In what others are saying is a bid to move away from her reality TV show persona, Kendall Jenner has dropped her last name to be known just by her first in the modeling world. The half-sister of Kim Kardashian is now known simply as Kendall, and her parents are reportedly supportive of her career move.
A source close to the Kardashian family told HollywoodLife.com that Kendall’s parents aren’t bothered by the name change. “Bruce isn’t upset at all and Kris doesn’t care — she’s just thrilled at how successful she’s become in the modeling industry. She’s very proud of her,” said the source.
Kendall’s modeling agency, The Society Management, first announced the name change on their website when they posted a profile for her titled “Kendall”.
We’re just trying to keep up with Kendall!: http://t.co/4Dy5L7GnBC pic.twitter.com/of9neZjiOo
— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) September 1, 2014
“She just wants some independence from her family. Everyone in the business refers to her on a first-name basis, anyway,” said another source to HollywoodLife.com. The source likened Kendall’s first-name move to that of legendary models Twiggy and Giselle, adding that it helps Kendall with her goal of making a name independently from her famous relatives.
Kendall reportedly said that she had been using the single name for months and that she first tried it when she debuted in the fashion world by walking for designers Marc Jacobs and Giles. “I did it last year at all the castings, too! I only go by my first name,” she told Us Weekly.
The 18-year-old model also revealed to Teen Vogue recently that her famous last name has hindered her, not helped her in her modeling career, despite people thinking the opposite was true. “People didn’t want to take a chance on me, I think because I was sort of known. They were a little bit on the fence about it. Some people might think that what I’ve done before made it easier for me to get jobs, but it was actually a disadvantage. I had to work even harder,” she said.