Kaia Gerber's supermodel mother Cindy Crawford advised her not to "try to change" to fit the fashion industry.The 16-year-old budding super model, with her classic all-American girl looks, is well on her way in the fashion industry thanks to campaigns with Marc Jacobs Beauty, Hudson Jeans and Miu Miu, and a coveted cover of French Vogue alongside her famous mother.
Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber as a young girl
And in an interview with Teen Vogue magazine, the teenager credits her mother and businessman father Rande Gerber for steering her in the right direction by encouraging her to be herself. "My parents have always taught me to be myself and to follow my instincts," she tells Teen Vogue. "They also say that you should never let what other people do affect what you want to do. "It changes everything when you accept who you are and you don't try to change yourself."
Kaia is her mum's double!
Kaia enjoyed a down-to-earth upbringing in California enclave, Malibu and certainly doesn't fit the Hollywood wildchild stereotype that plagues many of the offspring of famous people. With 1.4 million followers on social media, she embraces the responsibility that comes with her growing fame, and is content to be the good girl.
"It is so key to me to be a good role model for young girls and someone their mom would want them to look up to," she insists. "I now reach so many people, and it's hard for them to know what is real. I don't take any platform I have lightly. It's so important to send a good message."
Kaia opened up about her down-to-earth upbringing in California
While Kaia doesn't have to look far for fashion role models in her own family, as her handsome 18-year-old brother Presley is also wowing runways, surprisingly the catwalk star names another big name as her inspiration.
"I really look up to Karlie (Kloss)," Kaia smiles. "She's broken all the rules of what a model should be and uses her platform to benefit others. All my icons I look up to as people, not just their work. 'Iconic' is not a word I use lightly. You have to earn it."