Kendall Jenner

Television career

In 2007, Kris Jenner approached Ryan Seacrest with the idea of a reality show centered on her family. Inspired by The Osbournes, Seacrest developed the concept, leading to the creation of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The show premiered on October 14, 2007, on E!, featuring Kendall Jenner alongside her parents, Kris and Bruce (now Caitlyn), and her siblings Kylie, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob. It quickly became a major success, offering an inside look into the family’s personal and professional lives.

The show’s popularity led to multiple spin-offs, including Kourtney and Kim Take Miami (2009), where Kendall made guest appearances, as well as Kourtney and Kim Take New York (2011) and Khloé & Lamar (2011). In 2014, E! launched Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons, which followed Kourtney, Khloé, and Scott Disick as they managed business ventures in New York. In 2017, Kendall’s younger sister Kylie starred in her own spin-off, Life of Kylie.

After nearly 15 years and 20 seasons, Keeping Up with the Kardashians concluded in 2021. The following year, Kendall and her family debuted a new reality series, The Kardashians, on Hulu. The show features Kendall, her mother Kris, and her sisters Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Kylie, along with appearances from Scott Disick, Travis Barker, Tristan Thompson, and Corey Gamble. The first season premiered on April 14, 2022, on Disney+, followed by a second season in September 2022. The third season aired on May 25, 2023.

Modeling career

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Kendall Jenner began her modeling career at 13 when she signed with Wilhelmina Models on July 12, 2009. Her first campaign was Rocker Babes with a Twist for Forever 21, followed by a Teen Vogue feature in 2010. She walked for Sherri Hill at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2011 and soon appeared on magazine covers like American Cheerleader, Teen Prom, and GenLux. By 2012, she was collaborating with Victoria’s Secret photographer Russell James, leading to editorials in Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and Miss Vogue Australia. Her transition to high fashion was marked by signing with The Society Management in November 2013.

In 2014, Jenner debuted on high-fashion runways for designers like Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Chanel, and Balmain. She also became an official Estée Lauder representative and gained recognition as the “It Girl” of the season. The following year, she expanded her portfolio, walking for major brands including Alexander Wang, Oscar de la Renta, and Fendi. She participated in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and worked on campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and Balmain x H&M.

Her success continued in 2016, walking for Chanel, Versace, Dior, and Miu Miu, while appearing in Vogue Brazil, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar. She also signed with Chilean retailer París. In 2017, she faced controversy when her campaign with La Perla led her to withdraw from a scheduled Victoria’s Secret appearance. That year, she was named the world’s highest-paid model by Forbes, surpassing Gisele Bündchen, who had held the title since 2002. In 2022, she became the face of By Far’s debut fragrance, Daydream.

Business career

Kendall Jenner has ventured into various business and endorsement deals alongside her modeling career. In 2011, she and Kylie created two signature nail lacquers for Nicole by OPI’s Kardashian Kolors line, earning a combined $100,000. They later became Creative Directors for Gillette Venus’s Gets Ready with Kendall & Kylie Jenner web series. In 2013, they collaborated with Glamhouse to launch Metal Haven jewelry and introduced a shoe and handbag line with Steve Madden’s Madden Girl in 2014.

Their first fashion collection, The Kendall & Kylie Collection, launched with PacSun in 2013, followed by a Topshop collaboration in 2015. In 2016, they expanded their brand with a swimwear line and a mobile app in partnership with Glu Mobile. Jenner’s website, part of a paid subscription app series with Whalerock Industries, was nominated for a Webby Award in 2016.

In 2017, the Jenner sisters faced backlash for selling unauthorized “vintage” T-shirts featuring iconic musicians’ images, leading to legal disputes and a public apology. In 2020, they denied ties to Global Brands Group after reports emerged about unpaid Bangladeshi factory workers linked to their Kendall + Kylie brand.

Jenner’s other ventures include a 2019 partnership with Moon, where she co-created a teeth whitening pen, and collaborations with Proactiv and Kylie Cosmetics, launching Kendall x Kylie Cosmetics in 2020. She also introduced a limited-edition toothpaste with Moon and designer Heron Preston. In 2021, she launched 818 Tequila, her own tequila brand.

Other ventures

Starting in 2015, Jenner appeared in multiple commercial campaigns, including promoting her signature Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick. In 2016, she and beauty blogger Irene Kim became guest editors for The Estée Edit, launching a signature Eyeshadow Palette. That same year, she ventured into photography, debuting with a LOVE magazine shoot featuring Kaia Gerber.

Jenner also explored acting, appearing in One Call’s “Blacklight” music video (2010), an episode of Hawaii Five-0 (2012), and voicing Strawberry in The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange (2014). She featured in PartyNextDoor’s “Recognize” video (2014) and made a cameo in Ocean’s 8 (2018).

Recognized as Seventeen Magazine’s “Style Star” in 2011 and a “Style Ambassador,” Jenner co-authored the novel Rebels: City of Indra (2014) with Kylie Jenner and ghostwriter Maya Sloan. In 2016, they released its sequel, Time of the Twins.

Philanthropy

Jenner has been involved in various charitable initiatives over the years. She set up an eBay account to auction old clothing, raising funds for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a practice the Kardashian and Jenner sisters used for their charities in 2013. She also participated in a family charity yard sale on November 10, 2013, with proceeds benefiting Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry and the Greater Los Angeles Fisher House Foundation.

On December 24, 2013, Jenner and Kim Kardashian visited Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for a Christmas Eve event. She later joined Khloé Kardashian, Lil Twist, and The Game for a charity bowling event on January 19, 2014, supporting The Robin Hood Foundation. Additionally, she and Kylie Jenner took part in Chris Brown’s Kick’n It For Charity celebrity kickball games in 2014.

In 2015, Jenner, along with Ansel Elgort, Gigi Hadid, and her agent, encountered and helped unhoused model John Economou secure a modeling contract. She also participated in a Marc Jacobs event in New York City, posing for a limited-edition T-shirt sale benefiting Designers Against AIDS.

For her 22nd birthday in 2017, Jenner launched a campaign encouraging fans to donate $22 to Charity: Water, a non-profit providing clean drinking water in developing countries. In 2020, through her brand Zaza World, she released merchandise to support COVID-19 relief efforts, with net profits going to Feeding America.