Karlie Kloss is an American supermodel who walked as a Victoria's Secret Angel and starred in campaigns for Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Adidas. Beyond modeling, she founded Kode With Klossy, a nonprofit empowering young women in coding. Her signature blend of athletic elegance and intellectual ambition extends to her style, where sharp sunglasses often punctuate her clean, modern aesthetic and multifaceted public persona.
Born in Chicago in 1992 and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Karlie Kloss was discovered at a local charity fashion show at age 13 — a humble beginning for what would become one of modeling's most remarkable careers. By 15, she was walking for Calvin Klein in New York, and by 17, she had opened for Dior in Paris. Kloss's defining physical characteristic — a long-limbed, six-foot-one frame combined with a distinctive, almost otherworldly runway walk — immediately set her apart in an industry crowded with beautiful faces. Designers from Marc Jacobs to Oscar de la Renta clamored to book her, and Vogue declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
Her tenure as a Victoria's Secret Angel, beginning in 2011, brought her to mainstream audiences worldwide. Kloss walked in the brand's televised fashion show for several years before retiring from the role in 2015 to focus on her education — a move that shocked the industry. She enrolled at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, pursuing a custom curriculum that blended coding, feminist theory, and media studies. Rather than treat modeling as the entirety of her identity, Kloss publicly prioritized intellectual growth, studying part-time while maintaining a selective roster of high-profile campaigns for brands like Adidas, Estée Lauder, and Swarovski.
In 2015, Kloss founded Kode With Klossy, a nonprofit organization offering free summer coding camps for teenage girls and gender-nonconforming youth across the United States. The program has since expanded to dozens of cities and served thousands of participants, many of whom have gone on to pursue degrees and careers in computer science and engineering. Kloss has spoken at tech conferences including SXSW, appeared on the cover of Forbes for her entrepreneurial efforts, and invested in startups spanning clean beauty, wellness, and fashion tech. Her advocacy for women in STEM has earned her recognition far beyond the fashion industry and positioned her as a role model for a generation of young women who reject the false dichotomy between beauty and brains.
Kloss's personal style mirrors the clarity of her professional philosophy: streamlined silhouettes, monochrome palettes, and high-quality basics that prioritize fit and fabric. She often completes her looks with architectural sunglasses — geometric shapes, slim metal frames, and contemporary designs that feel modern without chasing trends. As someone photographed at both Paris Fashion Week and MIT hackathons, Kloss understands that sunglasses serve as a bridge between high fashion and everyday utility. Her eyewear choices consistently reflect the same qualities that define her career: intelligence, precision, and a quiet refusal to be pigeonholed.
