Karlie Kloss on Hosting Project Runway & Her Favorite Look Ever

Hey guys, it's Tracy here in the Young Hollywood Studio and I am hanging out with the gorgeous supermodel herself, Carly Klaus.

How are you?

How are you? Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Yeah, we were just saying, we're gonna have to get her face on one of these pillows.

Very excited to someday make it to a pillow.

You know you've made it when you're on the Young Hollywood pillow. This is like the pillow of fame right here. I'm like, all right, Chrissy and Tyra and now we've got Carly herself.

I know. Thank you.

First of all, you are like one of the most recognizable names in the fashion industry and I don't know how you do it all because you do so much. I don't, you have like the craziest schedule I'm assuming of anyone.

Like, we're we're all pretty crazy and multitasking. I feel like that's just life in this day and age. True. But I definitely wear a lot of hats and I love being a model and walking runway shows and doing campaigns, but this new role of being uh the host of Project Runway has been a really fun new challenge.

I was gonna say, I mean, no big deal, but you're now the new host. And an executive producer.

And executive producer.

Of Project Runway. Is it I I imagine you must have watched that show growing up though because it's been like it's iconic.

It is one of the most iconic reality shows. Been around for such a long time and I grew up watching the show. I mean, it truly has such a legacy. And for me was so impactful when I first watched it because I had no exposure to fashion. And I and and watching Project

So you started watching before you were even

I think I was 11, maybe 12 when I when it first came out and I remember watching it and being so enamored by everything, New York City and the fashion designers and the industry that was just so foreign to me. And so, it's full circle that now, uh after kind of being in the industry for 10 years, that I'm a part of this show that really was the first window into the world of of fashion for me.

Did that actually kind of help inspire you to get into modeling and fashion at the time?

I feel like I'm maybe just in a moment of life where I'm like reflecting on the last 10 years that I've been kind of a model and and chasing this career that I didn't ever dream that I would be in. Um but I I I definitely think watching that show kind of gave me a little bit of an understanding of like how a designer's process works and the creative collaborative process of putting on a runway show and and how important the model is in that process. Um and in this season, we actually have our first transgender model, uh on the runway.

Oh, wow.

Mimi. She's um it's actually amazing because every every episode or every challenge, all the designers were fighting for for Mimi because she just presents the clothes in such a powerful way. And that's the important part of being a model and the role that a model plays um before.

And you're filling Heidi Klum's shoes, which by the way. No big deal. I mean, those are some big shoes to fill. Were you like kind of nervous about it or did you feel sort of, did you ever talk to her about it just to get any advice or you kind of like doing your own Carly thing with it?

I mean, Heidi's incredible and this show is her baby. She has been with it from the start and so for me, you know, watching her in that role at growing up, I always really admired her and for many reasons, have admired her. Um, so I I was really honored to kind of step into this role and bring what I can bring to it um in a in a new way.

And I feel like also with the show, there's a lot, I'm assuming because think about like the fashion industry, it's just changed so much. I mean, every industry with social media and I imagine like you guys are kind of embracing and, you know, a whole new generation of how like reaching fans especially. Like you did something like the Flash Sale Challenge, which is super cool.

Yeah, so there's this huge part of the show that's also new, um where we have flash sale challenges. So The winner of the challenge, um the designs get made into clothes that you can buy.

That's amazing. That is so incredible.

It's really cool. because you're kind of like when you watch it, you're like, I really wish I could have that. Like I want that outfit now. And it's like we want everything now, you know what I mean? And now that's possible. That's the world that we live in. It's like this real-time kind of connection. And I think that's the thing too. It's like social media, you can in real-time say if you like it or if you don't. And so people viewing can vote, um, on the looks that they like. So, it's not just the judging panel that picks the winner, but also the audience watching in real-time.

And I have to also say, it's really unusual that you are not just a model, but you're also a huge computer nerd.

Yeah, let's talk about that for a second.

And you're just generally. We're all kind of nerds, I guess you could say, right?

Yeah. Unfortunately, there's not enough women uh in the tech industry and for that matter, you know, beyond even just wanting to go into the tech industry, I think computer science skills is such an important literacy for just understanding how the world works and how technology that touches our life is built. And it's empowering for many men and women to understand that. And not enough girls have access to the opportunities to take classes or are encouraged to do so. And it's also discouraging to not see representation in the industry. Uh, in, you know, the leaders in tech are primarily white men and that needs to change and that's only going to change if we kind of change the pathway to get there. So, that's why I started Code with Klossy to teach girls how to code uh earlier. So, we have camps that we run across the country.

And they're free, right? It's super cool.

Completely free for teenage girls 13 to 18, so.

You guys should sign up. Anyone watching.

Yes. Sign up.

Um, and then lastly, really quick, do you have just like a favorite look? I'm sure you, I mean, you've probably worn so many amazing outfits in your career. But do you have just like one that stands out as like, you really wanted to keep that or that you might have kept? Like, that's your favorite.

That's a really good question. I really was so lucky to work really closely with Oscar de la Renta and one of my favorite gowns that I've ever worn and that I did get to keep was a dress that he made for me to wear to the Met Ball with him. And it was the last time that I got to dance with him.

Okay, did you you posted this on your YouTube channel, right? That I think I did. One of your Met Gala dresses, is that the one? Or is it like, maybe

Oh, you know what? Yes. Um I think I did.

Wow, I'm impressed. You watch my YouTube channel?

Okay, so I also have a YouTube channel. Multitasking, like we said, doing all sorts of things.

Oh my gosh. Well, thank you so much for coming and congratulations on Project Runway and everything that you do. You're incredible.

Thank you.

Huge inspiration, so.

Of course. Well, I hope I just make it to the pillow someday. That's all that really matters.

It's just gonna be your face, just Carly's face on the pillow.

I hope I hope a girl can dream.

Well, you're welcome back anytime. And we'll have a pillow for you next time.

Thanks. Thank you. My first time on the runway was for Calvin Klein in 2007. And it was the biggest show in New York Fashion Week. My career overnight kind of started. It's crazy. At 15.