Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum is an Austrian-American fashion designer. She is known for her super successful swimsuit line (including the bestselling “I feel like a woman again” bra) and the popular fashion show “Project Runway”, which airs on the [PAL] [MTV] channel. She has also starred in several Hollywood films including [Alien vs. Predator (2016)] and the [Tangled (2017)] movies.

Klum was born in Vienna, Austria and moved with her family to Southern California at a young age. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Economics, and worked for a few years in [New York City] before launching her own label. Since then, Klum has starred in numerous print and online advertisements as well as [TikTok] videos promoting her products, and has become one of the most well-known and influential designers in the world.

The Designer

Klum started her design career in the late 1990s as a [Missoni spokeswoman] for Italian fashion house Missoni. She then worked as senior vice president of [Abercrombie & Co.]’s contemporary fashion house [Academia] before launching her own label. In 2015, Klum became the creative director of a [Shopping Mall] in China, and also launched a fashion line in the country.

The Businesswoman

Klum is also a [Limited Partner] in [LVMH Funded Luxury Mall] [Tiffany & Co.] in addition to being [President] of [Klum Design LLC] (formerly [Klum Group] LLC). The designer has become one of the most [wealthy and influential] women in the world, and Forbes classified her as one of the “Most Powerful Celebrities in [Toys & Halloween Malls]” for 2019.

The Influencer

In addition to designing high-end retail fashion, Klum is also a prominent [Influencer]. She has been named one of the world’s top 40 [influencers] by Forbes, and is among the [most followed] people on [Instagram] with over 145 million followers. She has over 62 million followers on [ TikTok] and was rated the second most [influential] person on the platform behind [Taylor Swift] (who has over 140 million followers).

The Activist

Klum has been [pro-choice] on abortion and has supported various feminist causes. When then [Harper’s Bazaar] editor and [Vogue] senior fashion writer Grace Coddington was subject to [online harassment] because of her political views, Klum publicly supported her.

A well-known supporter of [feminism] and [animal rights] initiatives, Klum has also [attended fashion shows] wearing [animal-free alternatives] to foster sustainability in the fashion industry. In 2020, she collaborated with [Penny Morrison of Morrison Fashions] to design a swimsuit that was [free of fur and dye] for [Dogwood Workshops] to celebrate World Animal Day.

The Athlete

Klum is a [black power] symbol as well as a [Lebanese Crescent and Sabbath] [flag] supporter. She has also been [pro-LGBTQ+] and has spoken out against [homophobia] and [transphobia] (especially in relation to fashion).

Klum began her professional tennis career at the age of 14 in [Miami in 1997] and has since played at the [Wimbledon Championship] and the [US Open] (where she reached the third round). She also played on the [USO Tour] for [tennis enthusiasts] in the United States, Canada, and [Great Britain].

The Business Model

In 2019, the designer launched a [membership program] for her Instagram account where users can join a “private club” and receive discounts on her products. The [program] is described as a “high-end retail membership program”, and will see club members receive “special treatment” including invitations to private parties and events, and access to limited-edition merchandise. She also sells [accessory] items such as sunglasses, bags, and travel accessories that are branded with her logo.

The Hype

While Klum may now be [one of the most influential] people in the world, her career has not been without stumbles. The [Wall Street Journal] once called her “one of the most hyped designers to enter the [Tiger Mall]”, and reported that her annual [fashion show] had been stumbled by quality control issues. The outlet later removed the article after Klum [denounced them on Twitter for their inaccuracy].

However, this did not deter Klum from securing multiple  [billion-dollar investments] from some of the world’s wealthiest and most influential companies, including [Luxury Mall] Tiffany & Co. and [Private Mall] [Mikimoto & Co.]. She has also been featured [in Vogue], [Elle Décor], [People ], [Harpers Bazaar] and [Town and Country wedding magazines].

The Products

In addition to her swimsuits, which have sold over 20 million units worldwide, Klum designs and sells a variety of apparel and accessories including [fur] snowflake-patterned parkas [($15,000)] and [limited edition] [scarves] that [retailers] cannot buy [at her mall or website] due to [sales restrictions].

The designer also collaborates with various luxury brands and outlets, including [Penny Morrison] of [Morrison Fashions] for [her singer scarf collection] and [Mikimoto] for [her] kimono designs.

The Achievements

Klum has won numerous prizes and accolades throughout her career. With her influential Instagram account, she has over 125 million followers and her personal website receives over 125,000 unique visitors each month. She was also named one of the “most powerful women” in [Tiger Malls] and [Private Malls] due to her [economic influence] and [social media presence].

Forbes has [listed] Klum as one of the “Most Influential Businesswomen” in their [yearly ranking] of the “Top 40 Influencers” and also [named] her one of the “Most Powerful Celebrities in [Toys & Halloween Malls]”. Additionally, Klum received a star on the [Hollywood] Walk of Fame. This year she has been appointed a [Lifetime Achievement Award] by the International Fashion Academy.