Karlie Kloss Opens Up About Her Political Views After Viral Kushner Comment on Project Runway
Karlie Kloss is making exactly what her political views are crystal clear after a Project Runway contestant awkwardly made a joke about her in-laws, the Kushners.
During an appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Thursday night, Kloss, 27, was asked to discuss her views in light of the fact that she’s married to Joshua Kushner, the brother of presidential aid and Ivanka Trump‘s husband Jared Kushner.
“Andy,” Kloss began, in a matter of fact way. “I’m sure I’m not the only person in this country who does not necessarily agree with their family on politics.”
Her response prompted her fellow guest Martha Stewart to say: “Good answer.”
Kloss continued to detail her position explaining, “I voted as a democrat in 2016 and I plan to do the same in 2020.”
As for what she thought about Project Runway contestant Tyler Neasloney’s joke about Kloss wearing his design to “dinner with the Kushners,” the model said: “I was honored to be one of the first memes of the decade.”
However, for Kloss, it wasn’t at all about Neasloney’s comment, but instead his failed design.
“Honestly, the real tragedy of this whole thing is that no one is talking about how terrible that dress was. That’s why he went home. I would not wear that dress to any dinner,” Kloss said.
Neasloney previously cleared the air about the comment he made during an interview with Bravo’s The Daily Dish.
“I felt like we had built a really cool rapport. I was laughing, they were laughing, we were going tit-for-tat. There was shade, there were jokes, and it was really fun,” Neasloney said of judges Kloss, Brandon Maxwell, Elaine Welteroth and Nina Garcia.
“So, I came into the episode 4 runway after being in the bottom twice before that in a row, I came in there being like I’m friendly with the judges now. We’ve spoken, we’ve kikied, we’ve laughed. I can be my normal self,” he told The Daily Dish.
Neasloney then went on to reveal that since the episode aired, he’s felt “misunderstood.”
“That’s what is bothersome about some of the coverage, both press and Twitter, is a lot of people are treating it as this non sequitur,” he told The Daily Dish. “It was non sequitur; it was entirely related to the aesthetic of the look.”
“I’m not a nasty person. I thought we were on a friendly enough playing field. So Karlie, at the end of the day, she’s human, so I don’t want her to just hate me or feel awful about what I said,” Neasloney said
The incident unfolded last month on an episode where contestants were challenged to dress Kloss for a CFDA event in Paris using only recycled, donated clothing from a Goodwill store.
After the runway reveal of his garment, Neasloney landed on the bottom and explained his design to the judges. “It’s made from four pairs of pants. I was going for a very traditional Montauk, Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, Americana vibe,” he said.
Maxwell replied, “What are we calling the thing down the middle?” Neasloney answered, “It was inspired by a tuxedo ruffle. I’m happy with the construction.”
“I cannot see Karlie wearing it anywhere, honestly.”
“Not even to dinner with the Kushners?”#ProjectRunway pic.twitter.com/O9qJbrC2ZN— Ξvan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) January 3, 2020
When Kloss asked him if he “was happy” with his look, he said: “I’m happy with it. I don’t know if you love it or hate it, whatever it is, lay it on me. I’m ready.”
Then Maxwell shared his unfiltered feedback on Neasloney’s design saying: “Bring us back to the challenge – ‘A. super cool, B. wearable, C. chic.’ You got B. Wearable,” he said of the challenge’s criteria. “It’s definitely ‘wearable’ in some place that is neither Paris nor Montauk or Martha’s Vineyard. I cannot see Karlie wearing it anywhere, honestly.”
Neasloney quickly jumped in and said, “Not even to dinner with the Kushners?”
The comment left the judges and other contestants speechless, as Kloss dropped her jaw in shock and cocked her head to the side. He then added, “That’s your husband!”
After his comment, the model fired back saying, “I was going to Paris, that was your challenge here. Keep it to the challenge.”
She also shared her own feedback on his creation. “You may not know, but I know, this is not what I asked for. The fabrics are poor choices. I think they look cheap. The pockets are ill-placed. And if this is your aesthetic, then that’s that. But this is about my aesthetic and the influence of my stylist. You really missed the mark here on all accounts,” Kloss said as Neasloney got teary-eyed.
The designer went backstage to wait as the judges discussed everyone’s designs privately. A fellow contestant asked Neasloney, “How do you feel about the critiques you got?” He replied: “I don’t agree with them. I like what I made.”
When the deliberation ended, the judges ultimately decided that Neasloney’s skills weren’t strong enough to keep him in the competition, so he was eliminated. Once they announced he was being sent home, Neasloney did apologize to Kloss for his previous remark.
