Karlie Kloss is one of the world’s most well-known supermodels. She’s been strutting the runway since the age of 13, but says bad advice early on in her career could have majorly impacted her success in the industry.
“Somebody tried to tell me to walk a certain way when I was first starting, like don’t move your arms and don’t move your hips,” Kloss told ABC News’ Chief Business, Technology and Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis. “I got out on the runway and did whatever I was doing, I was just walking, but it became my signature walk. If they would’ve changed that then I don’t know that I would’ve had a successful career.”
You’ve just got to march to the beat of your own drum literally and figuratively.
Just over 6 feet tall, Kloss has done a variety of model-based projects from cover shoots for Vogue to walking in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and working with high-end designers such as Dolce and Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, and Versace to now becoming the host of "Project Runway," all opportunities Kloss said might not have been possible had she changed her walk.
“You’ve just got to march to the beat of your own drum literally and figuratively.”
As Kloss has paved her own path, ignoring the bad advice, she has thanked those who had constructive criticism that helped her fix her "duck walk" in the early years of her career.
“I was a ballerina before I started modeling so my feet always turned out to first position and I walked down the runway like a duck,” Kloss recalled. “People were like, 'Can you try and turn your toes in?' and I was like, 'Maybe I should listen to that.'"
While modeling is a major part of Kloss’s story, it's far from her only passion.
Kloss began taking coding classes at The Flatiron School in Lower Manhattan in 2014 and immediately became hooked. Since those classes, Kloss has gone on to create Kode with Klossy, a free two-week summer coding camp for girls between the ages of 13 and 18 in the U.S. Kode with Klossy operates 50 camps across 25 cities where girls can apply to attend and learn to code real-life apps.
"Coding has been a medium to realize I can accomplish anything I set my mind to even something that is challenging to learn that no one in my position is doing," Kloss said. "I'm working on expanding the way we're supporting these young women through Kode with Klossy through access opportunities and continuing to kind of build around this community."
When it comes to her personal life, Kloss praises her husband Joshua Kushner, brother to Jared Kushner who serves as the senior advisor to President Trump, for his support of her multiple business endeavors as well as her political stance.
“I think everybody's just got to be true to themselves, and Josh respects that I have my own opinion," Kloss said. "I just try and be true to who I am and stand up for the things that I really care about."
As her career continues to crossover between industries, Kloss sticks to the individuality she’s had since entering the modeling world.
“I find what I've been most successful at has been when I trust my gut. It takes courage to be fearless, especially when you are the outsider, but I'd rather be a leader than a follower.”
Hear more from Karlie Kloss on “No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis.”