Heidi Klum's Daughter Leni Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance With Dad Seal
Supermodel and former Project Runway host Heidi Klum's oldest daughter, Leni Klum, is following in her runway walking footsteps. The aspiring model was at the red carpet premiere for Netflix's upcoming Western, The Harder They Fall, alongside her father, Klum's ex-husband Seal. The 17-year-old stunned in a black Dolce & Gabbana gown that was decked out In Swarovski crystals, which perfectly complemented the "Kiss From A Rose" singer's black suit.
Leni's biological father is businessman Flavio Briatore, but he and Klum split shortly after her birth in 2004, and Klum married Seal shortly after. Seal adopted Leni was she was 5-years-old. Although the teen has lived much of her life out of the spotlight, she has a growing interest in modeling, something that Klum says she is ready to let her daughter explore.
Klum opened up about her daughter's interest during a December appearance on PEOPLE episode (the TV show!). The former Victoria's Secret Angel – who is also mom to sons Henry, 15, Johan, 14, and daughter Lou, 11 – said that Leni had received numerous modeling opportunities throughout the years. However, she always turned them down to protect her daughter's privacy. However, that has begun to change as Leni grows older, with Klum stating that "she's old enough now." The mom of four explained that she "always thought" her daughter was "too young" to enter into the fashion industry and she had declined past offers because she "decided to keep the children out of the public eye."
Leni, however, is following in her mother's footsteps in more ways than just one. Speaking to the outlet, Klum also revealed that her daughter has a budding interest in TV and enjoys spending time on the set of Germany's Next Top Model, the America's Next Top Model spin-off Klum has been hosting since 2006. Klum said that her daughter "comes [on set] and looks and learns not just what I do but also what all the different people are doing on a TV set." Noting that her daughter "does want to do what I do," she credited Leni's curiosity to her age, explaining, "when you're that age you're still trying to figure out who you are, what you want to be and kind of see for the first time what are all these different jobs to make a TV show happen."
While Leni was able to get a taste of the industry thanks to her mom's work in it, she officially dipped her toes in the water when she and Klum appeared on the cover of Vogue Germany's January/February 2021 issue. The cover shoot marked Leni's modeling debut, something the 16-year-old called "so much fun" and something that her mother couldn't help but gush about.
In an Instagram post at the time, Klum expressed how "proud" she was of her daughter, adding, "and it's not because you've chosen your own path." She said, "no matter which path" Leni would choose "to go down, you would be your own woman," noting that she always knows "exactly what you want and what you don't want. You are not a mini-me. And I'm happy for you that you can now show who YOU are." In the post, Klum said her daughter is "a self-possessed young woman, works hard for your goals. And even more important... you are a really cool person, with your heart in the right place."
Since making her modeling debut, Leni has gone on to do more modeling work. In January, the teen walked her very first runway, strutting the catwalk as she opened Berlin Fashion Week on January 20.