Fashion photographer Kimdary captured the cover story of DSCENE Magazine‘s Summer 2020 edition featuring models Richie Muquembo at Wanted Models, Zacky at Universe Scout Street Hunting and Girl Mgmt, and Kevin Lanoy. Styling is work of L’Insane. Models are wearing selected looks from Xander Zhou, Thierry Mugler, 032c, Alan Crocetti, Hyein Seo, Untitlab, Hyein Seo, Vivienne Westwood, and Palomo Spain.
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Kimdary, the photographer we collaborated with on this shoot, was born in France in the beginning of the 90’s, with Asian heritage. She is a fashion photographer and worked as art director in advertising for years in Paris and New York. The artist gives importance to the inner beauty. That’s why before the photoshoot, Kimdary talks with the models and thinks about their personalities in order to decide which direction she should go during the photoshoot. She puts them at ease to be themselves, and this process undoubtedly allows them to open up and give the most authentic expressions. Once she gets to know the models, she also works with the stylist to choose the clothes that suit her the most. This pre-planning is really felt in the image ! It might sound small, but in reality it’s a real challenge to ask models to let go and be themselves because for years they have been constantly trained to “Be beautiful and Shut up”. Here the discussion between her and the models:
Hi Zacky, at only 19, I Can feel your energy and that you already have several lives. Tell me about your many other talents!
Art in general fascinates me, I try to touch everything: music, fashion, visual art. I started with modeling and finally started the artistic direction and production of shootings. I’m currently setting up my own art label, I also started doing music during the quarantine with a musician friend who mainly does rock, but I’m trying to experiment with different styles of songs. My dream? It’s to be an artist in the true sense of the word and to be able to travel between the different sectors of art, to be able to freely express the imaginary in a reality that we all want to escape from.
Hi Kevin, i knew you as a stylist before asking you to be my model. What are you passionate about in the fashion industry?
I started styling 2 years ago when I met Edem Dossou. I was born and raised in Gabon. At the time i knew I liked fashion but it was not a career for me, which is weird because I don’t see myself working elsewhere than fashion right now. What I like about it is the course of the different individuals working it, we all have different stories, different ways to arrive where we are right now and all driven by the same passion with different visions and references. Even tough we still have inclusivity and representation issues, fashion is a big melting pot. I like to dress people because it allows me to express something, to me it’s a form of art, it gives confidence, it’s beautiful, weird, some might like, others will not but at the end it tells the story of those who are wearing it. Clothes are powerful in more ways that we can imagine and that’s what I like about it. My biggest dream would be a world without discrimination at all level, which I know is utopia, but I can’t dream of something else. I am young and black. It have never been a problem to me but is for some people, I did not choose it, others did not choose their sexual orientations, origins, disabilities, etc. and it’s truly sad that they are discriminated for what they are or choose.
Hi Richie, last year, i noticed your voice aside modeling. what are your many passions?
I’ve been working as a designer on my own in art direction for a year now. I’m also a singer. I started singing when I was a kid in my school choir, going through soul, rob and pop. With time I was able to create my own world. I work on my side in order to be able to share my universe with the public. Singing makes me feel free and allows me to express myself fully.
Photographer and Art director KIMDARY – kimdary.com
Styling by L’INSANE – @linsane.store
Models Richie Muquembo @muquembo at Wanted Models, Zacky @savezacky at Universe Scout Street Hunting, Kevin Lanoy @levinkanoy
