BILL KAULITZ *That’s Bill Kaulitz: Offline, Unfiltered, and Entirely Present

That’s Bill Kaulitz
Offline, Unfiltered, and Entirely Present

The Algorithm Has Left the Chat—Bill, a Pink Swimsuit, and the Real Headline


interview + written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Something about Bill Kaulitz disrupts all expectations about fame, he moves with a kind of impulsive certainty, always spinning a little outside the expected choreography. Once the ringleader of a hair-gel-fuelled teen frenzy, he now fills his days with dogs, spontaneous notes, late-night Instagram DMs, the second season of Kaulitz & Kaulitz playing out on Netflix, and the kind of wardrobe decisions that started early—long before anyone was watching, when he swapped trunks for a friend’s pink swimsuit on a crowded beach, discovering the addictive thrill of attention before he had words for performance.

Bill wears total look by VERSACE

Bill wears a total look by VERSACE and shoes by SCAROSSO

If his closet could talk, it would offer up a mess of confessions about last-minute fashion choices, impulsive adventures, and those secret, tangled stories that happen only after the city has gone to sleep—always accomplice, each garment a collaborator in Bill’s ongoing refusal to blend in or apologize. Recklessness and vulnerability orbit together here, just as Bill embraces every emotion fully—choosing to feel loneliness, joy, and even loss in their sharpest forms, collecting experiences the way some people collect shoes.

Remove the endless scroll, mute the digital noise, and Bill remains someone searching for real connection, content to swap the feed for the company of friends, the calm of jazz, the comfort of champagne, and the gentle presence of his French bulldog, Alfia. There’s always another scribbled note or whispered Maus for the people who matter, secrets layered beneath eyeliner and tucked into diaries, never needing an audience, only the satisfaction of having lived every minute wide open. Bill drags his own weather with him, shrugs off nostalgia the way most people dodge last season’s trends, refuses to archive any version of himself unless it’s handwritten and hidden somewhere even the algorithm can’t reach. He exists in a loop of invention and desire, never looking back, never asking permission, just rerouting the atmosphere every time he walks into the room. Never watered down, never apologizing, so entirely present you half-suspect the world’s only just now learning to keep pace.


Bill wears a sweater and bag by HERMÈS, belts, gloves, and trousers by 032C, and shoes by SCAROSSO

Alban E. Smajli
If you had to live in a world without mirrors or cameras, how would you define your identity?


Bill Kaulitz
Just through instinct I guess! I've always trusted my instinct. Laughter too! I'm generally a very positive person. My biggest traits are being quirky, spontaneous and ambitious, I’d say. 


Do you remember the very first time a mirror winked back at you and said, “Yes, babe, this is it”? What were you wearing?


OMG. That could have been very early on. When I was about 5 years old and my mom took us to the beach, I decided to wear the pink swimsuit of my friend Katharina, instead of my boring trunks that every boy wears. So we swopped. I felt super alive and loved the attention from all the people starring at me. I always loved to stand out and break rules. I guess that started at a very young age.

If your closet could speak like a moody ex, what secrets would it spill about you?


That I don't doubt my fashion choices a lot, even if I maybe should. I don't think too much. I'm super fast and trust my gut when it comes to clothes. I'm really not a diva, even if sometimes i'd wanna be. It would probably also say that I've been in here with more than just one guy having sexy fun. When you're out of the closet it can be pretty fun to go back in ...hahaha.

How do you actually handle loneliness? The kind that doesn’t get filtered through reels or drowned in airport noise?

I don't! I give in to the feeling! I love to feel all the feels and loneliness can also make you feel alive. I think the worst feeling you can have, is to feel nothingness or jaded or numb. As long as you feel loneliness every once in a while, you know you are living and still have a fire burn inside you that has longing and a craving for connection and people. I gotta admit I'm doing pretty good on my own. I hardly ever feel lonely but I think that's because I have an identical twin. I even go on vacation alone all by myself. It's the best. 


Bill wears a sweater by 032C, a jacket and trousers by HERMÈS, and shoes by MARSÉLL

Bill wears a shirt by ARKET and a coat by JOSEPH

What do you think you would miss the most if there were no social media or mobile networks today?

