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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN VORAKA
Article Published on: 18 July 2023 | www.vorakamag.com
Born in 1997, Indonesian Fashion & Celebrity Photographer Reinhardt Kenneth started his journey at 14 years young. He picked up the camera, and truth be told, nothing was ever the same ever since. Raised in a fashion-driven family (son to a textile retail owner father and celebrity fashion designer mother), it was only natural that his vision embarks him on a glamorous journey, one that brought him all around the world.
He started photography by joining amateur-level local competitions, none that recognized his unique eye. Surprisingly, however, much bigger international institutions were the ones who truly recognized his talent. A few months into picking up the camera, he got his first feature in Vogue Italia online. This was followed by a couple of Art Basel Miami features, a digital exhibition at The Louvre (home to the Mona Lisa) at just 16, multiple press features (both international and national), and a feature from Vogue Italia’s very own late Franca Sozzani, all before his 18th birthday. While doing this, interestingly, he hasn't even left the Asian continent and was stuck in high school finishing his International Baccalaureate degree.
Reinhardt eventually moved to LA in 2017 and studied photography at The Art Institutes of California - Hollywood. He was constantly awarded Best of Quarter and multiple awards for each course he was in. However, it was out of school that he truly expanded his wings. His work then was featured in magazine covers featuring the hottest celebrities, including Kyle Richards, Tana Mongeau, Nikita Dragun, Jessica Belkin, Tessa Brooks, and many more.
This project was soon followed by an even bigger, even more inclusive endeavor. Reinhardt (alongside Diana Couture) was chosen by Fashion Week in Bangkok, Thailand, and sponsored by Aston Martin Bangkok to direct a fashion film for their digital fashion week in late 2020. Reinhardt wanted his message of hope and unity to be the center point of this project. He gathered 7 very different women from very different backgrounds and orchestrated a story of finding hope through unity. The fashion film was shot at the iconic Millennium Biltmore in Downtown LA (home to many iconic scenes in the history of filmmaking), and Reinhardt's directorial debut was followed by a wildfire of press and magazine covers.
In 2021, his successes were followed with a more glamorous path. The publications that he is now shooting for include the likes of Harper's Bazaar, L'Officiel, and Elle, alongside features in Hollywood Life, GQ, and Marie Claire. The covers he had the honor to shoot for feature the likes of Juanpa Zurita, Andy Zurita, Farrah Abraham, Loni Anderson, Sir Daniel Winn, Luisito Comunica, Aaliyah Jay (Twisted Saints Campaign), and many more.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH REINHARDT KENNETH
How did your fashion-driven upbringing and early exposure to photography shape your unique vision as a photographer?
Starting photography and being exposed to fashion at such an early age truly solidified my identity as an artist early on. It gave me the advantage of a head start at such a young age to really find my voice, vision, and perspective. One thing that I've been embracing so much lately is the soul of the inner child inside of me that had the dream to embark on this path. Fourteen-year-old Reinhardt would've never thought he would be doing the things he's doing today, and it's been a pretty surreal, beautiful, and rewarding journey.
Please share a significant moment in your career when international institutions recognized your talent at a young age.
I think my earliest memory was being featured in Vogue Italia at 14 years old, which was then followed by a digital exhibition at The Louvre, Art Basel Miami, and many more. It was when the late, brilliant, and iconic Franca Sozzani of Vogue Italia discovered me and posted my work on her Instagram account that I realized there was a place for me in the industry (and the world in general). I knew I had to spread my wings and fly away to a place where my work was appreciated, valued, and celebrated. My work was ahead of its time in Indonesia. At that time, only my closest family and friends "understood" my work back home.
To continue reading the full interview, click here to download the July 2023 issue.
REINHARDT KENNETH ( @reinhardtkenneth ) for VORAKA MAGAZINE JULY 2023 COVER STORY Photography by Hugo Arvizu @arvizu_arts
HMUA: Jael Serrano @serranostudiosla Styling by Priscila Natalina @priscillaxns Location provided by 503 DTLA @503dtla Lighting Director: Rafael Llamas @rafa2w Photographer’s Assistant: Andrew Fabela @andrew.fabela BTS: Ralph Valle @ralphyvalley Creative Direction by @reinhardtkenneth Special Thanks to The Archives & Showroom @thearchshow & UFO PR HOUSE @ufoprhouse Fashion Designers: Kenneth Barlis @kennethbarlis_official , UBS GOLD @ubs.gold, Lance Victor Moore @lance.v.moore , JNG @houseofjng , Asta Razma @astarazma, Bohemian Society @bohemian_society, JAGNE @jagne.co Biggest Gratitude to Anushka Singh @anushqasingh & Danny Benvegnu @dannybenvegnu
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