Over the past year, I just get a bit sad whenever I write about Kaia Gerber. I also feel like an outlier on Kaia’s whole hyped-up image. People talk about her like she’s the second coming of her mom, and really… is that warranted? At this point? Kaia is only 17 years old and she’s been working steadily as a runway and print model for two years already. She worked throughout the recent New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week – she’s a very in-demand runway model, as her mom was too. And now Kaia has her first big beauty contract: she’s the new brand ambassador for YSL Beauté makeup.
Kaia Gerber has been named the new YSL Beauté makeup ambassador, WWD has learned.
“To be the new face of YSL Beauté is an opportunity to write a new story full of fun, color and makeup,” the model said. “I love the DNA of a brand that is so subversive, while being so luxurious and cool.”
“I think these days, everything you do has to be measured with a degree of responsibility,” Gerber said. “If there are people who view me as a role model, I really hope to be able to create positive images and messages that inspire others to feel confident about the way they look, to look after themselves and basically be kind to themselves.”
Starting in January, she is to be the face of Rouge Volupté Shine moisturizing lipstick in a campaign lensed by David Sims. Gerber will front advertising for Touche Éclat and Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils, as well.
I’ll be nice: I’m glad they didn’t give her some kind of anti-aging skincare contract, because that would be enormously depressing. Getting a 17-year-old to be the face of Fancy Lipstick… well, they’re hoping the Generation Z kids start buying really expensive lipstick. Maybe YSL is trying to snatch Kylie Jenner’s wig, like “here, we’ve got a nepotism model selling lipstick too!!” I do wonder why Kaia doesn’t get hit with the “nepotism model” label like so many of the other young women. Is it because Cindy was so blatant in how she groomed Kaia for this modeling career? Is it because Cindy still has so many friends within the industry? I don’t know. What I do know is that these YSL images look like a 12-year-old girl tried to do Taylor Momsen’s racoon makeup.
Photos courtesy of YSL’s IG and WENN.
Amazing!
She looks tired and dead eyed.
I am SO *&^%! SICK of these nepotism kids taking over everything.
Also, she’s been “working” for 2 yrs? She’s SEVENTEEN! What about schooling? I sincerely doubt she’s being tutored as completely as she would be taught in school (sure, just like the Kartrashians “home schooling”).
While I realize she will never have to get a job to pay the mortgage, or even work really for that matter (her father getting 1/2 BILLION for his share of Casamigos and Cindy’s millions), but c’mon! Education IS important!
Ummmm, you can do this job as a teenager and become educated. A lot of the fashion companies offer some of the best tutors in the world for models who are still school age. In fact, if you actually do it right, you can be a model, work a lot and still graduate in the top 10 in your class. Funny that. And it’s not like it’s the occasional person who does that. Many of the models realize that they have a shelf life and work their a$$es off to make good grades.
Her mom many have gotten her into modeling but her mom is also not stupid. I will bet the girl is getting educated as well.
It’s the way the fashion industry has been for decades. Karlie Kloss started at 15, Kate Moss was on a magazine cover at 16, Devon Aoki signed with a major agency at 14, Gisele was 14 when she was discovered etc. etc. Being a teen and a model isn’t uncommon.
Yes that’s my first thought when I saw the second picture.
She doesn’t have the visual intrigue that her Mama did…..
Nope and in that second picture with her hair scraped back, you can see Kaia’s features pound for pound and there’s nothing special there.
Certainly not modelesque. Plus, the girl looks really tired!
Agree and borders on boring & spooky eyes!
No outstanding features for model
We are so in the era of nepotism with art, fashion, etc. . Everything is a watered down version of unique. No wonder we are in a vacuum of style. Where is the “it” factor, i just don’t see “it”?
Agree plus she doesn’t have the personality that Cindy has. Cindy can still rock a catwalk and had that IT factor that made her one of the original supermodels.
Lala11_7 That is a very kind way of putting it. I was struggling with the fact that I don’t like criticizing celeb kids looks but then again this child and her mother are putting her out there.
I think her looks are kind of meh…..not as striking looking as Cindy was. I too am done with having these teen “models” shoved done my throat by the industry due to parental connections.
Cindy is as much of a hustler as Kris Jenner.
Always has been since Kaia was 5 with those gross tattoo pics.
But Crawford’s the ‘All- American Midwestern Supermodel’ turned good; so she skates off her hungry stage mama antics.
ITA. Kaia’s pretty enough, but as a model, she’s just a tired-looking, try-hard version of her mother. Please, someone give her a nap and a sandwich.
Honestly, how can you look so dragged out at that age?? Someone’s hitting the party circuit.
I think Kaia doesnt get the nepostism label is because she tries. Her walk, her face, her poses. You can see she’s evolving and trying. Cindy got her in the door without question, but Kaia is trying to work to prove herself.
Others just seem to show up and do the minimum and get lauded for it.
