Heidi Klum uses her platform to advocate for body positivity.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 51-year-old supermodel talks about the importance of portraying all different body types in all aspects of life, including online.
Highlighting her latest project, Modelverse — an online fashion experience she created and designed for Roblox that gives users the chance to model at some of the world’s biggest events — Klum says it was of the utmost importance to her to ensure the caricatures on the virtual platform would fit reality.
“I wanted people to come with their avatar or create a new avatar [and have it be] however they want, not just that one typical body shape, which I think is so outdated,” she explains.
“It’s 2024. I think diversity these days is greater than ever, so why isn’t that reflected in any games,” adds Klum. “I feel like there should be diversity in avatars, so I wanted to make a world where there’s diversity in body shapes.”
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Modelverse.
Modelverse/Roblox
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According to Klum, the idea to create Modelverse first came about after years of watching her daughter Lou spend time on Roblox.
After asking her 14-year-old self, “What’s missing from this game?” the America has talent The judge found that only a certain body type was being shown on many online platforms and felt that she had to be proactive in driving change.
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Heidi Klum in September 2023.
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“For most younger kids, I don’t think the idea of diversity, or the importance of it, has really sunk in at all [their heads]. They don’t even understand,” says Klum. “… The world doesn’t look like this, and most of us don’t look like this.”
In addition, the mother of four adds that her ideas did not stop there, and she wanted to go a step further in enabling users to let their creativity soar. “Why do we just have to look human? Why can’t we be a hot dog walking down a runway or a… walking tree or something?” she says.
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Modelverse.
Modelverse/Roblox
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In Modelverse, which was built with the help of Supersocial, users can use themed catwalks to match whatever holiday or big event is happening that month.
“I kind of looked at the world calendar and what kind of festivities are going on,” Klum tells PEOPLE. “I was inspired by that and created all these different worlds in these different places, so I wouldn’t be redundant and always have the same catwalk.”
“We immerse ourselves in all these different worlds and their festivities, and I created different looks for each one,” adds the fashion designer.
In October, users can virtually attend Klum’s iconic annual Halloween party or participate in Oktoberfest from afar. “I have this amazing Oktoberfest catwalk…sausages hanging everywhere,” Klum says. “… You really think you’re in Bavaria.”
Modelverse is now available to play.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education