Karlie Kloss’s i-D Magazine Has a New Editor-in-Chief

Last fall, supermodel turned venture capitalist Karlie Kloss caused a stir across fashion and media when she bought the beloved British culture and fashion magazine i-D. Now, after a seven-month hiatus to “[rethink] what culture means today” and laying off much of the existing staff, the publication has a new editor-in-chief: Thom Bettridge, who previously served as vice-president of creative and content at Ssense.

Kloss’s acquisition of i-D prompted worry about the future of the famously independent magazine under the leadership of a billionaire with an ever-expanding business portfolio, especially after the editor-in-chief at the time, Alastair McKimm, announced he would be stepping down. “After five years as fashion director and five years as editor-in-chief, it feels like the perfect time to move on and turn the page on the next chapter,” McKimm wrote on Instagram at the time.

According to WWD, Bettridge — who also previously served as editor-in-chief at Highsnobiety — will “oversee the magazine’s print and digital platforms” and forthcoming commercial ventures. “No one embodies the future of i-D more than Thom. His creative instinct and cultural fluency make him the ideal person to chart the magazine’s next chapter,” Kloss told the outlet. “I trust in Thom’s vision and know the magazine is poised to leave yet another indelible mark on the world under his leadership.”

The magazine relaunched its website in early September with a digital cover featuring Troye Sivan and Charli XCX. According to WWD, the publication plans to release a biannual print issue beginning in March.