Get to Know Kenya Kinski Jones - and See Her Model in Nasty Gal's New Campaign
Kenya Kinski Jones comes from Hollywood royalty; her dad is record producer Quincy Jones, mom is German model/actress Nastassja Kinski and her half-sister is Rashida Jones. But now she’s making her own name for herself with her modeling career — and she just landed her first Nasty Gal campaign! Check out your first look at the campaign here.
The 25-year-old is starring in the brand’s new campaign for the “After Party” collection, which is a limited-edition collection of hard-to-find vintage looks that are reimagined and reworked by Nasty Gal. The 28-piece collection (ranging from $20-$100) launches on Thursday, June 14 and includes a mix of camo items, crop tops and denim — and Jones is a fan of every piece.
“So hard to choose one thing, this whole collection is so good,” she said when asked to pick her favorite. “I’m obsessed with the cropped black denim jacket — it’s the perfect fit and you can basically wear it with anything. I also love the camo pants with the baby doll linen white top and white boot for summer.”
Jones has been modeling since high school, but waited to take on the profession full-time until after she finished college.
“I did my very first shoot for Vogue Spain and was inspired by the whole process of it,” she says about her first gig. “Then I began college and worked the jobs that didn’t interfere with my classes. When I graduated I could finally take the job on full time. I moved to New York, got my first apartment, and have been able to travel to some incredible places and work with such special, talented individuals which I’m very grateful for.”
It’s the people and the work that goes behind fashion that piqued her interest. “I always had an interest in fashion and the creative process behind it. There’s so much that goes into that moment captured in a photograph — the whole crew contributing their talent, passion, and energy to create this one magical moment is so cool. So maybe somewhere all along I knew it was something I was going to get into.”
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She’s walked in Chanel’s Metiers D’art fashion show (which she calls “dream come true”) and modeled for Stella McCartney fragrance and swim campaigns, which was one of her favorite collaborations thanks to her shared interests with McCartney.
“She’s always been a major idol to me and I deeply value our relationship,” she says about the designer. “She is truly the pioneer of conscious high fashion. Stella is making a change in the world for animals and the environment which the rest of the fashion world is now following and taking note of. It’s very exciting and beautiful. I very much look up to her and would love to work with her and learn from her in that way behind the scenes.”
Having been an animal lover her whole life (she had eight dogs, five cats and two horses growing up), Jones is very involved with animal rights and environmental conservation issues.
“My mom is a huge animal lover. She taught me a lot through the treatment of animals — having compassion, patience, and a gentleness,” she says. “So animals were a central part of my growth during childhood. When I was 8 years old, I became a vegetarian. Animals are so pure and I think we as humans very much take advantage of their vulnerability which says a lot about us a species. To be their voice and protection has always been a calling and I to work towards someday having an organization and sanctuary farm of my own for animals rescued from slaughterhouses.”
She currently works with Last Chance for Animals, a non-profit organization that advocates for animal rights. “The organization was founded by Chris DeRose who is a true hero who has risked his life for these causes through investigation for many years. LCA is the real deal. I’m very proud to be able to do anything with them and to get to learn from them. They’re an amazing team of real, dedicated activists and they walk the talk.”
So what’s next for the model? Stay tuned! “I’m just taking it day by day! We’ll see!”
