Karlie Kloss Reinvents Legacy Magazines with Bedford Media

Karlie Kloss, a supermodel turned businesswoman, is making significant strides in the media industry by acquiring iconic magazines and aiming to reinvent their business models. She views this endeavor as running a "startup inside a vintage car," acknowledging the challenges of the struggling magazine industry while striving to preserve and grow these heritage brands.

From Midwest Nerd to Supermodel

Kloss describes herself as a "total nerd" in high school, a self-proclaimed wallflower who never flew on an airplane until she was 13. Her modeling career began at 15 with a "Cinderella story" overnight success after walking in the Calvin Klein New York Fashion Week show. This propelled her from the suburbs of St. Louis to fashion capitals like Paris, Tokyo, and New York.

The financial crisis of 2008 deeply impacted her family, leading to bankruptcy. Kloss's early career allowed her to support her family and sisters through school, making her career a means to support her loved ones.

Evolution from Model to Brand

Kloss's career evolved from being "seen and not heard" in the early days of modeling to leveraging the dawn of social media to build her personal brand. She launched her own YouTube channel, started Karlie's Kookies (which funded over half a million school lunches), took a coding course, and hosted Project Runway.

Beyond modeling, Kloss became an investor, backing companies and ideas she believed in, emphasizing that "money is power." She always considered what would come after modeling, viewing it as a means to an end to make money and experience the world, while acknowledging that modeling is a part of her identity but not the entirety of it.

Reinventing the Magazine Industry with Bedford Media

Kloss, along with her husband Josh Kushner, founded Bedford Media, a company focused on acquiring and revitalizing legacy magazines. They have acquired Life Magazine, i-D from Vice, and led an investor group to buy W Magazine.

The core vision for Bedford Media is to apply a startup approach to these heritage brands. Kloss recognizes the challenging economics of the magazine industry, likening her role to "running into a burning building." However, she believes in the value of independent small media and aims to build better businesses around these brands.

The Future of Life and i-D

Kloss highlights the iconic Life photo archive, which documented American history, civil rights, and global events before the digitally connected world. She sees immense potential in bringing this brand to life today, though the specifics of Life's future are still under wraps.

i-D Magazine, founded by Trish and Terry Jones, is already up and running under Bedford Media. Kloss emphasizes the importance of continuing to innovate across digital, print, experiential, and merchandise to reach people where they are. She aims to build a viable business that also produces meaningful work, rather than solely chasing "Facebook outcomes."

Navigating Industry Challenges

Kloss acknowledges the "challenging economics" of the magazine industry. When Bedford Media acquired i-D out of bankruptcy, they had to rebuild all aspects of the business, including commercial, creative agency, and editorial teams. Their strategy involves running a leaner, "scrappier, startup way" to operate their website and other business components without the large teams that many traditional media companies rely on. This approach, she believes, gives them an advantage in an industry where many are facing layoffs due to unsustainable business models.

Kloss views Bedford Media's primary competition as themselves, emphasizing that she doesn't want to "squeeze it to a point that it actually loses its soul." She is committed to maintaining editorial independence for her teams, viewing her role as supporting an "artist colony" and pushing it to grow and adapt with the times.

Steff Yotka, i-D's global editorial director, praises Kloss's involvement, noting that Kloss brings a fresh perspective to media that isn't "stymied by a conservative view." Yotka believes in the enduring value of print magazines as physical records of culture, something that digital content cannot fully replicate.

Expanding Opportunities in Tech

Beyond media, Kloss is dedicated to expanding access to technology. In 2015, she launched Kode with Klossy, a free coding camp for girls aged 13 to 18. The program aims to counter the trend of girls self-selecting out of STEM fields by providing a space for creative applications of code. Over 70% of Kode with Klossy's 12,000 alumni go on to major or minor in computer science, reflecting Kloss's commitment to ensuring diverse voices inform technology at all levels.

Personal Life and Public Scrutiny

Kloss's personal life, particularly her marriage to Josh Kushner, has drawn public attention. She converted to Judaism, a choice she is proud of, and navigates the complexities of her husband's family, which includes Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

Despite differing political views (Kloss identifies as a Democrat), she believes in the possibility of maintaining relationships with those who hold different political opinions and emphasizes the importance of dialogue. She states she has never met President Trump.

Kloss is also a vocal advocate for causes she believes in, particularly abortion rights. She has been active in fighting for ballot initiatives and has helped move over $4 million to clinics across the country through her Gateway Coalition. She views these issues as non-political and feels a responsibility to use her voice, despite the potential pressures.

The Next Chapter

At 33, with three young children, Kloss feels grateful for her early start, which has allowed her to live a full life and be present with her family. She continues to work hard but is conscious of enjoying this current chapter.

Kloss's journey exemplifies her belief that some things don't have to be mutually exclusive – a supermodel can be a tech advocate, a media mogul can be a philanthropist, and a public figure can maintain her personal values. Her hometown of St. Louis even has a street and a frozen custard flavor named after her, a testament to her impact.