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FEATURE

START LIVING FOR YOURSELF 

Written by ​Holly Downes 
Photographs by Dave Scholten
Styled by Lucy Rae

Makeup and Hair by: Marisa Reif
Creative Director: Shubz

Published: January 28, 2025

 

California-raised, NYC-based Lucy Rae McFadin takes centre stage in the mysterious and evolving landscape of the concrete jungle. Content creator, model, and DJ, Lucy is at the forefront of the fashion and creative community, and as she effortlessly roams the streets, her renowned presence delicately illuminates the dark character of the city. This shoot captures the dynamic relationship between the omnipresent force of the city and its inhabitants: Lucy is a powerful force that transforms the city as it awakes from its slumber. 

As she steps out and into the big city in style wearing Sandy Liang, Isabel Marant, Coach and Jacob & Co. Watch her delicately move from door to door and outfit to outfit – a mirror to her dynamism, youthful energy and curious nature. 

“Care less about what others think and start living for yourself,” a mantra that radiates from Lucy’s online content. Lucy is a carefree spirit, and she takes inspiration from every cell of life: from the iconic fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood, to pedestrians on busy NYC streets, to childhood memories with her father. Her multifaceted career only reaffirms a curiosity to reach her highest potential, as she shares her love for DJing, what defines her personal style, and why “taking risks is essential for growth.”

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I’d love to hear about how your career began. Did you know you always know what you wanted to pursue, or did opportunities naturally fill your path? 

I grew up idolising youtubers and content creation. Throughout high school, I experimented by making my own videos and creating makeshift photo shoots with a white sheet serving as a backdrop in my backyard, but was often deterred by the people at my high school who didn’t exactly understand my vision.


I did my first paid partnership in my senior year of high school for I think $175. When I moved to NYC and started attending NYU, I began to take my role in this space much more seriously. Finally feeling like I had a life that was of substance, I began to document my experience in the city.

With NYC being the epicentre of fashion, small brands began to recognise my work. It felt so cool to see other people align with what I was putting out into the world.

 
What are you currently passionate about? 

My dog. Travelling. Music production. Movies. Styling. My friends. Cooking. Life in general. My early twenties have been such an exciting time to explore different endeavours, and it is such a unique experience to be pushing myself my to highest potential while simultaneously learning new things about myself every day.

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You have collaborated with many luxury brands, such as Gucci, Sandro and Marc Jacobs. Are there any dream brands you’d love to collaborate with, and why? 


Anytime I work with a dream brand, it is a pinch me moment. That they know I exist, let alone know they want to see me at their show or in their designs is so unbelievably special and not an opportunity I take for granted. 


Attending a Chanel, YSL, or Jacquemus show would have to be at the top of my list as far as dream collaborations go. I admire their visions all so much and they always treat their shows with the utmost detail and creative direction. It is more than just the clothes they are displaying, but the location, the casting, the attendees, and the theme. Everything is so beautifully thought out and I would love to admire that beauty first hand.


Who is your biggest fashion inspiration and why? 

My biggest fashion inspiration would have to be Vivienne Westwood. She followed her dreams at an age most people would expect that goal to have passed and pioneered an era of punk fashion dressing the Sex Pistols that shaped the decades to follow. In her later years, she included her love for political activism and sustainability throughout her collections, setting a major example for other high-end brands to follow. 


From her early days to the brand's image has remained consistent, never falling victim to trend cycles or mass production to fit the needs of an increasingly capitalistic world.

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You have recently started your journey as a DJ. Tell me: what significance has music has in your life, and why did you step into this field?

Music has had a huge impact in my life. Growing up with a dad who owns a record label, my after-school activities were often followed by late night concerts. I was learning about music whether I liked it or not. Luckily, I did for the most part, but it took me a while to understand the significance of the old Funk and Jazz albums my dad was introducing me to. When I was a teenager, I sat in anguish on my way to school, frustrated I was being forced to listen to Gil Scott Heron and not Rihanna. 

