Kai Schreiber recovers from wardrobe malfunction on Milan runway after opening Jason Wu at NYFW

Kai Schreiber, 16, recovered from a wardrobe mishap during Milan Fashion Week, continuing down the Max Mara Spring/Summer 2026 runway after opening Jason Wu’s show at New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

Footage from the Milan show shows the model adjusting her black crop top with one hand as she powers through the stride, the fabric slipping down but not derailing her pose. The moment was captured by onlookers and later shared on Kai’s Instagram with the caption my top fell off at @maxmara lolz.

She had just marked a career milestone by opening the Jason Wu show at New York Fashion Week earlier in the month, a moment cited by her family as a sign of her rising status in the industry. The Max Mara moment adds to a string of high-profile appearances that have kept her in the spotlight as she builds her walk and portfolio.

Kai is the daughter of actress Naomi Watts and actor Liev Schreiber. In a June interview with Interview Magazine, she spoke about her gender identity and the path she has navigated in fashion, noting that she has studied how transgender people navigated earlier generations. She said she had struggled with gender identity from a young age and that she hoped to become a beautiful, glamorous, influential woman, like Marilyn Monroe. She named models she found inspirational, including Alex Consani, Hunter Schafer, Hari Nef, and Richie Shazam, among others, and described the sense of community among transgender fashion figures as a doll takeover in reference to their impact on the industry.

Earlier this year she said a breakthrough came with her work for Valentino, which helped crystallize her ambition to pursue modeling full time. She has described practicing her walks in the kitchen for years, and that her mother can show you all the videos she forced her to film, underscoring the family's involvement in her craft. She has characterized her personal style as basic but chic, saying she values individuality and fashion should be fun and expressive.

Kai’s recovery from the Milan slip has drawn praise from fans, who lauded her poise and professionalism. Some commentators said they hardly noticed the mishap at all and that it looked like part of the show, while others commended her resilience and calm under pressure. The incident underscores the broader narrative surrounding Kai’s emergence as a second-generation fashion talent who has been navigating a pathway shaped by family legacy, mentorship, and a steady presence on the runways.