Scott Kraenzlein began his career in London representing photographers such as Ellen v. Unwerth, Mario Sorrenti, Glen Luchford and creatives Peter Saville and Suburbia. An accomplished executive with almost 30 years of experience, he has held senior roles throughout advertising and media in the UK, the US and Europe working with a number of multinational brands, amongst them UNIQLO, H&M, GIVENCHY and ARMANI. Currently, Scott is MD and Partner at NATAAL Media. Founded in 2015 with partners Marie Gomis, Helen Jennings and Sara Hemmings, it is a publication and creative studio celebrating and supporting black creatives throughout the world of fashion, design, music and the arts. We sit down with Scott to discuss his career and how he became a part of one of our favourite publications.
Q: What does confidence mean to you?
A: Knowing when to listen and when to ignore advice.
Q: How did you get to where you are today, and any tips for our readers?
A: Curiosity and a constant urge to learn and better myself. What I would say to anyone is that if it doesn’t work today, that doesn’t mean it won’t work tomorrow. Give it time, a situation can change overnight.
Q: Was it challenging breaking into the industry?
A: Yes, but I was fortunate enough to have met many people along the way who supported and believed in me and helped ease the journey.
Q: Much like our founder, you’ve lived all over the world. Having been born in Canada, raised in Germany and moving between New York and London – did you find it difficult to integrate with all the diverse cultures?
A: Growing up like this was indeed challenging at times. Later in life these experiences paid dividends – it gave me a much better understanding of other people and other cultures, how they think and how they feel and it is a big part of who I am today.
Q: It’s October, which marks Black History Month. What does this mean to you, and how important do you think it is to celebrate?
A: To be truthful, I am undecided. While I welcome the opportunity to highlight issues surrounding race and colour, many individuals, and brands, operate under the perception that one month a year will suffice to resolve and redeem themselves from any or all issues relating to racism and inequality, past, present or future. The fact is, these problems do not begin on the 1st or end on the 31st of October; the year has 12 months and 365 days.
Check out our Gloss Lip launch event in collaboration with NATAAL here.
