Fashion People — "Karlie’s Glossy"
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Lauren Sherman
Guests: Karlie Kloss (Owner, ID Magazine and Bedford Media), Tom Bettridge (Editor-in-Chief, ID Magazine)
Episode Overview
This episode of Fashion People dives deep into the revival and evolution of ID Magazine under the stewardship of Karlie Kloss and Editor-in-Chief Tom Bettridge. Lauren Sherman, the show’s host, explores the motivations behind Kloss’s acquisition, the creative and business strategies reshaping ID, their approach to legacy and innovation, and the challenges and triumphs of running a global fashion publication in today's media landscape. Special attention is paid to the latest "Gen Beta" issue, the value of print in the digital age, and the future direction of Bedford Media.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Karlie Kloss Bought ID Magazine
[06:28–09:29]
- Kloss describes her entry into publishing through W Magazine’s rescue and how this view behind the scenes revealed the opportunity at ID.
- Mission: Preserve a brand "as relevant today as it was half a century ago" and rebuild it for modern audiences.
- Value of Legacy: ID is celebrated as an essential launchpad for creative talent (Edward Enninful cited as an early mentor).
- Business Philosophy: Rather than a nostalgia project, Kloss sees this as a moment for reinvention—building a "thoughtful, lean, digitally savvy" operation attuned to today's realities.
Memorable Quote:
"ID has such an extraordinary...role in fashion history...It's something that is both 45 years old and also as relevant today as it was half a century ago."
— Karlie Kloss [08:15]
2. Publishing in 2025 — Lessons, Challenges & Innovation
[09:29–12:13]
- Kloss reflects on the surprise of how different the business side of media is, compared to modeling or startup investing.
- Community Focus: The team's approach centers on building a multiplatform, engaged community—not just selling ads or counting clicks.
- Print Resurgence: Contrary to expectations, demand for print is growing, especially for "premium" and collectible products.
Memorable Quote:
"Print...ironically is more in demand than ever."
— Karlie Kloss [10:51]
3. The Tom Bettridge Effect: Editorial Vision
[13:35–15:39]
- Bettridge’s career spans upstart and legacy brands (032c, High Snobiety), and he believes the future lies beyond traditional publishing.
- He emphasizes aligning creative and business visions:
"The first conversation [with Karlie] was almost like finishing each other's sentences about what the vision for a brand ID could be." — Tom Bettridge [13:48] - Editorially, their model is not to "do more publishing," but to turn the publisher into a brand capable of new, diversified ventures.
4. Reinventing a Legacy Brand
[16:39–20:22]
- Digging through the ID archives, Bettridge and Kloss pinpointed themes to modernize: platforming unknowns and DIY culture.
- Their relaunch issue featured unknowns alongside big names like Naomi Campbell and FKA Twigs—mirroring the original ID ethos.
- Technology’s democratization is both a challenge (business model crisis) and an opportunity (fresh engagement strategies).
Memorable Quote:
"Now, when everyone’s running out of the burning building is where the crazy people running in. But I think that's where the opportunity is."
— Karlie Kloss [19:44]
5. The Advertiser Landscape & Revenue Revival
[22:12–25:14]
- Both report advertisers are savvier but still value targeted, premium print placements.
- The March relaunch issue was the highest-grossing in ID’s history, with the September issue tripling those numbers.
- Partnerships now favor experiential and branded content, driving real community engagement.
Memorable Quote:
"The March relaunch issue was the highest grossing revenue issue ever in ID’s history...and we tripled that for our September issue."
— Karlie Kloss [23:32]
6. Managing a Global Team & International Identity
[25:14–32:04]
- Discusses how ID remains rooted in London’s creative DNA while operating as a global, “cloud-based” company.
- Editors and contributors span London, New York, East Asia, creating a “minestrone” of cultural perspectives.
- This tension enriches the magazine’s editorial voice—"if everyone was in one city, we’d be missing something."