I bet Cindy also taught her how to be professional and not act like a spoiled brat. I’ve noticed the models who are painted with the “nepotism” brush the most often are reported to act very unprofessionally, they don’t appear to be trying to improve at all, and (possibly worst of all) they seem to believe they’ve honestly earned that level of success.
Something nice: cute kid. She fits today’s standards of IG model; regardless of how we fashion junkies feel, it’s a popular choice for modeling now.
Something not so nice: she doesn’t have the presence, but, that’s also typical of the IG standard. I have yet to see one of the celebrity kids with actual oomph.
I’d say Willow Smith.
Agree, the Smiths have their issues but Willow has “it”.
Absolutely, Babs. When Willow is in a photograph your eye is immediately drawn to her. Gorgeous young lady.
I think she doesn’t get that label because she’s genuinely a good model who will continue to get better as she gets older. She has the walk and the face. She’s professional. She’d probably make it as a model even if her mom wasn’t Cindy Crawford (of course she wouldn’t have gotten so big so quickly).
I could kind of say the same about Gigi. She genuinely has an incredible face but that walk was rough for a long time.
If I just saw that top photo in a magazine or at a bus stop and had no idea who she was, I would think to myself, “Beauty? says who.” It just doesn’t pass the smell test. Remove everything you know about her or high fashion and ask yourself if that image evokes feelings about beauty. To me it feels strung out and dirty- a young girl who needs to wash her face, take a four hour nap and start a balanced, healthy diet when she wakes up.
Wow you are an absolute joy.
100% tw!
And she needs to pluck those caterpillar eyebrows a bit.
As someone who loves fashion magazines, and good photography, she’s attractive, but visually she doesn’t have “it” and never will. Her brother has “it” though, which if he’s not modeling already he really should.
He is. He looks like Cindy. Kia looks like her father, but with Cindy’s coloring. The makeup is misleading.
Good-he’s gorgeous.
OMG, her son could totally make it as a model or an actor even. He def has that ‘it’ about him that his mother has. I can see Kaia going the same route as Cara D – modelling and then acting.
I don’t know if she has quite as striking a face as her mother, but honestly, I do think she’s a legitimately good runway model. She’s got legs for miles, and she’s definitely got some grace to her movements. She’ll be good for haute couture, even if she’s not as effective in editorials.
Agreed! Her walk is a million times better than Gigi Hadid’s.
I mean, isn’t Gigi’s walk the absolute worst though? Not much to brag about.
Not to be mean, but she’s been looking extremely skinny since she started modeling.
Yup, skinny and tired. Columbian marching powder as they say?
Seeing pics of her makes me sad. She is scary thin. Even for a model.
One thing Kaia has a hand up versus the other nepotism and Insta models is that her catwalk is very, very good.
Maybe it’s the mom in me (I have a 3 year old), but the shadows under her eyes, and general look of extreme fatigue (when not covered in makeup) makes me feel concerned for her. I remember seeing photos of her a few years ago, and the difference is really shocking.
To me, she looks like an utterly ordinary teenage girl, other than being painfully thin. They ought not put her in those giant shoulder pads, it only makes it more obvious!
She does not have the Cindy Crawford “it” factor and is not someone I would hire as the face of a beauty product when there are so many striking young women out there. I haven’t seen her catwalk, so I don’t know if she does better on the runway. Overall, as I get older, I wish I saw more print and runway models my age.
She will be attacked for being a “nepotism model” when she does/says/tweets something really stupid or offensive. I don’t think that’s happened yet. She seems pretty low key. We know nothing about her personal life other than who her parents are. She’s not in our faces the way the Jenner girls are. I think she has smart people around her. She probably just wants to be known as a model and nothing else. She’s probably not calling the paps to let them know where she is all the time like SOME do. But then again, once she turns 18 things could change.
Every time I look at her I see Rachel Bilson.
There are similarities, but Rachel is way more prettier than this girl
What makes a supermodel? I thought you have to give personality and striking features to becomes a supermodel. I don’t understand. Please tell me
The adjective Super Model is gone I’m afraid. Now we get a bunch of teen offspring of celebrities. Nothing special IMO. Just getting attention because of their parents. How many celebrity kids are not “Model”. Never hear of any of them say going to college; being something else.
This is a classic case of nepotism. If she was not Cindy Crawford’s daughter there is no way she would be a successful model. I always think back to Cindy’s Pepsi commercial. She had a draw dropping case of the It factor. Kaia could never pull that commercial off.
I honestly didn’t think there was any skill to walking a runway until I saw this video of Kaia and other models. To me Kaia has the right attitude, the right look, but the women that come after her seem a little ‘stompy’ and stiff. I mean, at the end of the day I don’t know what makes the difference between a ‘model’ and a ‘super model’, but she seems pretty good at whatever it is she’s doing. Did we really expect the children of Cindy Crawford to change the world?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya3Pwp_mJj8
People don’t come for her as hard because differently than the other nepo girls, she keeps improving and takes her career seriously. Also because her runway walk is very good.
The best nepo models are Edie Campbell and Anna Cleveland tho, they are so talented people forget they are very privileged. If Kaia keeps up what she’s doing and improves her print work, she’ll get on their level.
