Kaia Gerber, Breakout Model of the Year

by Eddie Roche

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When the world first got a look at Cindy Crawford’s offspring and twin, Kaia Gerber, the fashion industry came to a screeching halt. With a French Vogue cover, a fan named Marc Jacobs, and the blessing of Katie and Mario, this 15-year-old Cali girl is rapidly reaching super status.
Photography by Sebastian Faena
Fashion Styling by Paige Reddinger

How would you characterize your year?
It has been absolutely crazy! It was kind of a whirlwind, but I never took one moment for granted.

When and why did you realize that modeling was something you seriously wanted to pursue?
I’ve always wanted to model. I would ask my mom to do my hair and makeup and take pictures of me in her vintage Versace dresses. I can’t say it was never a dream of mine to be where I am now.

You shot with Mario Testino for French Vogue this year. What did you learn from him?
Mario is a dream to work with. There’s no doubt that the photos will turn out beautiful; he’s so sweet and really a teacher. He showed me a lot about motion and really explained what he wanted from me.

What designers do you wear?
Seeing as I still go to school, I don’t usually wear designer clothes in my everyday life. However, if a special occasion comes up, I usually gravitate towards Alex Wang, Marc Jacobs, Alaïa—honestly I love fashion so much that I would wear every designer for a different mood or occasion.

How are you maintaining your school schedule with modeling?
I always put school first, which took me a while to understand due to the fact that modeling is my true passion. But I do now get how important my education is and if I have to choose between a job and a school commitment, I always choose school.

What did you learn from your mother about modeling?
My mother teaches me a lot about being prepared for shoots. Things like being on time, what to bring, the importance of being nice to everyone on set. As for being in front of the camera, she told me to always have a thought behind my eyes, which really connects to the viewer.

What’s your favorite image of your mom?
Herb Ritts did almost all of my favorite pictures of my mom. He was a beyond incredible photographer, and it’s in those pictures that I see the resemblance between us the most.

You already have a great reputation as being very polite and well mannered. How was this instilled in you?
My mom taught me everything I’ve learned about carrying myself on set. When I was younger I used to tag along on some of her jobs and I would see how nice she was to everyone around her. I think she just instilled that in me from a really young age.

You and your brother Presley call each other best friends. Have you always been very close?
We used to fight about silly things like who got to sit in the front seat like normal siblings, but we have always been really close.

What’s your relationship like?
I can always rely on Presley to tell me the truth. We don’t fight much anymore, and I feel like we can be silly with each other.

What models do you look up to in the industry?
Karlie Kloss, because of her involvement in things outside of modeling. She doesn’t let modeling limit her at all. I respect lots of models for different reasons, and I like to understand what it is about each model I like and incorporate that into my work in front of the camera.

What was it like working with Kendall Jenner for LOVE?
I’ve known Kendall for a while due to the fact that we are both from L.A. and have a lot of mutual friends. Shooting with her was supereasy, and the pictures turned out to be some of my favorite ones I’ve ever done. I admire her for how down-to-earth and unaffected she is.

What are your interests and hobbies outside of modeling?
I love dancing, which actually has been a great tool for modeling. However, I don’t have a ton of free time for other activities between school and work.

What was it like working with Sebastian Faena for our cover?
Sebastian is one of the sweetest photographers. He is so friendly and really wants to get to know the model. He sat with me at lunch and we both just talked for a while, which is kind of rare on set, so I really appreciated it. I am so happy to be sharing a moment like this with him.

We’ve seen so much of you in images this year—how would you describe your personality?
In many ways, I’m your average 15-year-old girl. I like hanging out with friends and having fun. I’m also very driven, and while I do work a lot, I like to keep my work very separate from my life as a kid, so I rarely talk about it.

What are your career goals?
My ultimate goal is to be on the cover of American Vogue. My mom was on the cover 17 times, so I’m going for 18!

Would you like to live in New York City eventually?
I hope to move to New York when I graduate high school. However, I will always be a California girl and will probably end up moving back to the beach after a few hectic years.

Do you have plans for college?
I really want to go to college in New York. One of the schools I’ve always dreamed of attending is Columbia. I’m really interested in criminal psychology, which I’ve already started studying. I never want to limit myself. I am going to do everything necessary for getting into my dream college, but I will cross that bridge when I get there.

What did you do this past summer for fun?
I spent the whole summer on a lake in Canada with my family. It was so nice to have the downtime before life picked up again.

What’s your favorite social media platform?
Probably Instagram. I could spend up to an hour on it a day just seeing other people’s ways of life and learning about what’s happening around the world.

Marc Jacobs is presenting to you at the Fashion Media Awards. How does that feel?
Honestly, I haven’t even grasped the concept of this whole thing. The fact that I’m just starting my sophomore year of high school and getting this award in general is insanity. Throw in the fact that Marc Jacobs even knows my name, let alone is giving me an award, is beyond.

Who will you thank in your speech?
You will have to wait for my speech!

Have you ever won anything before?
I have won essay contests and once, when I was younger, I was named student of the month. Nothing even came close to how I feel getting this award.

Read the full issue HERE.

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