The inspiration that comes from it. I'm a very visual person so I love photography, architecture, fashion and the access to all of it with just a fingertip. Also I would miss my number one flirting and dating tool. Haha. Cause I date mostely through Instagram.


If you could ghost one memory forever, digitally and emotionally, what would you delete?


The death of my two doggies. That was very hard on me. I'm an animal lover and my dogs were like my kids. The way they both passed was very sudden, way too early and unexpected. That's a memory that I'd like to forget. But I'm not one who lives with regrets, so I can't really think of anything else I'd like to forget.

How would you go about dating if you had to do it completely offline today?

I would probably party even more than I do now. I love to go out and meet new people through mutual friends or just strangers at a rave. I love to have a good drink at a bar and make friends. Thats the best! I also love house parties, birthdays and my favorite are weddings. I always end up with someone at a wedding.

Bill, imagine being offline without any technology or social media, how do you cope with just being alone with yourself?

Could I still watch TV?

Of course, TV is still offline

I love movies and old TV shows. Thats like therapy for me and calms me a lot. If I wouldn’t have a TV either I would probably lay out by the pool with a good bottle of champagne, listen to jazz music and play with my doggie Alfia. I adopted her a year and a half ago. Shes a little merle frenchie and my absolute everything.

When was the last time you wrote something with your actual hand? Like pen, paper, no autocorrect?

Not that long ago. I wrote a love letter to fashion for a big magazine very recently. I love writing by hand. I do it every day. I have a little scribble book where I write in every day. Just notes and stuff I can't forget. Also all the notes for my weekly podcast are always handwritten and I keep all of them..

Let’s imagine you had kept a diary in 2006, what do you think would surprise people most if they read a page from it today?

That I was hiding a lot of secrets and pain behind those perfectly smokey eyes.

Bill wears a total look by LEVI’S, a brooch by JW ANDERSON, a bracelet by HERMÈS, and shoes by MARSÉLL

photography   CHRISTOPHER PUTTINS
stylist   ARKADIUSZ SWIETON
hair & make up artist   PATRICK GORRA
set stylist   NICI THEUERKAUF
photography assistant   MORITZ HILKER
styling assistant   LEA ISABELL UHLE
copyright LE MILE Magazine / Christopher Puttins for LE MILE Issue 39 "OFFLINE", FW2025/26 Edition

SAMUEL WATSON *discusses Career Formation, Pressure, and Long-term Orientation in Fashion

That´s How Samuel Watson Manages Pressure, Rejection, and Forward Momentum

interview + written CHIDOZIE OBASI

When it comes to fashion, the emergence of a promising new talent still carries weight. In an industry shaped by saturation and accelerating cycles, it takes discipline, persistence, and clarity to sustain attention.

Sam wears a total look by MOSCHINO

Following campaigns for Emporio Armani and Alan Crocetti, and most recently appearing as the face of Calvin Klein’s global underwear campaign, Samuel Watson continues to define his position within a system he has long been committed to. Yet visibility alone is not the endpoint. “I’m someone who deeply values having a home base, and the more I grow, the more owning a place of my own would mean the whole world to me,” he reflects, fully aware that professional affirmation rarely follows a straight line.

In conversation with LE MILE’s Fashion Director Chidozie Obasi, Watson discusses modeling, personal pressure, mental health, and the longer trajectory he is working toward.

Sam wears a total look by LORO PIANA

Sam wears a total look by ZEGNA

Chidozie Obasi
Could you kindly introduce yourself to us?

Samuel Watson
I’m Samuel Watson, aged 22 from Sydney, Australia.

Who were the biggest inspirations you had while growing up?

My biggest inspiration would definitely have to be my parents. They’re the hardest working people I know, and watching their dedication and resilience growing up really shaped how I approach life. I try to carry that same work ethic into everything I do, both personally and professionally. Another major source of inspiration came from the online fitness space. When I started high school, I was naturally very skinny and felt insecure about my body. That pushed me to dive deep into learning how to build and transform the human body. I became obsessed with self-education—reading, experimenting, and training consistently. Over time, it became not just a passion but a skill I still use today in my career as a model.

