Two years after Kaia Gerber made her runway debut at Calvin Klein during NYFW, her mother Cindy Crawford has spoken out to explain why it was important to let her daughter pursue a modelling career.
‘I had no trepidation at all about saying yes to Kaia,’ the ‘Super’ said at the Vogue Forces of Fashion Summit on Thursday.
‘I felt comfortable and I was like, “Go for it, have fun and I'm always here if you have a question”.’
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Addressing the criticism she has received for allowing her daughter to start modelling at the age of 16, Crawford added: ‘Now everyone's a model in their everyday life.’
Having walked for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Givenchy in recent weeks, Gerber is continuing to carve out a place for herself in the fashion industry as one of the most in demand models of her generation.
‘There are some things no matter how much someone can tell you about the industry, there are things you have to learn first-hand,’ she said of her experience on the catwalk.
Her famous mother added: ‘By the time Kaia started she was pretty well-versed in designers and young photographers. She was prepared.’
While she may have been able to ask her mother for guidance on how to navigate the fashion industry, the 18-year-old said that they’re continuing to adapt to the role of social media in their careers together.
‘That was something my mum couldn't really teach me,’ the Kaia said of social media. ‘We were learning it together.’
Last month, the model walked alongside Bella and Gigi Hadid at the Max Mara SS20 runway show during which they wore an array of Wednesday Addams 2.0-inspired office wear and G.I. Jane pastel-coloured caps and gowns.
The model moment came almost a year after the star revealed her first tattoo, inked on her right bicep.
Kaia posted a selfie on her Instagram page, with her peace sign pose showing off 'Jordan' in cursive writing on the inside of her arm.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
