St. Louis’ favorite cover girl (35-time Vogue cover girl, to be exact) Karlie Kloss returned to her hometown this week to unveil the clothing collection she designed for Express.
The supermodel and entrepreneur debuted her 17-piece, limited-edition line for the company, Karlie Kloss x Express Collection, at a fashion show at The Pageant on Thursday night. Kloss designed the items, available in Express stores and online today, as staple, versatile pieces to empower women with busy lifestyles. Rather than launch the collection in a bigger city, such as New York or Los Angeles, Kloss says she wanted to introduce it here: at home—and on the very stage where she walked the runway for the first time 12 years ago.
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“I cannot think of a better place to launch this, because it was really designed for and inspired by girls like me and my sisters and my friends who I grew up with and girls who want to look chic and feel confident in what they’re wearing,” Kloss told SLM.
Kloss has been working on the collection for more than a year. It includes the model’s iconic T-shirts, classic high-waisted trousers and skirts, bomber jackets with patchwork, blazers, and summer maxi dresses—all the kinds of pieces that Kloss herself has on hand while traveling the world for work.
“I always have the perfect T-shirt, the perfect high-waisted trouser that you can dress up or dress down, because I don’t know where I’m going to be,” she says. “I always try to be prepared for anything.”
A graduate of Webster Groves High School, Kloss says she likes to return to St. Louis often—though it doesn’t usually involve people from her New York world.
“It’s really special to come full circle and to be here for this big milestone,” she says.
The fashion show was filled with Kloss’ family, friends, and fans, as well as local style gurus and influencers. She worked with Express to select the models who walked the runway through a contest on Instagram, in which she asked women to share a message of how they live their best life and help empower others to do the same. They showed off the line before Kloss herself came out to express her gratitude. She grew emotional while speaking to her family in the audience.
“The last 12 years have been a heck of a ride for all of us, and I’m so grateful to you, Mom, and to my whole family,” Kloss said.
The show closed with a concert from pop artist Charlie XCX, whose hits include “Boom Clap” and “Break the Rules.”
Kloss was discovered by St. Louis’ own Mother Model Management at age 13 during a local charity fashion show. She walked in her first professional runway show for Calvin Klein at 15 and has since walked for top designers, including Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta, and Christian Dior. In 2015, she founded Kode with Klossy to encourage other women and girls to learn computer coding. One of its programs is a two-week summer coding camp for girls ages 13–18.
While in St. Louis this week, Kloss shared snaps of her trip home via Instagram—including a stop at that little frozen custard shop on Chippewa.
Kloss snapped a photo with all of the show’s models as well.
