SuperCaliFashionistic: Karlie Kloss

, by Melanie

The Evolution of Karlie

backstage at Lanvin, F/W 2012

From earning Elle Macpherson's exclusive title to strutting the runway regular, Karlie Kloss has come a long way since gracing the pages of Teen Vogue. The St. Louis native may have encountered a few controversies, from Tyra's ridicule to accusations of anorexia, but for most of her modeling career, she's managed to maintain a squeaky‐clean image. But after appearing at Carine Roitfeld's Vampire Ball in the "Karlie" dress, stripping down for Mario Testino, and starring in that editorial, fashion's sweetheart is (to use a cheesy term) one good girl gone bad. And after strapping on some Angel wings, she's cemented her topnotch status as a high fashion/commercial crossover (alongside a select few supers like Isabeli Fontana, Daria Werbowy, and Angela Lindvall). But is Karlie the next Gisele bombshell?

Karlie's got enough conventional beauty and character to appeal to the masses, but would she be wasted on run‐of‐the‐mill swimwear ads and glossy Victoria's Secret photo shoots? Commercial work needs only a pretty face; high fashion requires talent and a fierce look. Karlie's sylph‐like frame, angular features, edgy poses, and power to emote belong in the pages of Vogue, not Seventeen. While I appreciate that one of my favorite models is working the catwalk and appearing in catalogues for a lingerie powerhouse, she's in her element when rocking a slit‐to‐there Lanvin dress, not posing in pom poms and sparkly Pink undies. Perhaps I'm just a fashion elitist, but I hope I won't be seeing Karlie in Sports Illustrated anytime soon.

Below, Karlie's meteoric rise over five years.