(K)razy for Karlie

She struts the runway in stilettos just as well as she pounds the pavement in her trainers. Karlie Kloss is making fitness extrafashionable, and here’s why TAN MIN YAN loves her.

Despite her jet-setting ways, the former ballerina tries to work out at least four to five days a week, even if it means turning her hotel room into a makeshift gym. “My solution is to travel with a couple of weights and resistance bands and do a quick 20-minute workout in my hotel room,” she has said. Her solution to jet lag? An early-morning run, of course.

In case you had lingering doubts about her commitment to exercise, Karlie, together with fellow model Natalia Vodianova, took part in the Paris Half-marathon right smack in the middle of Paris Fashion Week this year. Nothing like a 20km run in the midst of a gruelling week of runway shows, right?

This is a feat few models can lay claim to, given the sportswear giant’s preference for working with actual athletes. With Karlie, Nike found a fashion icon who embodies the ethos of the brand. “The interesting thing about Karlie is that she is that athlete woman,” said Amy Montagne, vicepresident and general manager of Nike’s women division. “Her fitness is not a diet fitness. It’s an exercise fitness. She’s authentic.” We can’t think of a better match.