LOS ANGELES-Heidi Klum often said on the reality competition series "Project Runway" that "one day you are in, the next day you're out." That's what has happened to the supermodel as the series returns on Bravo.
Taking over the hosting duties is another supermodel, Karlie Kloss, who is a 40-time Vogue cover girl, entrepreneur and philanthropist. The St. Louis native was discovered at a local charity fashion show in 2006. Since then, she has walked the runway for Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen and Versace. She also launched Kode With Klossy in 2015 to empower girls to learn to code and become leaders in tech.
The 26-year-old has taken every advantage to learn from and share ideas with the creative people with whom she's worked. At the same time, Kloss is very much a consumer, and that gives her a direct knowledge of what is going on in the world of fashion. Kloss describes herself as lucky to be a veteran in the fashion industry while at the same time a young woman with the same buying needs as those who don't know a cheongsam from couture.
All that knowledge will be used in her role as host and executive producer of the latest season of "Project Runway."
"The key to it, as a model from my perspective, is that I love the part of my job that allows me to be a muse and be a collaborator," Kloss says. "I'm not just a canvas but I help them develop their ideas and add to what they are doing in the ways that I can. I am someone who is curious and I love to learn. I've always asked questions and soaked up everything I could.
"In the first part of my career, I was more seen and not heard. I think over the course of my career I have been able to build up the confidence and expertise of my own to be able to contribute to the conversation."
Kloss remains in such high demand she could have opted just to continue working as a model, but she's certain she's reached a point in her life that taking on a challenge like "Project Runway" is something she's well equipped to do. She's excited about the idea that the competition series will give her the opportunity to be herself.
As for taking on the hosting duties while continuing to be a wife, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Kloss rejects the idea she's any different than other women.
"You can ask any woman in this room and they will tell you they are juggling 10 things," Kloss says.
'PROJECT RUNWAY'
7 p.m. Thursday on Bravo