Kelly Prehn
EAST MEETS WEST: THE BEAUTY WHISPERER
Kelly’s Secret World: Where Ancient Beauty Meets Modern Magic
Model – Kelly Prehn @iamkellyprehn
Photographer - Daron Bandeira @daron_bandeira
Stylist - Paulina Gzik @paulinagzik_stylist
Makeup - Hamta @hami.mua
Hairstylist - Omid Shirali @Omidshirali
Assistant Stylist - Mario Celcynski @Mario_celcznski
High above the energy of Shibuya Crossing, in a sun-drenched corner of a Cat Café, I find myself waiting to meet Kelly Prehn. It's that magical hour when Tokyo's sunset bathes everything in gold, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city's famous neon signs are just beginning to flicker to life. Kelly has become beauty's digital-age sage - an international model who has built an elegant empire bridging East and West, with 36 books on traditional Asian beauty secrets and over 1.4 million copies in print. Her unique ability to translate centuries-old wisdom for modern life has made her the trusted beauty confidante for women across continents and cultures. But today, in this cozy paw-filled corner, I'm about to meet the woman behind this quietly powerful beauty empire, who's bringing timeless secrets to life for a new era.
Dress - Savanna
Earrings - Ella Zubrowska Jewellery
Shoes - Vanda Novak
Scrolling through the golden girls social accounts - another casual 5-million-view phenomenon where she demonstrates a centuries-old beauty ritual using just rice water and morning dew - it's clear why this authentic content has made her unite eastern wisdom with western beauty.
A recent YouTube clip of her judging last year's MassKara Festival in the Philippines pops up. Posing between Manila muse Ching Cruz and stylish Hotelier Tina Cuevas, while Jojie Dingcong orchestrates vibrant proceedings with his trademark artistry, I wonder how on earth we will get along? Wearing endless ball gowns, Kelly looks terrifyingly glamorous.
The unadorned girl who walks into the café seems like a different person entirely. The poppy beat of Aqua's Barbie Girl pumps through the air as she settles into her chair. She correctly reads my expression. "You thought I'd suggest Park Hyatt, didn't you?" she grins like an impish fairy, reaching down to scratch behind the ears of a scruffy orange tabby that suddenly makes a bee line to her white cotton socked ankles [shoes must be removed before entering Cat Cafes in Japan].
Indeed I expect to meet Kelly in a more luxurious neutral pared down 'Lost in Translation-esque' zen location. "My most important cat recently passed away. I need fur therapy", she scrunches her eyes and then widens them with a slight pool of a tear that she shakes away brightly. Immediately I know who the real Kelly is.
Look - Robert Czerwik
Even without a trace of makeup, she has the poise of an off-duty ballerina, her shiny dark hair swept up in a casual bun. Those expressive eyes sparkle with mischief and wisdom in equal measure, while her bare glowing skin speaks of years of dedicated ritual rather than filters or foundation.
She's wearing a white t-shirt layered with a black cashmere spaghetti-strap top, black wool pleated skirt and a small antique pearl pin catches the light as she moves. No Hermès here - her weathered brown leather satchel is the kind issued at Harry Potter style schools.
Kelly slowly and steadily has become the pioneer of connecting East and West in beauty and wellness. This is not a new project. Her first book was released over a decade ago, and since then, her collection of books on traditional, rare and some say 'weird' beauty practices are resonating deeply with readers worldwide.
She discusses their success with the same light touch she uses to pet the purring cat in her lap. When I mention the staggering number of her books printed, she waves it away with modesty. "The books resonated because they're not really about me - they're about wisdom that's been passed down through generations which I have permission to share. They help people. I'm just the messenger.
Look - Vicher
Her discretion and warmth make her the beauty confidante to some of the world's most influential women, while her long-standing relationship with Shu Uemura [Mr Shu discovered Kelly as a teenager] - has given her unique insight. It was through Uemura that Kelly joined an extraordinary circle of women in Asia.
The orange tabby has now claimed her lap as territory, and Kelly is performing an elaborate balancing act pouring the tea - first mine, then hers, without disturbing 'The Big Boss' as she has dubbed him. 'This is my life now,' she declares with mock solemnity. 'I belong to the cat.'
