Solange Knowles’ son, Julez Smith, is following in her fashionable footsteps.
In an exclusive interview with Vogue, the 19-year-old opens up about his passion for fashion and his exciting journey into the modeling industry.
“It came pretty naturally,” Julez explains, reflecting on his early influences. “Growing up, my grandma was doing costumes for my auntie and my mom, and I think my mom is one of the best-dressed people in the world. I just wanted to be fly and keep up with them—but I wanted to be on the modeling side.”
Smith recently signed with Next Management and made his runway debut at Luar in February, a moment he describes as his breakthrough.
“I’ve been wanting to model for a couple of years, it just never really worked out. Luar was really my breakthrough. I was actually interning with them for a couple of months, and maybe like a week before the show they were just like, “Come to the casting.” So I went to the casting and I got it.”
Reflecting on his preparation for the show, Julez admits to unconventional training methods. “I just spent a lot of time walking on the street like I was on a runway, and walking around my house. And my mom and my grandma were pretty consistent; they were like, “Practice, practice, practice.”
He also admits to watching “a lot of runway videos on YouTube and saw how the models were so locked in. That’s how I learned.”
Drawing from his family’s experience in the industry, Julez Smith acknowledges the invaluable lessons learned from witnessing their dedication and hard work.
“Growing up, my mom and aunt were doing photo shoots every other week, and I saw how jam-packed and busy it was. It’s good to already understand, Okay, you’re going to have to get up early, be on time, and work long hours. And everything moves really fast. It’s work, but I like it,” he says.
As for his personal style, Julez describes it as a blend of streetwear and high fashion. “I wear mostly streetwear and lots of baggy stuff, but I’m starting to get into high fashion—the Dries Van Noten, the Prada tees, the Loewe jackets.”
