Meet Denise Kreft, Senior PR Manager for NARS Cosmetics

 

HERITAGE: Filipina
AGE: 33
BORN & RAISED: Bacolod City, Philippines; raised in Manila, Philippines
CLAIM TO FAME: As the senior PR manager for NARS Cosmetics in the U.S., Kreft works in a fast-paced environment surrounded by fashion, talent and, of course, beauty. “On any given day, I could be doing a variety of different things, which is the nature of the industry,” she says. “Since NARS is a brand loved by makeup artists, I get access not only to the best products but the best artists.”

 


 

My go-to karaoke song:
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses.

Last time I cried:
When I read The Fault in Our Stars.

My go-to comfort food:
Filipino food!

Last thing I ate:
Almond cookies from F. Monteleone, a cute Italian bakery in Brooklyn. Sometimes I’ll bring a box into the office and, well, let’s just say it doesn’t last very long.

Currently on “repeat”:
“Anna Sun” by Walk the Moon.

A guilty pleasure I don’t feel guilty about:
Vampire Diaries on the CW.

Current favorite place: La Bandita farmhouse in Pienza, Italy. We spent our honeymoon in Italy just a few months back, so I’m still dreaming of la dolce vita.

Favorite drink:
Calamansi juice (a Filipino lemonade).

Current obsessions:
Rafé New York “Denise” backpack (my uncle is the designer, and he named the backpack for me since I love a good backpack); NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation and Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl (I am almost never without a bold lip); and Soul Cycle (I spin with Laurie Cole three times weekly, and I rarely miss a class).

Habit I need to break:
3 p.m. venti soy latte breaks. It’s so habitual that my barista pretty much has the drink on the bar when I come in.

Hidden talent:
Calligraphy – necessity is the mother of all invention, right? When you work in PR, sometimes you’re faced with DIY situations.

Talent I’d like to have:
I was born tone deaf and have always wanted to carry a tune.

Phrase I most overuse:
Starting sentences with “I mean.”

Greatest fear:
Disappointing my family.

Motto:
“Don’t be so serious, it’s only makeup” – François Nars.

What’s cool about being Asian?
Everything! Especially my wrinkle-free skin.

My job in another life:
A photographer – I love capturing moments, landscapes and people.

 


 

Photo by Conan Thai
Makeup by Justin Heslop
Clothing by Zero Maria Cornejo

 

This story was originally published in our Summer 2015 issue. Get your copy here. 

 

 

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