I push her for tidbits about some of the people I have seen her photographed with [Donatella Versace, a female Monarch, a President's wife known for her beauty]. "No, cannot" she coyly covers the eyes of the cat who is very willing and now purring deeply. "I share what I do. But I don't talk about others." The kind of energy that makes you realize why she is who she is.
Look
Bomber jacket - Viola Piekut
Trousers - Vicher
Rings - Romana Jewelry
We together devour a delicious peach Mille Feuille pastry with creamy pistachio nut cream with equal unabated enthusiasm. "Lol, if my old agent saw this cake I would literally be fined."
Kelly recently has begun talking about her earliest teenage modeling days. The real stuff. "Four hundred fast fashion looks in eight hours, no breaks," she says, shaking her head as if in disbelief. "Being fired from shoots for being 'too fat', and deemed 'too old' at 20 years old - wow - brutal." She laughs as though trying to make a joke of it. But I see a micro flicker of pain in her eyes. "I was measured and weighed 2x a day - people have no idea what goes on." She brushes it away to end the subject.
It's hard to believe the same girl experienced this but the slightest shake of her hand tells me it's very true. She takes a deep breath and puts the cat down as though shielding him from our conversation.
"How can you forgive being handled like that in your work?" I prod.
"I wanted to learn as much as I could - like a sponge - and honestly - modelling is quite the training ground."
That endurance has served her well when, many years ago, through her unique role, she began an exclusive unexpected apprenticeship with a genuine Geisha. A real one. Such women rarely communicate with foreigners. This level of immersion and education is unheard of and has transformed her from international model to something far more intriguing: a keeper of centuries-old beauty secrets.
During the pandemic, she made an unexpected move - creating an anonymous social media account to share beauty wisdom without asking for friends' support. "No one knew about it. I wanted the knowledge to speak for itself - and to attract the people that needed it - not just voyeurs," she explains. "This knowledge is only for people with open minds and good intentions."
Look - Kristina Fidelskaya
Her face lights up as she shares her secret project.
"I made mostly text posts without images. Explaining about the traditional medicine and exercises that really work. One morning I woke up to 85 sincere questions from women from all walks of life with no access to this knowledge - and I knew I had to keep going…" she radiates enthusiasm pointing at before and after pictures from women that look like ten years have vanished from their faces after her suggestions.
Scrolling through the thousands of comments on videos about snow fungus and rice recipes, I spot familiar names - Linda Gray, the iconic Dallas Actress; Tallulah Riley, Actress & Author, and Supermodel and KORA Organics owner Miranda Kerr. But what strikes me most are the thousands of everyday women from around the world forming a community around ancient practices they are entirely unfamiliar with.
"There's a reverence for ancestral wisdom in Japan that the West has lost," she observes. "Women have been disconnected from their traditional knowledge, taught to doubt what generations knew worked. We're fortunate these practices have been preserved here - documented and passed down. This isn't just about beauty - it's about reclaiming women's power." She smiles, chugging down the rest of her rose petal tea. "And it absolutely works."
There's something magnetic about the way Kelly bridges two worlds. Her approach to wellness feels refreshingly current, like that brilliant friend who somehow knows all the secrets to looking and feeling amazing. She's just as likely to reference her favorite scene from 'Clueless' ('As if!' she exclaims, perfectly channeling Cher Horowitz while explaining a beauty ritual) as she is to detail why hot water beats cold.
It's time to leave and step into the now neon-lit Shibuya Crossing. At the elevator, Kelly bows to the staff deeply and zips up her beaten up riding boots. She seems oblivious her black vest is now adorned with orange cat fur.
Kelly reaches into her rucksack and pulls out something wrapped in textured crinkly paper. A gift.
"Dried orange peel," she hands it to me. "Soak a small piece in water overnight and drink it as hot tea after breakfast. Your skin will glow in 3 days - I promise."
I want to drink it immediately.
The orange cat appears at the window, paw against glass. Between ancient beauty secrets and feline approval - Kelly's world just hits different.