lenny kravitz's second collaboration with leica is a vegan snakeskin camera for nomads

back in 2012 — after collaborating on an exclusive collection of six reinterpreted ‘mademoiselle chairs’ for kartell — french designer philippe starck called the unstoppable rock icon lenny kravitz a weapon of mass construction. kravitz, the talented songwriter and multi-instrument player, doesn’t limit himself to just music; he also runs an interior design company, is an actor and has been an avid photographer since the day he got his first leica flex from his father sy kravitz when he was 21. for the multifaceted artist, music and photography are two mediums that are destined to capture moments and that is why he can fluidly move from one to another, for storytelling’s sake.

for his second collaboration with iconic german camera maker leica, lenny kravitz presents the new limited-edition leica M monochrom drifter, a camera built for rock n’ roll nomads who can be found on either side of the lens.

image © designboom

‘I’m always on the road,’ commented kravitz at the launching event at leica’s headquarters, the leitz-park site in wetzlar, germany. ‘when I was envisioning this camera I was thinking about myself and the people that live that way, free-spirited and open to adventure.’

featuring a bold style that screams dreadlocks, black leather jacket and sunglasses, the leica M monochrom drifter expresses the individual tastes of the grammy-winning artist. designed with an eye-catching synthetic python snakeskin covering made from premium-quality vegan leather, the camera’s monochrome body is elegantly retro in special brown paint. complementing it, the hotshoe, thumb wheel, shutter and soft-release buttons, are made from untreated brass, resulting in a vintage look that will develop over time.

‘I’m vegan and wanted to produce something cruelty free,’ continued kravitz. ‘I have always had a thing for reptiles since I was a child and love using it in design. so I called stella mccartney and I said I need you to find me the best skins that are not skins but actually appear to be realistic so they don’t look cheap. and she found different companies that provide for her and I chose the one for the camera and the bags.’

with production limited to 125 units globally, the leica M monochrom drifter is incredibly exclusive, highly collectible and is up for a total rockstar price of £20,500 (about 23,300 euros). for this amount, it also includes two state-of-the-art lenses, both finished in sepia brown; a leica summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH, and an APO-summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH; a smart brown leather-like drifter traveller bag, and two pouches and cases for both lenses.

‘this camera definitely reflects my aesthetic, I tend to see in black and white. it looks more real to me, timeless. and I love the quality of leica’s monochrome system, it’s exquisite,’ concluded lenny kravitz.