Meet Kenza Le Bas, the Photographer Behind Vogue Philippines’ August 2026 Cover

At 14, she first picked up a camera amid Bali’s vibrant colors and traditions. Years later, Kenza Le Bas revisits the island that shaped her artistic eye.

Born in France and raised in Bali, Indonesia, Kenza Le Bas is a citizen of the world. A photographer with a distinctive eye, she has shot stories across New York, Los Angeles, Johannesburg, Dubai, Italy, Rio de Janeiro, and London for brands including Isabel Marant, Lacoste, Chanel, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Her subjects have ranged from Lena Mahfouf and Alex Consani to Paola Locatelli and Kelly Rutherford and her son, Hermés Guersch.

Now based in Paris, she presented her first exhibition, Femmes Galactik, at La Place in Le Marais this year. Featuring portraits set against a world of chrome and metallic light, the exhibition explores the resilience and strength of womanhood across generations.

After years away from her homeland, Le Bas returned to Bali to revisit the place that first cultivated her eye for image. The result is the August 2026 cover story, starring Filipino model Mirelle Aurelia in looks by designers including Issey Miyake, Jaggy Glarino, and Lorico. Set against the island’s traditional villages, flower markets, local warungs, and salt-farming communities, the story brings contemporary fashion into dialogue with Balinese heritage.

For Le Bas, the camera is ultimately a means of telling stories. “I hope people feel something before they even understand what they’re looking at,” she says. “Emotion always comes first.” Here, we speak to the photographer about the places that shaped her, her return to Bali, and the meaning she finds behind the lens.

For readers discovering your work for the first time, what would you like them to know about you and your journey so far?

I’d love people to know that everything I create comes from the heart. For me, photography has to tell a story and carry meaning. I don’t believe in creating images just for the sake of creating them or following trends. I want every project to have depth, emotion, and purpose. My journey has taught me that passion, perseverance, and staying true to your vision will always take you further than chasing what’s fashionable. Never give up hard work always pays off.

Tell us about your background. Where in Indonesia did you grow up? How would you describe your hometown, and what were some of your fondest memories there?

I grew up in Bali, where I spent most of my childhood. Even though I was born in France, Bali is where my roots truly are. It shaped the way I see the world. One of my earliest memories is when I first took a camera at 14 years old. Indonesia was a huge playground and I became fascinated by taking images and I was constantly surrounded by the incredible beauty of Balinese culture. The ceremonies, the offerings, the vibrant colors, the textiles, the flowers, Looking back, I realize that this environment naturally influenced my artistic eye. It taught me to appreciate beauty, symbolism, and emotion long before photography became my career.

You are now based in Paris and travel the world for your occupation as a fashion photographer. What effect did moving away have on your relationship with your Indonesian heritage?

Moving away gave me a completely different perspective on Indonesia. When you grow up somewhere, you sometimes can take its beauty for granted… Living in Paris made me realize how unique Indonesian culture truly is. Indonesia has some of the kindest, warmest, and most generous people I have ever met. I think growing up there shaped the way I connect with others. Even today, I try to bring a little of that warmth, optimism, and openness into my life and my work in Paris. It has become a part of who I am.

At present, what compelled you to craft a story on Indonesia and its culture? What prompted a return to your hometown, and a deeper appreciation for it?

As I grew older, I felt a strong desire to reconnect with my roots. Traveling around the world made me realize how important it is to know where you come from. Returning to Bali wasn’t just about nostalgia it was about seeing it with new eyes. I wanted to celebrate a culture that has given me so much creatively and personally. My goal wasn’t simply to document Indonesia, but to translate the emotions, traditions, and strength that make it so unique through my own visual language with a twist of fashion of course!

Who are some of your biggest creative influences? Whether photographers, painters, filmmakers, designers, or artists in other disciplines?

Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture has always fascinated me. I had the chance to photograph in Brazil among some of his incredible buildings, and his work continues to inspire the way I think about shape, light, and composition. Peter Lindbergh and Helmut Newton are also major influences because they created timeless images that transcend trends and seasons. Beyond artists, travel has probably been my greatest source of inspiration. Countries like Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia have deeply shaped my visual language through their cultures, traditions, colours, and people.

What subjects or moments are you most drawn to photographing, and are there any that you find particularly challenging to capture?

The Cannes Film Festival is one of the biggest challenges. You often have only five or 10 minutes to create a strong portrait of a celebrity, so there’s absolutely no room for hesitation. You need to visualize the final image almost instantly and execute it under pressure. It’s demanding, but it has trained me to work quickly and trust my instincts. I think that’s one of the reasons I’m known for being a very fast photographer, especially on fashion campaigns aha!

What do you hope people take away from your images?

I hope people feel something before they even understand what they’re looking at. Emotion always comes first…

Through those images, I want people to discover Indonesia beyond the clichés… I hope they see its richness, its elegance, its traditions, and the quiet strength of its people. If my photographs inspire someone to look at another culture with more curiosity, respect, and wonder, then I’ve achieved exactly what I wanted.