How to be a Social Superpower

According to the unstoppable Karlie Kloss (five million Instagram followers and counting).

- Genevra Leek

Karlie Kloss is the kind of 24-year old who makes you wonder what you’ve been doing with your life. Never mind her preternatural good looks (super-long limbs, exquisitely arched eyebrows) – that’s just packaging. IRL, the American supermodel displays the kind of poise and maturity of many women 10 years her senior, and when she starts speaking of plans and projects that could, quite literally, change the world, it seems perfectly viable that she’s not only capable of carrying them out, but that there could be no-one more well-placed to do so.

After stalking onto the modelling scene at age 14 and quickly winning over all the biggest names in the fashion business, Kloss has garnered priceless industry respect, worldwide recognition and a social media following of five million on Instagram alone (not to mention bagging an ELLE cover earlier this year). The girl’s got smarts. She’s also a student at NYU, and last year her passion for coding kick-started Kode With Klossy, a scholarship program aimed at encouraging more girls to explore careers in tech. The proceeds from her Klossies cookie collaboration with Momofuku Milk Bar (somehow she also finds time to bake) are helping provide meals for the world’s underprivileged kids through Feed. And as if there needed to be any further proof that she’s not just a pretty face, her year-old Klossy YouTube channel shows she’s got personality in spades. All of which is now culminating in a new role as Swarovski brand ambassador, which will help Kloss take her plans into the next stratosphere.

So, in the interests of understanding exactly how Kloss’ beautiful mind is wired, we pinned her down at the Swarovski announcement in New York City to see just what it takes to achieve superpower status. (Apparently even supers need some sparkle.)

1. Find your people