Proud Mom Heidi Klum Cheers On Daughter Leni’s Fashion Choices And Shares Environmental Message

At the Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, supermodel Heidi Klum was all smiles, not just for the awards but because of her daughter, Leni, keeping her old clothes alive. The 51-year-old shared how it warms her heart to see Leni, now 20 and also a model, bringing her iconic wardrobe pieces back to life. 

“I get so excited when I see my daughters re-wearing my clothes. My eldest daughter, she also is a model, and she goes to events and when she wears my clothes I’m not just proud but we can upcycle,” Heidi told PEOPLE at the ceremony. 

Heidi’s joy at Leni’s fashion choices started making headlines when her daughter wore Heidi’s silky black strapless dress from the ’90s to her prom in 2022. Leni posted a heartfelt Instagram photo in the gown, captioning it “Prom night in mama’s dress 🖤.” 

Originally, Heidi had worn the dress in 1998 at a Comic Relief live event. She even commented on Leni’s post with a heart-eyes emoji, celebrating the moment.

For Heidi, passing down fashion is more than just style; it’s an effort to reuse and celebrate vintage clothing. She encouraged everyone to appreciate their own wardrobes, saying, “…I think it’s so important also to keep wearing your things. I think in the past, we’d wear something once and then we’d never wear it again, and it’s so wrong to do.”

“I urge everyone to wear your amazing things that you have in the closet. It’s the best shop, your own closet,” she added.

Heidi attended the Earthshot Prize Awards dressed in a bold, one-shoulder vintage Halston gown in bright orange, embracing her love for vintage even on the red carpet. The Earthshot Prize, an event started by Prince William, awards winners for their innovative environmental contributions. Heidi was honored to be part of the event, calling it “one of the most important events I’ve been to,” and noted she was thrilled to be invited. 

“Who knew there was sustainable fishing? Tomorrow, I’m so honored to go with [Prince William] to this place to learn about sustainable fishing. I knew our waters are overfished and they’re polluted and all of these horrible things. But I didn’t know about sustainable fishing. I love that I get to learn more things and hopefully be better in the future,“ she stated.

For Heidi, attending Earthshot hit close to home, as environmental sustainability is a topic she cares about deeply, especially because of her children and future generations. Reflecting on her own journey with climate awareness, she said, “I have four kids, and hopefully I’ll be a grandmother one day. What about my grandkids? We have to think about our tomorrow.”

Heidi also shared her excitement about learning new ways to help the environment. She explained that her Earthshot experience would include a visit with Prince William to learn about sustainable fishing. “Tomorrow, I’m so honored to go with [Prince William] to this place to learn about sustainable fishing… I love that I get to learn more things and hopefully be better in the future.”