At the end of last month, pictures of Kim Kardashian broke the internet. No, she wasn’t posing with her bare butt, balancing a champagne glass. In the years since those iconic pictures, Kim has tried to be more selective with the projects she participates in. Kim’s recent groundbreaking photos collaborated with Nadia Lee Cohen, a photographer reaching acclaim through her eccentric style and work with big names like Kim.
CR Fashion book
Their most recent collaboration was for CR Fashion Book 2023, where Cohen once again pulled Kim out of her comfort zone. The shoot is creatively driven, not taking point to highlight Kim’s beauty but her versatility. In one of my favorite pictures, Kim is smudged with soot, wearing a simple white tank top, glasses, and buzzed hair (it’s a wig, don’t worry). Hidden by her glasses, are thinned eyebrows and glossy eyelids. Everything is taken to another level, cast in a warm black-and-white filter. The entire photo spread is Old Hollywood-inspired, with Kim contemplating her next big role by smoking a cigarette and taking headshots.
Interview magazine
This is not the first time that Cohen and Kim have worked together. This time last year, I feel mad about another magazine cover that they worked on together. For Interview Magazine’s September and American Dream issue, Kim donned a 1970s rocker look reminiscent of the explosive lead singer of the Runaways, Cherie Currie. Pulling off a blond shag with bleached eyebrows, Kim reached far beyond her usual attire, cementing her as a true “barrier-breaking muse.”
skim’s metallic suits
Before both of these covers, the first collaboration between these two industry spearheads was for Kim’s swimwear brand, SKIM. The shoot was for SKIM’s new metallic swimsuits. Based on the items’ material, Cohen created an entire world to showcase the new line. The shoot was 80’s inspired, with glitz and glamour at the forefront. Teased hair, blue frosty eyeshadow, and sling-back heels played into the vision of spending the entire summer poolside on the newest invention, the cellphone. As with most of Cohen’s work, this shoot had a retro, space feel to it. While pulling inspiration from many different decades, Cohen always illustrates a sense that these women are the first of their kind, touching down on earth to grace us with their fabulousness.
What’s next?
With the creation of a whole sect of Kardashian content, I hope this isn’t the last time the two collaborate. By changing the boundaries that the beauty mogel stays in (and breaks through), Kardashian and Cohen constantly challenge what work is accepted for a “pretty face.” While it may be assumed that Cohen is bringing Kim out of her comfort zone, maybe we have it wrong. These projects couldn’t be done without Kim giving the okay. Kim was always capable of these creative shoots, but those around her kept her in a box. Kim is finally breaking out of the limits others placed on her, and we’re patiently waiting for what comes next.