You remember the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, right? Taylor Swift was performing "Style" and Karlie Kloss was walking the runway in those massive wings. They looked like twins. Literally. They had the same height, the same haircut, and seemingly the same soul. It was the "Squad" era, and "Kaylor" was the undisputed center of it.
Then, the silence happened.
For years, people have been trying to figure out why Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss went from sharing a Vogue cover to not being in the same room for half a decade. Honestly, it's one of those pop culture mysteries that feels like it has a million different answers depending on who you ask. Was it a betrayal? Was it just life getting in the way? Or was it something way more corporate?
The Rise and Fall of the Ultimate BFFs
It all started because Taylor saw a photo of Karlie and told Vogue she wanted to bake cookies with her. Very 2012. Karlie tweeted back, "Your kitchen or mine?" and the rest was history. By 2014, they were road-tripping to Big Sur and Karlie basically had her own room in Taylor’s Tribeca apartment.
But things started getting weird around 2017.
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When the "Look What You Made Me Do" video dropped, Taylor wore a shirt with her friends' names on it. Selena was there. Gigi was there. Karlie? Nowhere to be found. That was the first real crack in the glass that fans noticed. You don't just "forget" to put your best friend's name on a shirt in a music video that's specifically about who stayed by your side during a cancellation.
Why the distance grew
There are a few theories that actually have some weight to them.
- The Scooter Braun Factor: This is the big one. Karlie’s manager for a long time was Scooter Braun. If you know anything about Taylor, you know she views Scooter as the person who "stripped" her of her life’s work by buying her masters. It’s hard to stay best friends with someone whose closest business associate is your "sworn enemy."
- The Kushner Connection: Karlie married Joshua Kushner in 2018. Taylor didn't go to either of the weddings. While Karlie’s team said Taylor was busy with the Reputation tour, the optics weren't great. Especially when Scooter Braun was at the second wedding.
- The "Leaking" Rumors: There’s a persistent theory—though never confirmed by Taylor herself—that Karlie might have shared information about Taylor with people Taylor didn't trust.
Taylor's lyrics in the song "it’s time to go" from evermore really fueled the fire. She sings about a "sister" who turned out to be a "crook who was caught." She mentions a "twin from your dreams" who wasn't what she seemed. Given how much people used to call Taylor and Karlie twins, it’s not exactly a leap to see why fans think this is the smoking gun.
That Eras Tour Moment in 2023
Fast forward to August 9, 2023. The final night of the first U.S. leg of the Eras Tour in Los Angeles. Suddenly, photos start hitting Twitter. Karlie Kloss is there.
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But she wasn't in the VIP tent with the other celebs like Selena Gomez or Emma Stone. She was in the stands. Like, regular seats.
She was seen dancing to "Shake It Off" and filming on her phone. It was such a strange choice. Most people wouldn't go to their ex-best-friend’s concert and sit in the bleachers if they were still on good terms. You'd be backstage or at least in the cordoned-off section. It felt like a olive branch that maybe wasn't invited, or just a way for Karlie to show she’s still a fan despite the distance.
What Karlie says now
In 2024 and 2025, Karlie has been a bit more vocal—well, as vocal as a media-trained supermodel gets. During a Yahoo Life interview, she actually praised The Tortured Poets Department, calling Taylor’s music "classic."
She’s always maintained that they’re "still friends," even when the evidence suggests they haven't spoken in years. It’s a smart PR move. If you say you’re fine, the drama stays one-sided. But Taylor’s silence speaks volumes. She hasn't mentioned Karlie in a positive light in a very, very long time.
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What most people get wrong
The biggest misconception is that there had to be one "big fight." Sometimes, especially in your 20s, friendships just dissolve under the pressure of business and different values. Taylor became more private and fiercely protective of her circle. Karlie married into a high-profile, politically adjacent family and stayed close to people Taylor considered toxic.
It’s not necessarily a villain story. It’s just a "we don't fit anymore" story.
If you’re looking for a reconciliation, don't hold your breath. Taylor is in a completely different era of her life now. She’s focused on her legacy and her relationship with Travis Kelce. Karlie is focused on her family and her tech ventures. They’re two parallel lines that used to overlap but have finally straightened out.
To really understand the nuance here, you have to look at the lyrics of "Maroon" or "Right Where You Left Me." They tell a story of a loss that lingers, regardless of who "won" the breakup.
If you want to dive deeper into the lore, start by comparing the Vogue "73 Questions" interviews they both did. The difference in energy between their 2015 era and now is staggering. It’s the easiest way to see how much things have actually changed without either of them saying a word.