When model Leni Klum turned 18, she officially joined the family business, not with a whimper, but a bang.
Of course, we're referring to her joint Intimissimi campaigns with Heidi Klum, 51, which first saw Leni pose in lingerie alongside her mother in October 2022, sparking backlash, and has also seen the mother-daughter duo pose in coordinating bras and underwear with Heidi's mother Erna Klum, 80.
Almost three years on from her Intimissimi debut, Leni, now aged 20, has addressed the "sexist and misogynistic" commentary that has come with the campaigns in depth for the first time.
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"I always try to remember that no matter what you do, there will always be someone who doesn't like it," Leni told Glamour Germany in a new cover story, which was originally published in German.
"You simply have no control over it and you can't focus too much on the negative."
Leni did acknowledge that seeing a deluge of hateful comments and criticism can be hard "especially if you spend a lot of time on social media", but she finds that usually the positive comments outweigh the backlash.
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"Most of the comments are in German, and I don't really understand many of them," she then joked to the magazine.
"That helps, too, of course."
Leni, whom German-born Heidi had spent years keeping out of the spotlight, started modelling here and there with Heidi's permission when she turned 16.
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When Leni turned 18 in May, 2022, she started modelling more frequently, and her big breakthrough came thanks to the controversial Intimissimi campaign.
Leni was born to Heidi and Italian businessman Flavio Briatore in 2004.
Heidi went on to marry singer Seal in 2005, and he adopted Leni in 2009. Heidi and Seal later divorced in 2014.
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In January, Heidi and Seal's eldest son, 19-year-old Henry Samuel, made his runway debut in the Lena Erziak Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 show.
Heidi also shares son Johan Samuel, 18, and 15-year-old daughter Lou Samuel with Seal.
She's now married to Tokio Hotel guitarist Tom Kaulitz, 35.
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