interview with Caitlin Greenidge; photographs by Mario Sorrenti; style from Beat Bolliger.
Kendall Jenner is a Scorpio. And restraint is characteristic of this water sign. With her, the writer and author of Harper’s Bazaar America Caitlin Greenidge had a long talk about change and evolution – two more hallmarks of Scorpio women. “I feel like I’m learning what it means to me to be a woman,” she said in an interview, “and the fact that I’ve always been surrounded by strong women has signified the value I place on myself.”
Jenner is 27 years old and she meets us in a room full of books and novels. She’s wearing a black tank top, her hair pulled back to free her face, her skin glowing. It looks like he just went for a walk, and not resting at home. When he speaks, he has the confidence of someone who has spent his entire adult life in front of a camera. He often pauses to consider how what he just said sounds like. “I know I look like an L.A. native,” she says at one point. And then: “How trite I just said.” Not addressing anyone in particular, but knowing that it is often the case that people tend to insert her into a narrative that is not hers. And when his eyes move, you notice that he is looking around. “What I love most about growing up is that it comes with knowledge and wisdom.”
The Jenner family has been a staple of global pop culture since Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered in 2007. Six seasons of the series are available in Italy on Amazon Prime Video. Jenner was eleven when she first appeared on screen, depicted as a little girl engaging in innocent arguments with her younger sister Kylie, as opposed to older sisters busy building their brand and fame instead. But Jenner remembers that her childhood was a sacred moment in some kind of sanctuary. “I just mind my own business,” she says. “I liked hiding in my room and doing my own thing or spending time with my horses.”
“She always had a clear idea of who she was,” says her mother, Kris Jenner. “Her superpower is knowing when something is too much and when it’s not enough… She’s a lot smarter about it than I am, and in that sense, she taught me a thing or two.”
Jenner’s ability to maintain a sense of mystery has played a crucial role in her success in the fashion world, where she is now one of the most sought-after models. An important point in her work is the ability to maintain an aura of mystery, despite fame, allowing people to build their own story – around the glamor, the dance of the imagination comes to life.
“It’s not the easiest industry to work in,” Jenner says. “It’s really competitive and very intense at times.” But the fashion scene is now radically different from the one Jenner started out in a decade ago. His rise reflects how brands and careers have been built and where the strength lies. Jenner has been at the forefront of a new generation of models — many of whom, like her, come from privileged families — who are using social media to enhance their personal brand, offering only hints of their personal lives. She now has over two hundred ninety-two million followers on Instagram and over five million on TikTok. And Jenner works. In addition to thousands of Kardashian engagements, fashion shows and campaigns, she also owns her own 818 tequila brand and recently announced a new partnership with L’Oréal Paris.
While the success of Keeping Up with the Kardashians has given her a distinct edge, she has managed to find her way through reality TV and high fashion without being overwhelmed by either. “I think when some people think things come easy, there’s a lot of criticism,” says casting director and Harper’s Bazaar contributor Anita Bitton, who chose Jenner for her first Marc Jacobs show in 2014 to be able to deal with all these problems. things, you have to be able to maintain a certain rigor that Kendall has,” Bitton explains. “Kendall Jenner is herself.”
“Now I feel very balanced,” says Jenner. “I started my therapeutic journey a year and a half ago. I meet with my therapist regularly so I learn something new every week. I am constantly developing, and this excites me very much.”
Last spring, Jenner’s sister Kim famously teased her with a “Kendall in the starting five” T-shirt because of her penchant for dating basketball players. Rumors about an alleged relationship with Bad Bunny began to circulate on the Internet. It’s an aspect of Jenner’s life that, like so many others, has been in the spotlight, but which, unsurprisingly, is also considered sacred.
“I love passionately and without excuses,” she says. “I hate goodbyes and will always fight to never have to say goodbye to anyone in my life. I will always fight for any relationship. I have always had this belief ever since I was a little girl, although I was shy and sometimes withdrawn,” she continues. “I never refuse anything. Many people do not wish to know me in this regard. But I accept it. I prefer to rush rather than withdraw into myself, not giving a chance to what comes my way.
I asked Jenner if this is reflected in the astrological profile of Scorpio, which they say is so mysterious because it is associated with not one, but three symbols: a stinging scorpion, a symbol of revenge; an eagle associated with the sign’s ability to work hard to improve the world; and phoenix, for the ability to love deeply and boundlessly. The idea is that Scorpio embodies all three archetypes, moving through them in a non-linear way. For Jenner, this is another feature to negotiate. “My attachment to people and my empathy has grown,” he laughs. “My favorite part of growing up is gaining wisdom and knowledge.”
The Harper’s Bazaar Icons 2023 edition of Harper’s Bazaar hits newsstands starting August 29th.
Interviews, videos and photos taken before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Hair: Tomo Jidai; Makeup: Frank B.; Manicure: Lisa Yakhno; Production: Calum Walsh for North Six; Set Designer: Philipp Hemmerle.
From Harper’s Bazaar USA