Kaia Gerber Reflects on Her Unconventional Yet Ordinary Upbringing
Supermodel Kaia Gerber has offered a revealing glimpse into her early life as the daughter of iconic model Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber. The twenty-four-year-old fashion star discussed what she describes as a "pretty isolated" yet fundamentally "normal" childhood in an exclusive cover story for Harper’s Bazaar's February 2026 edition.
A Surprisingly Conventional Childhood
Gerber detailed her formative years with surprising normalcy, emphasising her participation in typical childhood activities. "I always went to public school. I did theater. I did every community play. I was in choir. I did singing recitals. I danced," she recounted. Her passion for performing arts extended to family trips to New York, where she consistently requested to see Broadway shows. "I saw Wicked eight times. I had all the lyrics to Rent memorised by the time I was nine years old," the model revealed.
Contrasting Sibling Memories
In a particularly insightful moment, Gerber acknowledged that her childhood recollections differ dramatically from those of her older brother, Presley Gerber. The two siblings, raised in the exclusive Malibu enclave of California, experienced their upbringing through distinctly different lenses. "It’s so interesting to articulate your own childhood, because I have a brother who’s two years older, and our memories are completely contradictory, which is really fascinating," she explained. Gerber suggested this disparity has taught her valuable lessons about how multiple realities can coexist simultaneously.
Brother's Mental Health Struggles
Kaia's reflections emerge shortly after her brother Presley made a raw and emotional public confession about his mental health challenges. In a black-and-white Instagram video shared on December 1st, the twenty-six-year-old model opened up about his ongoing battle with "night terrors" and "panic attacks." Presley disclosed his current medication regimen, including taking 1mg of Buprenorphine twice daily—a medication typically prescribed for pain management and opioid use disorders.
He further revealed his fluctuating use of benzodiazepines, explaining "the benzos have been fluctuating up and down depending on what's been going on in my life." Presley also takes small doses of Xanax during severe panic attacks and Valium in the mornings, admitting uncertainty about the precise quantities. The model expressed concern about conflicting medical advice, stating "doctors say a lot of different things so it's kind of scary," while maintaining hope that through combined research and support, solutions can be found.
Growing Up with Artistic Nudity
Elsewhere in her Harper’s Bazaar interview, Kaia Gerber shared another distinctive aspect of her upbringing: being surrounded by artistic nude photographs of her famous mother throughout their family home. She asserted that these images were never perceived as vulgar or objectifying. "They were, to me, artistic. It wasn’t vulgar; it wasn’t objectification," Gerber stated, adding that "it was a gift to grow up in a house that was without shame for the female body."
Educational Transition
The interview also revealed that Gerber's educational path shifted when her modelling career began gaining momentum. At age fifteen, she transitioned from attending public school to homeschooling, allowing her to balance her burgeoning professional commitments with her academic development.
Kaia Gerber's candid revelations provide a nuanced portrait of growing up in the spotlight while maintaining a sense of normalcy, contrasted sharply with her brother's public struggles with mental health. The siblings' divergent experiences highlight the complex realities of fame, family, and personal wellbeing within one of fashion's most prominent families.
