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“Are you by chance part of the mom tribe?” Karlie Kloss asks me over the phone. It’s a natural—even expected—start to our conversation about the model and entrepreneur’s latest campaign for diaper brand Coterie, which is all about celebrating the physical journey of motherhood.
Though I am very much in my single, child-free era, motherhood is something that I hope is in the cards for me. And it is Kloss’s and fellow model and Coterie campaign costar Tabria Majors’s palpable excitement on my respective phone calls with each where they gushed about their little ones that strengthened my resolve to have a family of my own one day. (So much so, that I may or may not have enlisted their help to manifest it for me). Simply put: They love beings moms.
“It’s the greatest experience in my life,” Kloss tells Vogue. “I mean, maybe it’s the hormones, but it just gives me the greatest joy every single day to wake up and have these two little delicious humans whom I just love so much.”
“It’s just crazy to see how much she’s changed and seeing her little personality developing,” Majors says of her six-month-old daughter. “Just seeing her laugh all the time, it just warms my heart.”
The campaign, which debuted in early February, features Kloss (who invested in the Coterie late last year); Majors; board-certified pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin, MD; celebrity nail artist Mei Kawajiri; and influencer Reese Blutstein, sharing their pregnancy stories in hopes of inspiring others who might be struggling with the changes to their bodies—which is a topic that isn’t often spoken about.
Studies show that the rib cage can expand two to three inches and ligaments can stretch between the second and third trimester. According to the Mayo Clinic, the heart pumps 50 percent more blood to nourish the baby, while the American Academy of Dermatology notes that hair loss is prevalent in new moms. When you pair systemic failures in proper reproductive education with societal expectations to look “perfect” 24/7, many might feel confused and discouraged when witnessing their bodies go through major changes.
“You kind of just have to trust the process. I have learned to love and respect my body through this process, and with that comes changes,” says Kloss. “Of course, I have all the things like stretch marks and all the fun post-baby body things that I’m not mad at. They make me who I am, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Pre- and post-pregnancy can be a lonely experience, even if you are lucky enough to have a full support system. Which is why Majors says sharing pregnancy stories is important to help people feel less alone. She tells me about the outpour of love and support from fans over her birthing story has been an emotional, yet beautiful experience. She even recalls one woman messaging her and saying that her story encouraged her to proceed with her own home birthing—something that Majors says she will never forget. “I just thought that was really powerful and inspiring for me,” she says. “That just makes me feel really good that my story could impact somebody in such a way.”
It would be remiss to not acknowledge that the launch of Coterie’s campaign coincidently coincides with news of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) are considered people, putting the legality of the procedure into question and further harming reproductive health care. The fight to protect reproductive rights is at the forefront during what is shaping to be a contentious presidential election year. These issues are not lost on either Kloss or Majors, who both intentionally pick brand partnerships that not only align with their personal beliefs but can also help make a difference. Both credit Coterie for creating a safe space for women to advocate for themselves.
“[I] hate that our bodies are being policed; I don’t understand how that’s even a thing. It makes no sense,” says Majors. “I think that’s why it s important for these partnerships to happen. [But] even outside of partnerships, you don’t have to be paid to speak up. You should just want to speak up naturally because this affects everybody on such a macro level.”
“It’s an individual s choice if and when they’re ready to become a parent. This is such a profound life change in every way and I think it should be an individual’s choice if and when they’re ready for that,” adds Kloss. “It [has] only reconfirmed my passion and commitment to fighting for reproductive rights, certainly in every state in this country.”
I ask them what’s the best mom advice they’ve received, and both give two truths that could be applied to all facets of life: Trust the timing of the universe and trust yourself. “You just have to learn to roll with the punches,” says Kloss. “Motherhood is messy and amazing. I think [it has] actually been so important for me to be more comfortable with not being able to control everything because that’s just the way it goes.”
“Trust your gut, trust your instinct,” adds Majors. “Especially as a first-time parent, you think that you don’t know anything (and you don’t), but you figure it out as you go along. And even if you didn’t research yourself to death, which I know everybody does nowadays, you will know what to do. You will figure out what to do. Your instincts will kick in, and it’s just a crazy feeling.”
Noted for my future self.
