The nepo-baby phenomenon of the past decade has brought a new generation of young models to the fashion industry — daughters following their mothers down the runway. Kaia Gerber, daughter of Cindy Crawford, is perhaps the best-known example, alongside Bella and Gigi Hadid, daughters of Yolanda Hadid, and Leni Klum, the 22-year-old daughter of German supermodel Heidi Klum.
Over the years, the Klum mother-daughter duo has parlayed the family genes into joint projects, and for the past five years they have also appeared together in campaigns for Italian lingerie brand Intimissimi. At the latest Venice Film Festival, they walked the red carpet together in lingerie-inspired corset gowns that echoed the brand’s aesthetic.
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Leni Klum at the opening night of the Venice Film Festival, 2025
(Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
In an interview this week with The Daily Front Row, the younger Klum discussed her modeling career and opened up about how she feels posing in lingerie. The two shot their first campaign for the brand four years ago, when Leni was just 18.
“I'm very comfortable in my body,” she said. “Growing up with a mom who was comfortable with her body made it easy for me to be comfortable with my body.”
In Intimissimi’s spring-summer 2026 campaign
(Photo: Rankin לאינטימיסימי)
At Paris Fashion Week, 2025
(Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for the Business of Fashion)
Their relationship is not only that of mother and daughter, but also of mentor and aspiring model — and of two models working alongside each other.
“We’re best friends,” Leni said. “We talk and FaceTime every day. We send photos back and forth all the time.”
Leni and Heidi Klum at the Venice Film Festival, 2025
(Photo: Aldara Zarraoa/Getty Images)
In Intimissimi’s spring-summer 2026 campaign
(Photo: Rankin לאינטימיסימי)
On the cover of German Vogue, 2020
In the interview, the younger Klum revealed that despite the confidence she has developed, it was her 2020 German Vogue cover that left her particularly excited and nervous. And that was while she was fully clothed.
“I was so scared. I was freaking out on the morning of [shooting] it,” she said. “I think I was more nervous for the interview part because I had never spoken to a journalist before. It wasn't just posing in front of the camera. Luckily, my mom held my hand the whole time.”
At a Vanity Fair event, 2026
(Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
At a Glamour event, 2025
(Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for GLAMOUR Germany)
In the new Guess campaign
Despite her famous family name, the younger Klum’s career has yet to take off as expected, as has happened with other nepo babies in the fashion industry. Perhaps that is because, in contrast to her mother’s energy and larger-than-life personality, the younger Klum has yet to demonstrate something that sets her apart beyond her family pedigree and good looks.
But that may be about to change. Klum recently signed with prominent modeling agency IMG and appeared in a new campaign for fashion brand Guess.