How did you venture into the fashion industry?

While I was studying psychology at university in Australia, my partner at the time was working as a model. I saw how much fun she was having and the incredible experiences she was gaining. When she suggested that I could model too, I decided to give it a shot. She referred me to her agent, who signed me—and from there, the rest is history!

What have been your biggest pinch-me moments so far?

The biggest pinch-me moment has to be my first Emporio Armani Underwear campaign. I had just returned from a week away at a music festival with friends when I got a call from my agent telling me I was flying to Milan in four days to shoot the campaign. I was absolutely ecstatic—this was my first major job. To make it even more surreal, a friend sent me a photo a few weeks ago showing my campaign image painted on the side of a building in the middle of Milan. Needless to say, I was speechless.

Sam wears a grey coat by CELINE, a blazer by BRUNELLO CUCINELLI, a shirt by BRIONI, and pants by DOLCE & GABBANA

Sam wears a total look by PRADA

How do you deal with rejection and downfalls?

Rejection is a constant in this industry. After nearly three years of modeling, I’ve become so used to it that it doesn’t really affect me anymore. From a professional standpoint, I never take it personally. If an option falls through, I shift my focus to what’s next.

I genuinely believe that setbacks are opportunities to grow. You pick yourself up, learn from the experience, and move forward stronger. Spiritually, I often take rejection as a sign from the universe that something else is meant for me.

In an industry shaped by complexities, how do you maintain positivity and protect your mental health?

Thankfully, I’ve managed to maintain a healthy mental state throughout my career. I credit that to keeping things simple—sticking to a consistent workout routine, eating nutritious whole foods, and living a balanced lifestyle, even while traveling. The fashion industry constantly puts you in situations where you need to make big decisions, and it can feel isolating since modeling is such a unique job. When I find myself stressed, I go for a walk and mentally play out scenarios. It helps me gain perspective and simplify whatever I’m facing.

What is your biggest aspiration right now?

Right now, my main goal is to grow within the fashion industry. I’m fully focused on modeling and excited by the momentum I’ve built so far this year. There are a few projects yet to be released that I can’t wait to share. Outside of modeling, one of my dreams is to own a small cottage in my hometown. I’m someone who deeply values having a home base, and owning one of my own would mean the world to me. It goes hand-in-hand with achieving success in my career, so I’ll continue working hard to get there.

Any final thoughts you’d like to share?

I’d like to thank the team for creating such an incredible piece of work and for the amazing experience I had throughout the process. It’s a true honor to be featured in the print issue of this magazine and to have collaborated with such a talented group of people. Honestly, this shoot pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’m naturally a pretty mellow person, so “going mad” in front of the camera didn’t come naturally. But with the encouragement and creative energy on set, I was inspired to step into the story—and together, we created something truly beautiful.

Sam wears a chequered skirt by INSTITUTION, a pleated skirt by JIL SANDER by Lucie and Luke Meier, jewellery by VOODOO JEWELS, shoes by SEBAGO, and socks by CELINE

Sam wears a blazer by GABRIELE PASINI, a black shirt by ALESSANDRO GHERARDI, a denim shirt by DIESEL, pants by ACT N1, and shoes by DR. MARTENS

photography   COSIMO BUCCOLIERI via STUDIO REPOSSI
fashion director + stylist   CHIDOZIE OBASI
head of production   JESSICA LOVATO
contributing editor   LUCA ROSEI
fashion coordinator   ALBERTO MICHISANTI
copy editor   EDWARD PUSCA
make up + hair   SARA BERGAGLIO via MKS MILANO using MAC COSMETICS
set designer   THALA BELLONI
model   SAMUEL WATSON via WW MGMT
photography assistant   ANTONIO CROTTI
fashion assistants    LORIS VOTTERO + CLOE RUBINATO + ANNA REGGAZZONI + MARTINA MANENTI + ALESSANDRA DI MUGNO + ANGELICA GUAMAN + REBECCA ASTORINO
copyright LE MILE Magazine / ACosimo Buccolieri