As Sharp as a diamond blade, Kendra Bentley, our cover star for L’Officiel January pulchritudes beauty out of golden. When asked about her take on fitness, she said “Fitness to me is about keeping your body moving, active and strong and eating the right vegetables for your individual body to digest properly. Being Fit, Beautiful, and Smart at the same time, she is all you need when you are thinking a whole package. Check out whats her take regarding life and the world, where she stand fearless, like the queen of the jungle.
Team Credits:
Model – Kendra Bentley @kendra.jill.bentley
Photographer – Anna Turayeva @conceptica
Stylist – Davis Carrasquillo @daviscarrasquillo
Mua – Joanne Marchevsky @jojomartistry
Hair – Javier Martnez @blumindinc
Production – Davis NYCFE @davisnycfe
Re-toucher – Maria Mazayeva @maria_retoucher
Photography Assistant- Benjamin Sar @_benjaminsar
Location – 1000 Palms Hideout, Miami @1000palmshideout
First of all, a very Happy New year! Are there any New year’s resolutions that you are very adamant about sticking to this year? If you were given a chance to go back in time, what time would it be and why would you choose that?
 Happy New Year! My New Year’s Resolutions include trying to be more patient, drinking more water, taking my kids out for special one-on-one time with me at least once per month, finally updating my collage walls of family photos and trying to make at least 1 child I see smile per day. If I could go back in time I would love to be able to experience the Hollywood Golden Era glamour days.There is something so enticing, beautiful and feminine about this era. I would also go back to when my children were babies. I absolutely love the baby stage and would do it over time and again.
We see that your sense of fashion surpasses everybody’s expectations every time, where do you see this industry in the next 10 years? If you were given a chance, what would be the 3 things that you would change about it right now?
Fashion gives people a chance to express their inner feelings, creativity and emotions outwardly. I hope that in 10 years the art and craft of high fashion is in full force. I would like to see the fashion industry more sustainable. Perhaps we can create a system where designers can buy back some of their previous pieces from current consumers and rework them into new designs. I think fast fashion factories should work on becoming more sustainable and recyclable as well. I think that some designers, especially American ones have expanded their sizes in their collections which are amazing but some have forgotten to include sizes for people in the smallest range of sizes.
“Fashion gives people a chance to express their inner feelings, creativity and emotions outwardly. I hope that in 10 years the art and craft of high fashion is in full force.”
Talking about the entertainment industry, which actor/actress is your favourite and if you were given one movie to remake according to you, which one would it be?
I definitely don’t have one favorite actor or actress. I love light comedies with actors like Chris Rock and Will Farrell. I always imagined myself playing the role of Brooke Shields or Milla Jovovich in The Blue Lagoon and Return to the Blue Lagoon. I was awestruck by their enchanting beauty and innocence while living in absolute paradise in the south pacific. It was a wondrous and unforgettable fantasy that I carried for years.
Do you think that winning season 6 of The Amazing Race has made a positive impact on your career, what was your best moment in the show?
Yes, I think the Amazing Race made a positive impact for me. It opened opportunities for me as a travel t.v. host and it paved the way for me to represent different travel destinations and high end hotels. One of my best moments in the show was getting to connect with and ride a beautiful elephant in Sri Lanka. I was also very proud of myself conquering my significant fear of heights and repelling down the side of a skyscraper building in Shanghai, China.
“Fitness to me is about keeping your body moving, active and strong and eating the right vegetables for your individual body to digest properly.”
You donate regularly, especially for causes regarding Children, why do children hold a special place in your heart; is there any story behind it?
I do truly love children and being around them. Since I was a teen my dream was to adopt a child. I have now been blessed with 3 healthy, beautiful boys, and I would still love to adopt a little girl. I love donating to children’s causes because I believe they are our future and I firmly believe in paying it forward. I have also encountered close friends and some family whose children have suffered with childhood cancer and autism. If I can make one child feel better and give them a chance at an improved life then my contributions and time are well worth it. It warms my heart to see children content and smiling.
We see that your body speaks fit, what are your take on body positivity and what do you think that fitness is all about?
Fitness to me is about keeping your body moving, active and strong and eating the right vegetables for your individual body to digest properly. The foods that are great for one person even though perceived as healthy may not be the best for another person. I try to stay away from foods that come in boxes and packages but my weakness is chips. I’m very happy that the industry has made moves to be so inclusive in recent years. I think it has been long overdue. Health and strength comes in many different sizes and shapes. I prefer to stay active outdoors jogging, biking or rollerblading when the weather is conducive as opposed to being in a gym. I’m also a fan of pilates on the reformer.
“I think young women should search the top agencies in their area and not be intimidated to submit their unaltered, unfiltered images and videos to the top household name agencies.”
You have been on both sides of the reality shows on a scale of 1-10, how real are those? What was your experience on being on both sides as a host and as a guest, which one was better?
I would give the reality shows I was on 6 out of 10 in terms of realness. There is a lot that is done in post production as far as editing what people say, when they say it or for example putting 2 phrases together from different times or showing a certain reaction from a contestant and pairing it with a clip from a completely different time or scenario. This can be helpful in understanding certain situations but these editing protocols can also be used to dramatize a certain situation that never really happened or was never said.
Many young women want to be a model like you but are afraid of this industry, what are the few tips you would like to give to those young aspirants?
I think young women should search the top agencies in their area and not be intimidated to submit their unaltered, unfiltered images and videos to the top household name agencies. Agents are looking not only for beauty in a wide range of ethnicities and sizes of healthy bodies but also for talent in areas such as dance, sports and other unique skills. Submit to several agencies and do not be afraid of rejection. One model can never meet the needs of all clients or agencies and it’s important to gain thick skin early on and not take rejection personally. The worth of models is much more than our perceived beauty and talents. This is important for every model to remember.
“I’m definitely a beach girl at heart. Bora Bora has been my top favorite destination so far. I still have many spots on my bucket list to visit in SouthEast Asia and India.”
If given a choice between mountain and beaches, what would you choose and what place does your dream vacation consists of?
I’m definitely a beach girl at heart. Bora Bora has been my top favorite destination so far. I still have many spots on my bucket list to visit in SouthEast Asia and India. I can’t wait for the opportunity to travel to these destinations.
Our L’Officiel family was vey excited to have you by our side, what is the advice that you would like to give them?
I’m thrilled to be the covergirl of L’Officiel India this month. I have been a faithful reader of L’Officiel since my pre teen years. I enjoyed the excitement of going to the magazine stand each month to turn the beautiful glossy pages of my fashion bible go-to. I feel honored to be a part of your eclectic, renowned fashion world and I believe L’Officiel has been right on track and has remained fashion forward and fascinating so my advice is to keep doing exactly what you have been doing.
