Kendall Jenner on Breaking Out from the ‘Umbrella of the Kardashian Sisters’ and Making a Name for Herself in Fashion

Jenner fronts the WSJ. Magazine’s Summer Digital issue and opens up about making a name for herself outside her famous family

Kendall Jenner is her own person.

The high-fashion model, who covers WSJ. Magazine's Summer Digital issue, opened up to the outlet about making her way through the industry, especially while being enshrouded by her family name.

In fact, she tried dropping her last name during the early days of her modeling career to distance herself from the Kardashian-Jenner family. She also did not want her family members in the audience of her fashion shows.

"From the time she was a little girl, she has seemed really definite in who she is and how she wants to do it," Jenner's mother, Kris Jenner, told WSJ. Magazine. Kris, 67, recognized her daughter's interest in modeling as a young teen, so she arranged a meeting between Jenner, 27, and frequent Victoria's Secret photographer Russell James. The meeting resulted in a shoot for Miss Vogue Australia.

Afterward, Kendall and agents at Society Management dropped her last name, hoping this would lead to the fashion world taking her more seriously.

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And succeed she has, despite feeling like she needs to break away from her family and feeling like she's not necessarily cut out for the world she was dropped into.

“I obviously understand I fall under the umbrella of the Kardashian sisters,” Kendall says. “It’s just weird to me…because I am just like my dad in so many ways. I’m such a Jenner, in my opinion,” she adds later, calling herself a “daddy’s girl.”

Marc Jacobs became an early champion of her career. He cast her in one of her first major shows in 2014, on the advice of stylist Katie Grand. Jacobs continues to work with her regularly, designing the black sequined bodysuit and boots she wore to the 2023 Met Gala in May.

“She was Kendall, she wasn’t Kendall Jenner, she wasn’t Kim’s little sister,” Jacobs, 60, told WSJ. Magazine. “I said [to Katie later], if she fits in the clothes and looks good in the clothes and walks beautifully, I don’t see why she shouldn’t be in the cast. If you are only interested in her because she is Kendall Jenner, I’m not into it.”

Kendall, who was 11 when Keeping Up with the Kardashians debuted, is not critical of her family, but she told WSJ. Magazine she always felt "out of place" among her siblings. "I was born into this life, but I didn’t choose this life," she said, later adding that she was "not built" for stardom. “I’m not good at it. I do it, and I’ve learned how to do it," she said.

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Kendall is among "that very rare breed of model that has the beauty and has the larger-than-life personality, and truly brings this kind of magic to the clothes and the photographs," Jacobs said. "It’s the ultimate kind of ingredient to the equation."

Miuccia Prada, who cast Jenner in the spring/summer 2023 Miu Miu campaign, also praised Jenner for "perfectly" embodying "the moment we are living in." The Kardashians star "carries the burden of her influence with intelligence," Prada, 74, told WSJ. Magazine.

WSJ. Magazine's Summer Digital issue hits WSJ. com and Apple News+ on June 30.

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