Julez Smith made a stunning debut on Luar’s fall 2024 runway, with his famous family sitting front row (Solange! Beyoncé! Ms. Tina!). In his first editorial, the newly minted model talks family, fashion, career and more.
Hosted in the Dominican Republic, the three-day event was a celebration of community and culture. Vogue Business speaks to the founders, finalists and jury members about the opportunities for Latin American talent.
and brown communities. i m about to meet up with raul lopez, brooklyn native and designer behind luar, who is taking street style back and finally getting the recognition he deserves. what s up, raul? - hey. how are you? - good, good, good. [both speaking spanish] - good. good. - how cool is this place? oh, these are the famous purses, huh? - yeah, man. deemed it bag. - the it bag. dua lipa had one, or something? - dua had one, solange. - solange had one, too? luar has been featured on the vogue runway, as well as in the pages of its prestigious magazine. luar designs focus on universal, non-binary silhouettes that were born from a very personal place in designer raul s life. - gay, straight, non-binary, queer. doesn t matter how you identify. like, my brand is for everyone. - it s a tough industry to have a breakthrough, right? i mean, you can want it, but it doesn t mean it s gonna happen. - yeah.