Leni Klum Is Saying Bye to Heidi and Heading Off to College

Just as she’s starting to enter the spotlight, Leni Klum is taking a slight step back from the public eye. According to Heidi Klum, her 18-year-old daughter is headed to New York City to earn a degree. “Right now, college is on top of the list. It’s not modeling and she’s really excited for that next chapter in her life,” the super and TV host told Entertainment Tonight. “She has her head screwed on right.” For Heidi, the news that Leni is moving out is bittersweet: “I think she’s going to have a good time, but my heart will be sad.” Still, she’s comforted by the fact that her daughter knows New York “inside and out”; the family always joined her when she was in town to film Project Runway.

While Leni, who graduated from Pacifica Christian High School in Santa Monica this past June, will primarily focus on her studies, she still plans to pursue her career in fashion on the side. She first followed in her mom’s footsteps in late 2020, when she appeared alongside her on a cover of German Vogue. Her runway debut came eight months later, when she walked Dolce & Gabbana’s 2021 Alta Mode show in Venice, Italy. (She most recently walked its 2022 Alta Moda show earlier this summer and starred in a Supergo campaign.)

Leni’s specific choice of school remains unknown. But if we had to guess, we’d go with New York University; the school counts fellow models Karlie Kloss and Christy Turlington among its alumni. Don’t be surprised if you run into her amid the stacks at Bobst.