Little has been known about the fate of beloved cultural, fashion and youth publication i-D Magazine since its parent company, Vice Media, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Vice bought i-D in 2012 from the publication’s founders, Terry and Tricia Jones – with i-D remaining a cultural stalwart, able to integrate digital offerings alongside its iconic, hardcopy print editions.
Now, Karlie Kloss has swooped in to take ownership of i-D magazine, as reported by WWD; Kloss is set to assume the role of CEO, with the current editor-in-chief, Alastair McKimm, retaining his position as chief creative officer and global editor-in-chief.
As they say – models should always have a career back-up plan. Kloss has come well-acquainted with media acquisitions – In 2020, she spearheaded an investment group comprising fellow model Kaia Gerber, F1 racing star Lewis Hamilton, and producer Jason Blum, which successfully acquired W Magazine.
Karlie Kloss, iD Cover, courtesy of @karliekloss IG.
The Adult Issue, No. 179, September 98 – courtesy of iD online.
The Bedroom Issue, No. 213, September 01 – courtesy of i-D Online.
The Survival Issue, No. 149, February 1996 – courtesy of i-D Online.
The Livin’ Loud Issue, No. 311, Pre-Spring 11 – courtesy of i-D Online.
The New Wave Issue, No. 373, Fall/Winter 2023 – courtesy of @i_D.
The Wise Up Issue, No. 322, Winter 12 -courtesy of i-D Online.
Kloss has been strategically expanding her diverse portfolio. Notably, she founded Kode With Klossy, an initiative offering free coding camps for girls, as well as Klosette, a fashion-centric realm within the Roblox metaverse, enabling players to fashion themselves and ascend through the ranks to attain the role of editor-in-chief. Furthermore, reports indicate her involvement in various digital startups, including one focused on integrating digital authentication IDs into clothing.
i-D was launched in the 1980s by Terry and Trica Jones as a means to document the post-punk era of the UK: inspiring the likes of Dazed that came after it. Since then, it has become an essential fashion and culture bible known for its cutting edge editorial content. With the news that editorial legend, Alastair McKimm, will stay on to facilitate this transition – we are hopeful i-D will be able to weather the storm that has hit publishing in the last few years.
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