IN CONVERSATION WITH KIT PRICE
interview by FIONA FROMMELT
In just over two years, Kit Price has managed to go from his debut at London Fashion Week to one of fashion’s most recognisable faces in fashion. Kit’s life has also recently reached a full circle moment, as he announced his signing with the acting industry heavyweight Independent Talent Group. His attention now turns to his childhood love of performance while maintaining his growth as a global face for the menswear market.
jacket DSQUARED2
necktie VINTAGE PIERRE CARDIN
suit JLAL
rings LOUIS VUITTON,TRINITE STUDIO, FYR
shirt STYLIST OWN
shoes DSQUARED2
You grew up in Malaysia and moved to England in your early twenties, what was relocating to another continent like for you?
It was definitely a culture shock. I’d lived my entire life in tropical heat so seasonal depression was completely new to me. On top of that, I really missed Asian flavours, sunshine, tropical storms and obviously my family and friends. But I quickly fell in love with the buzz of European cities, and London in particular.
jacket DSQUARED2
necktie VINTAGE PIERRE CARDIN
suit JLAL
rings LOUIS VUITTON,TRINITE STUDIO, FYR
shirt STYLIST OWN
shoes DSQUARED2
At just 23 years old, you are one of fashion’s most recognisable faces. What initially made you go into modelling? Has that always interested you?
I had no intention of modelling, ever, if anything I was quite against the idea! Mainly because I knew my friends would take the piss out of me. But after the misery of lockdown, I got scouted four times within a month. Eventually I thought fuck it, I’ve got nothing to lose. I had been pretty miserable studying drama online at Manchester University during the pandemic, so it felt like the perfect excuse to explore something new. It was just a roll of the dice really, I never expected it to amount to what it has.
Now you’re not only a successful model but you also have recently been signed to the acting agency Independent Talent Group. A true full circle moment for you!
Yes, it's a very exciting time in my life! It's always been a dream to sign to an agency like Independent and properly pursue my acting career, so I'm eager to see what comes out of it. For now, it's a case of dusting off the acting cobwebs, while continuing to elevate my modelling career as much as I can.
jacket KENZO
necklace LOUIS VUITTON
What initially made you want to pursue acting?
My love for acting began when I was around 15 years old. Before that, I was mainly focused on sport and thought of acting as pretty 'lame'. However, I was lucky enough to have some really cool Drama teachers. They gave me a different perspective on acting and helped encourage what little talent I had then. They believed in me and over time it allowed me to let go of my ego and not be scared to explore different characters. Over time, I realised that I was the happiest in front of an audience on stage, rather than on the sports field, and I was probably a bit better at it too.
With your acting career on the horizon, are there any types of roles and stories that you look forward to representing specifically?
It's early days and there's still a lot to learn. I come from a background that is predominantly theatre, so adapting to self-tapes and portraying a character and feeling over camera has been an interesting learning curve. But I will continue to work on my craft and hopefully be in a position where I can tackle all sorts of different roles.
full look DIESEL
shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Your approach to your content is funny and lighthearted, and you talk openly about your experiences as a model, good and bad, even sharing the rejections. What inspired you to share your journey online?
Initially, it was because I wanted to control the narrative of what people thought of me outside of posing for the camera. I didn't want people to think I was too far up my arse and I thought having a bit of fun with it was the perfect way to do that. Over time my love for making content and being a model grew and I truly enjoyed documenting my lifestyle, the good and the bad.
coat ARTURO OBREGADO
blazer NONE OF MY BUSINESS
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
rings LOUIS VUITTON,TRINITE STUDIO, FYR
full look ARTURO OBREGADO
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
Can you tell us more about your series “Fashion Week Unfiltered” and “Fashion City Playoffs”?
I'm always looking for ways to elevate my content and produce videos that I'm proud of. After the Fashion Week Unfiltered series was well received, I wanted to create a concept that was even more insightful – a lot of people are captivated by the fashion industry and love to see behind the scenes. That's when I came up with the idea to create the Fashion City Playoffs. I spent a month in each of the big four fashion cities, London, Milan, Paris and New York, to give viewers an idea of the different experiences they offer and ultimately which one takes the crown. It was a really fun experience, yet by the end of it I was exhausted with living out of a suitcase and needed a break.
As a model, you are not just commenting on your experience on social media but also innovating the use of it. Yet I wonder, has there been a moment where your social media presence stood in the way of your job or do you feel that they go hand in hand?
I feel like it's a very interesting time in the fashion industry and it's definitely becoming more inclusive and open-minded. My social media presence works in my favour at times, but some brands prefer to have total control over their social media presence. I’m confident that this will continue to change over the next couple of years and I plan to be at the forefront of that.
How do you navigate auditions and the pressure that comes with them?
Honestly, I don't really get nervous for auditions. At times they can be a bit stressful, particularly for fashion weeks when my schedule gets crazy. But at the end of the day they're either going to like you for who you are, or they don’t and it just means that you’re not the right fit for the brand, and that's okay! It’s important to be okay with rejection and failure. You need to be able to move on quickly, onto the next job, that is a massive part of being a successful model.
coat ARTURO OBREGADO
blazer NONE OF MY BUSINESS
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
rings LOUIS VUITTON,TRINITE STUDIO, FYR
coat ARTURO OBREGADO
blazer NONE OF MY BUSINESS
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
rings LOUIS VUITTON,TRINITE STUDIO, FYR
With Fashion Weeks being almost over, what is your secret to staying grounded and close to yourself during hectic times?
When things are getting hectic, I find it helps to latch on to any form of routine that I can. Working out, eating healthy, keeping in touch with friends and family, these are just a few things that I find keep me grounded and at peace in the chaos.
Talking about eating healthy: On your socials, you share your grand love for poke bowls, and we just need to know, what is your go-to order?
My mouth just started watering (laughs). Some white rice, wakame, avocado, mango, tomatoes, feta, vegan nuggets, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds; greatness in a bowl. That’s my death row meal right there.
Finally, can you share some milestones that you wish to achieve in the future?
I mean there are dozens of milestones I'm yet to achieve in the fashion industry, let alone the acting industry. So the list would go on and on. But in the grand scheme of things, I just wish for good health for me and my loved ones and to build my acting career whilst continuing to model and work with great brands.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent KIT PRICE
photography ALEJANDRA LOAIZA
styling ALIYAH SEMILLANO
hair SHAILA MORAN
makeup CHRISTINE HUBERT
styling assistance CANNELLE GODRAN
photography assistance FRANCISCO NICOLAS RODRIGUEZ
retouch ALINA EFIMOVA
location ANNODINE STUDIO
editor TIMI LETONJA
interview FIONA FROMMELT
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