Memorable Quote:
"London is very much the spiritual home of ID...But it’s a global business and it's a global world."
— Tom Bettridge and Karlie Kloss [27:36, 28:31]
7. The "Gen Beta" Issue: Concept and Future Thinking
[32:43–34:44]
- The latest issue centers on "Gen Beta" (babies born starting 2025), used as a concept for radical optimism and forward-looking advice.
- Features perspectives from diverse luminaries, and a cover starring a baby—many on the ID team themselves are having "Gen Beta" babies.
- Editorial success includes high-profile exclusives and strong network access, but the team strives for stories that add genuine, lasting value.
Memorable Quote:
"We basically asked [experts]: What advice would you give to a baby born in 2025?...In a year where there’s so many things to be pessimistic about, I think thinking about the future in the long term is a worthwhile endeavor."
— Tom Bettridge [33:43]
8. Access, Editorial Lens, and Gatekeeping in a Post-Internet Age
[35:43–42:29]
- Access remains valuable, but with celebrities having their own platforms, ID's distinct contribution is contextualizing moments and framing historical record.
- Commitment to being “fans, not critics”—a safe, celebratory editorial environment.
- The future is editorial institutionalization, not exclusionary gatekeeping. ID provides trustworthy curation amid digital chaos.
Memorable Quotes:
"Talent, creators, creatives can come to ID and...it's a safe space. There's this saying of like fans, not critics."
— Karlie Kloss [37:38]
"Rather than gatekeeper or authority, [we use]...ID as an institution."
— Tom Bettridge [41:26]
9. New Ventures: The Agency Model and Beyond
[43:14–44:08]
- ID has developed an in-house creative studio, not just an agency—leveraging history as a platform for collaborative storytelling with brands.
10. What’s Next for Bedford Media & Personal Philosophy
[44:48–47:00]
- Karlie stresses a focus on quality, not quantity in future acquisitions and projects, indicating that ID and Life Magazine are the present focus.
- Ongoing work includes digitizing and reactivating 45 years of ID’s archives, and reinvesting print revenue into experimental projects.
Memorable Quote:
"It's not about quantity; it's about quality... experiences that actually stand out and are meaningful and worth your time."
— Karlie Kloss [45:00]
Additional Notable Quotes
-
On Print's Surprise Comeback:
“Print...ironically is more in demand than ever.”
— Karlie Kloss [10:51] -
On Re-Defining Editorial Authority:
“When you go online there's...AI slop, fake news...a platform with the kind of history that ID has...can kind of be that marker."
— Tom Bettridge [41:26] -
On Building Community:
“We really care about our community and we really want to provide value to them.”
— Karlie Kloss [39:43]
Timestamps By Topic
- 06:28 — Karlie on acquiring ID: motivations and vision
- 09:29 — Surprises and insights from the business side
- 13:35 — Tom Bettridge’s background and alignment with Kloss
- 16:39 — Editorial direction: legacy, unknowns, and DIY culture
- 22:12 — Revenue growth and advertiser dynamics
- 25:14 — Building a transatlantic, cloud-based team
- 32:43 — Launching the Gen Beta issue and its concept
- 35:43 — The importance of editorial access in a social era
- 41:26 — ID as institution versus gatekeeper
- 43:14 — White-label agency and creative studio
- 44:48 — Future plans for Bedford Media
Tone & Takeaways
The episode is candid, analytic, and optimistic. Kloss’s gratitude and strategic mind come through, while Bettridge brings a fresh, creative lens. They share pride in their turnaround of ID, genuine camaraderie, and a belief in the enduring power of legacy brands when they’re reinvented for a new era—especially when print is paired with digital innovation and community focus.
Listeners are left with an intimate look at the challenges and possibilities of fashion media in 2025, learning how ID’s revival offers both a business case and a cultural statement: relevance, quality, and creative courage can thrive in a rapidly changing industry.