Questioning the very nature of pornography seems right on brand for one of the most famous skater-turned-entrepreneurs on the globe. We can hang with that.
The Penthouse World According to Keith Hufnagel
Keith Hufnagel’s skateboarding days go back to 1990s New York City, when skaters created their own counterculture. After years as a pro, Huf echoed that vibe by creating his own street-wear company, HUF. That one-time post-injury backup plan has grown into the premier street-wear label, and turned pot-leaf socks into the go-to accessory. Now Huf brings his vision to these pages, with a photo shoot of Jenna Sativa.
You’ve been so busy lately that I’m surprised you found time for this.
Yeah. I’ve really been working on the HUF brand and opening up the Los Angeles retail store. We are also opening a store in Tokyo. This will be our second one. We’re not trying to open up too many of them. We want to open one in New York as well. We’ve been scouting locations. We want to get that one open as soon as possible, but these things take time.
It’s pretty amazing that you were able to parlay your career as a pro skater into launching one of the most successful skate-apparel brands.
In the beginning, I was always juggling being a professional skateboarder and building the brand. I always had help, though. I had a creative director supporting me. I had a team and some sort of structure, but there was never enough time. I was always skating, then coming in and working. I had some injuries that really plagued me, so I pushed my professional career to the side and really focused on the brand. I had to retire from skateboarding to some degree. And now we’ve actually built the brand big enough that we have a very well-structured professional team behind us. So for me, I’ve just been focusing on how the brand looks, how the skate team looks, and what we’re making.
You layered a few key visuals from your brand into the shoot. What motivated you to blend your brand with your personal vision?
Having the HUF stuff in there is my personal touch … and having the green and having the chairs. That’s me putting my personal Keith Hufnagel touches on this project.
What is it about the color green?
That green has been our color since day one. It’s a lime green, but we call it HUF green. For us, it’s just an accent and it’s always been there in the background. It’s a color that is extremely hard to use on apparel, but we’ve brought it into furniture, we’ve brought it into tape, to art pieces like the middle finger. It’s our go-to color. But we won’t make a jacket that color or anything like that.
Tell me about what you were trying to communicate through the Keith Hufnagel creative vision.
I was really looking at this as an art piece, more of a collaboration among myself, Kimberly Kane, and model Jenna Sativa. It was really to make it different. A lot of things look very repetitive in pornography, or with whatever you would call naked photos. I don’t know what the term is for it.
I think it’s just “naked photos.”
I just wanted to give it a little art flair, give a little culture to it. For me, that’s why I brought my brand into it.
Have you ever done anything like this before?
Yeah. I shot a calendar with Van Styles and I did a project with Dennis McGrath in the past. I think those are the only two that had naked women in them.
So this wasn’t something you had an aversion to?
No.
What were you looking for when casting for this shoot?
Basically, I was looking for a girl who was athletic, a girl who had a ballerina style — but with more of a bust and long legs. I like a more athletic girl.
“Athletic.” Is that how you would describe your type?
Honestly, it’s more their personality than anything else. It’s how they are and who they are. I definitely like pretty faces and cute bodies, but it’s a woman’s personality that really draws me in.
What’s the first thing you notice about a woman?
Probably their eyes.
You’re an eye man!
I like eyes. Also legs. But, you know, to be respectful to a woman, you look her in the eyes first.
First.
First.
Any deal breakers? Anything about a girl that will make you say, “Hell, no”?
No. As long as her teeth are clean . As long as you don’t have shitty breath, you’re all right.
What was it about Jenna that stood out from the other models?
She was clean looking. She had a pretty face, and she has a clean body. She was not tattooed. She was just natural.
She was a real girl. No silicone or modifications. Was that by design?
That wasn’t required. But it happened. I do like natural, and she has a natural look. And she’s young, too, so that helped [laughs].
How did her ballet poses or flexibility come into play?
I was looking for that kind of athletic ballet girl. She ended up being a gymnast, so we put her in some poses, and she had good form. She was able to perform those poses.
Looking at photos is one thing, but did she live up to your professional “Keith Hufnagel” expectations in person?
Yeah. She was super-relaxed, comfortable. In person, she looked even better than in her photos. She’s a super-chill girl. Happy. She’s got a good accent.
She does have a good accent. What was it about the photographer, Kim Kane? Booking her was very important to you.
She helped out on the Dennis McGrath project, and she’s been into photography and really wants to do more in that world. This was a perfect time for us to get back together and do this project. She’s good with the camera, and she helped me pick the girl and everything. She’s on it.
Was it more challenging to direct a shoot that characterized your personal values rather than your brand’s values?
Yeah, it was definitely challenging. I mean, I feel like we’ve been talking about doing this for, like, six months to a year. And it’s definitely challenging to commit and make something like this come to life. It’s hard no matter what. You put one thing on paper, but then you like something else… It’s always hard.
I guess there’s a nagging vulnerability when it’s all about you and your vision.
Yeah. But it looks good. I think people will enjoy it.
Anything you wish you would have done differently?
Nah. There’s always a what-if, right? I like it. I’m excited about it.
Does Keith Hufnagel have a favorite photo or setup?
I don’t know. There are so many. I like the one of her in the Modernica chair. It’s her form. Plus, the chair is fucking awesome.
The chair is pretty fucking awesome.
She has really good form right there. Good body… good chin… good hair… good legs… pointed toes.
So you’re happy with the way it turned out.
Yeah. Which one is the cover shot?
As it turned out, none of these made the cover in October, 2015, but interestingly the model on the July/Aug. cover that year had the same “hand pose” as some of these photos. So that’s weird. Of course Jenna Sativa eventually made two covers herself. She shows up solo on the April, 2016, cover as Pet of the Month, and then again as Pet of the Year on the May 2017, issue. (Hey, did we mention the Pet of the Year VOTE going on? … Subtle, right?) … Sadly, Keith Hufnagel left this mortal plane in 2020 — the year pre-existing conditions were a bitch of a thing, although cancer never needs much help in that realm. The HUF Brand lives on, though, and most of us will not be able to say when the bell tolls for us.
