Growing up in the Midwest, I was fortunate to have a father who, as an ER physician, instilled in me and my sisters a love for science, tech, and math. His teachings encouraged my curiosity about the world.
My modeling career began at the young age of 15, but I’ve always aimed to be a lifelong student of the world, even as my unconventional path unfolded. Almost seven years into my modeling journey, I made a pivotal decision to enroll in a coding class, where I learned languages like Ruby, HTML, and CSS. The power of coding, the language that fuels our daily lives, fascinated me. It is both omnipresent and enigmatic.
This coding class altered the course of my career and ignited a profound passion for harnessing technology creatively to solve real-world problems, enhance lives, and confront our planet’s pressing challenges. However, one thing became apparent to me: the tech landscape was predominantly populated by men. Recognizing the critical importance of diversity in shaping the technology that drives our world, I pondered the untapped potential if underrepresented groups were encouraged to pursue their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) interests from a young age.
The following spring, I decided to offer coding classes to young women and nonbinary youth through a post on my YouTube channel and Instagram. The response was overwhelming, leading to the establishment of Kode With Klossy in 2015. This initiative offers free summer camp sessions, equipping thousands of young scholars with the foundational skills of coding.
Over the years, the scholars have astonished me with their creativity, developing projects with a meaningful impact. One group designed an app employing machine learning technology to educate people on correct recycling practices, while another crafted a social network connecting women and gender minorities pursuing tech careers. To date, Kode With Klossy has empowered over 12,000 scholars, proving that, armed with the right tools, young individuals can shape the world according to their visions.
While modeling remains my “day job,” my experience of working in both fashion and tech for the past decade has enabled me to envision how digital technology can address some of the fashion industry’s most significant challenges. Digital technology not only offers new avenues for creative expression and design but also provides solutions to pressing issues within the industry, such as its role in the climate crisis and the lack of size inclusivity.
I firmly believe that the fashion designers of the future won’t just be sewing; they’ll be coding.
Fashion’s digital transformation has witnessed remarkable technological innovations. Digital designers now employ 3D modeling and augmented reality (AR) to create outfits for avatars and humans alike. The potential to revolutionize fashion production, sustainability, and accessibility is boundless. Collaborating with innovative creators in this field has been an exhilarating experience.
One noteworthy collaboration was with Adidas, where we collaborated with the digital fashion house, The Fabricant, to design a virtual version of a jacket from our collection. This digital garment was made available for artists to interpret, resulting in a diverse array of unique designs. The top 20 entries were auctioned as NFTs, with proceeds benefiting both the creators and Kode With Klossy.
Recently, I partnered with the immersive gaming platform Roblox and its talented creator community to host the Fashion Klossette Designer Showcase. Digital fashion designers showcased their avatar outfits, drawing two million unique players in just two weeks. The sales of virtual garments from the showcase directly supported the creators, emphasizing the value of their creativity.
These young designers are already revolutionizing how people express themselves online, dressing millions of Roblox community members daily. My goal is to bridge the gap between them and the established fashion industry, facilitating meaningful collaborations.
Fashion’s sustainability and inclusivity require attention and action. The physical fashion industry generates substantial waste and ranks among the world’s largest polluters. Digital technology holds the key to making fashion more sustainable, with advanced tech like AI, AR, 3D modeling, and RFID tagging already contributing to reducing the industry’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.
Innovations like Bods, a virtual fit tool using a digital replica of a shopper’s body to ensure correct sizing before online clothing purchases, address the issue of excessive merchandise returns that often end up in landfills. Digital tracking of physical garments using RFID tags has transformative potential, moving fashion toward a circular design model. Companies like Eon provide real-time environmental impact reports, offering transparency about each item’s journey and aiding resellers in creating a credible secondhand market.
However, the fashion industry needs more individuals equipped with the skills to make these innovations mainstream. Historically, young women and gender-nonconforming people have faced higher barriers to entering STEM fields. It’s vital to present STEM as a viable path for young girls. While my journey into tech came as an adult with an established career, many marginalized groups lack that privilege. Thus, I am passionate about empowering them with these skills and opportunities.
We recently concluded our 7th summer of Kode With Klossy camps, involving 4,000 young female and gender-nonconforming coders from 99 countries. Witnessing our scholars recognize their power and potential has been incredibly rewarding. Their diversity will reshape fashion and the world at large.
The fusion of fashion and technology is an exciting journey, one that holds the promise of a more sustainable, inclusive, and innovative future.