberately pivoted, trading the glare of the runway for the glow of a laptop screen. She enrolled at NYU, founded Kode with Klossy to empower girls in computer science, and acquired the long-running fashion competition show 'Project Runway,' reshaping her public identity from a mannequin for clothes to a builder of platforms.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Karlie was born in 1992, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Karlie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1992
#1 Movie
Aladdin
Best Picture
Unforgiven
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Karlie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1992Born
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1997Started school
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2005Became a teenager
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Could drive
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2010Could vote
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Turned 21
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2022Turned 30
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 34 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appeared on over 40 international Vogue covers, a mark of elite fashion industry status.
- Founded Kode with Klossy, a nonprofit that has provided coding camps and scholarships to thousands of young women.
- Became the host and executive producer of the fashion reality series 'Project Runway' in 2019.
- Launched a YouTube channel, 'Klossy,' offering a personal look at her life and projects.
Did You Know?
She is an accomplished baker and briefly ran a pie delivery service called 'Mothers and Daughters' in New York.
She is married to Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner.
She was discovered at a charity fashion show in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.
“I realized I had a platform and a voice that people would listen to, and I wanted to use it for something more meaningful.”