I don’t understand the concept of nepotism models. They aren’t relatable or inspirational. They were just lucky to be born into a rich family and with good looks.
Celebrity endorsements aren’t my thing but I would rather support a brand that hired someone that worked her ass off rather than a teen that would be nothing without her connections and hasn’t done anything in life.
Kaia Gerber proves two things, the importance of genetics and who you know. So pick your spouse carefully and hang out with the right people LOL
Honest question …why is modeling held in such high regard? I can understand women from modest backgrounds doing it for the money but if I were Cindy I would want my daughter to steer clear of such a toxic and superficial environment.
Modelling is a very easy way to make money and retire super young (if you make it big that is). I mean I went to grad school and couldn’t imagine making the money some of these models make just for being born with good genes and/or having family connections. Take advantage of that sh*t if you can. Kaia is only 17, she may very well have plans for college, but if she doesn’t who can really blame her? I say take advantage of any/all opportunities that come your way, especially ones that can give you an easier life. College is not easy, nor is finding a job afterwards. Is anyone really happy with their 9 to 5 job? Maybe some are, but most aren’t. Besides, the whole world is superficial. As a female especially, you can’t escape it really.
Escapism and glamour maybe? It’s like the fashion equivalent of news anchor, blog personality, show host, leading man/woman, YTube star, columnist, lead star/singer of band, etc. Marketing LOVES personalities, personalisation, a face to the content. A semi suit like Anna Wintour can’t manage to generate a fraction of the interest a young, beautiful supermodel might. The fashion industry invests a lot of money in hyping up personalities so they can continue losing money on clothing (luxury brands) but make it back many times over on perfumes, makeup, accessories, etc.
Maybe Cindy is toxic and superficial.
I can’t imagine pushing your young kid into that, rather than school. If she’s interested in it, it could be a fun hobby she tries out during the summer or something, but they’re pushing her to have a career already.
Cindy has had plans for this child since the day she was born. Does Kaia even have a choice but to allow her mother to relive her glory days through her? I doubt she has ever been encouraged to do anything other than modeling so Cindy can create her modeling “empire.” Poor kid.
Are all the famous models these days there because of who they’re related to? That’s what it feels like. She’s beautiful, but sheesh. Kendall, the Hadid sisters, Hailey Baldwin, Kaia — feels like many that we hear about regularly are there because of their name. All beautiful girls, but c’mon.
Kaia has lost so much weight recently. It’s quite concerning as her mother was always gorgeously athletic and toned- she definitely wasn’t one of those skinny ‘heroin chic’ models a la Jodie Kidd and Kate Moss.
She looks sick.
She’s gotten so thin I worry about her health. She looks exhausted too. Her parents need to wake up.
Love that the fashion industry that focuses on women still chooses teens to be the face of womanhood.
The photo of her at the top of the article is absolutely stunning. That’s all.
The outdoor pic looks like she’s done up for a modelling contest at her local mall – with a chance to see Tiffany in person!
Yes, somebody broke into Mommy’s make up!!!
I still don’t see it..
She’s pretty, but she looks more like Rachel Bilson than her mother.
She’s a terrible model. She wouldn’t have even been good during the Kate Moss waif era. A pretty girl but not photogenic and zero presence or energy. She looks like her dad – same eyes and nose – not her mum. Best example of nepotism and hype.
Is she really not getting much criticism for being a nepotism model? I don’t know if that’s true. It feels like the first thing everyone always brings up when it comes to her is the fact that she’s Cindy Crawford’s daughter.
It sucks to have to say it, but she doesn’t exactly have the most striking face out there. She skates by because people think she looks exactly like her mom, but that’s not always a good thing. I think that the companies that are offering her endorsement deals and such are mainly banking on being able to say that they hired Cindy Crawford’s daughter who happens to look exactly like her for the nostalgia $$$$ from people who are still sad it’s not 1990. But she’s not doing much to cultivate her own identity and presence, and she can’t just build a long term career on nostalgia alone.
At the end of the day though, there are girls out there who are gorgeous and talented and not handed opportunities out of nepotism, and I think it sucks that they’re not getting the coverage that Kaia Gerber is getting. Imagine a model like Grace Bol, or Imaan Hammam, or Neelam Gill getting an endorsement deal like this. That would be amazing and well-deserved tbh.
She’s giving me Carine Roitfeld vibes in that first pic.
I am, right now, very happy for not being in her shoes. Yes, the girl has more money than I’ll ever have, but the daily comparison with her mother, in terms of “it” factor and beauty must be crushing, even if she can surround herself by ass lickers, reality is there and eventually the comments will get to her. And adults wonder why kids don’t trust them, ugh.
In such a superficial industry, she must be really feeling the pressure to be thin. No plastic surgery can fix the fact that her eyes are so close together. Her face probably wouldn’t have met the requirements, even for runway, but with her connections and maintaining the “skinny standard”, she’ll have success in the industry (albeit at the cost of her physical and mental health). I feel for her.