Looking back, I am so thankful my dad shared his music taste and knowledge with me. He taught me you don’t have to be a musician to appreciate and work in the music industry and that with the right ear and a lot of passion, one can find their own role in this business. 

About 18 months ago, when I graduated from college, I found myself a bit bored with doing social media full time and wanted to find a way to combine my love for music with the career I already had in influencing and fashion.

Luckily DJing is a pretty popular hobby, and I had some friends that offered to teach me how! From there, my newfound hobby turned into an additional asset of my skills and has fulfilled me in ways my career in solely content creation hasn’t.

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What trend this year have you loved, and what trend have you hated? 

A trend I have loved this year is bag accessorising. I think it makes our purses so much more personal and fun and serves as an additional way of self-expression. As a fellow keychain collector too, I personally have found a lot of joy in this playful way of customisation.

A trend I have hated is any mass communicated ‘aesthetic’ that we can attribute to TikTok for deeming popular. For example, ‘mob wife aesthetic’, ‘coquette girl’, ‘ballet core’. I think people should just wear pieces they find flattering to themselves without having to fit under any sort of umbrella or costume theme. Also, those names are just so cringey.

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What message do you hope your followers take away from all your content? 

A message I hope my followers take away from my content is to care less about what others think and start living for yourself. This is something I am still working towards, but I would like to think it is something I have improved on over the years. 

Try that new hobby that you may not be good at first, promote yourself unapologetically, post that photo you’ve been staring at for too long, put on a weird outfit, be yourself, stop comparing, and if anyone tries to dim your light, turn it up brighter. Taking risks is crucial for rewards.

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What are your 2025 goals? Any exciting collaborations or projects of your own? 

My 2025 goals are to continue expanding my endeavours in styling, music and social media separately and the ways in which they crossover. I hope my DJing will create new opportunities for me in new places and that I can work towards producing and releasing some songs and remixes of my own. I also hope to sit at some shows of designers I admire and to nurture the relationships I have already made in the fashion industry. 

As far as personal projects, I will be relaunching Season 2 of my Instagram exclusive series “Style Emergency” in collaboration with Polyester Zine. It has been so fun to showcase other creatives’ personal style, and I can’t wait for you guys to see what we have in store for this new and improved collection of guests and episodes.

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If you could give one piece of advice for those starting their path as a creative influencer, what would it be? 

One piece of advice I would give to those looking to start their career as an influencer is to find your niche.

What makes you excited?

 

Figure out a way to integrate that passion into something digital that you can share with the world and like-minded individuals will flock your way. Social media is a platform to connect so simply produce content worth bringing people together over.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

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CREDITS

Talent: Lucy Rae

Photographs by Dave Scholten
Styled by Lucy Rae
Makeup and Hair by: Marisa Reif
Film/Video by McKinley Akins
Production Associate: Ayla Subyak
Creative Director: Shubz
Creative Assistance: Rebecca Pawlicz-Salomon and Martina

Special Mention: Ashley Rosales and Ford Models


​Interview by Holly Downes

Shoot Location: New York, United States

A Les Mirabilia Production

Published: January 28, 2025

How would you describe your personal style? Do you feel that your style has developed as your online status has grown? 

I wouldn't say my personal style has grown in correlation with my ‘online status’, but it has definitely evolved over the last 6/7 years due to other factors like moving from Southern California to NYC and being exposed to some of the best inspiration there is available, such as, people watching on a busy street. 

As I gained more confidence in my initial years living here, I began to try on just about every style I would see. I became a sponge to different fashion senses, trying them all until I found an overall aesthetic that fit just right. 

Don’t get me wrong, my style is still changing every day, but to me it is truly something you must continue to play around with for the rest of your life. Style is self-expression and that may mean my outfits exude different energies depending on how I am feeling that day. 

Right now, I feel my closet maturing a bit. I look for timeless quality pieces that serve as ‘uniform staples’ and tend to dress in extremes. For example, I alternate between all black or an outfit of many different colours and patterns. I also switch up between hyper feminine and more tomboy looks. Sometimes combining the two to create a juxtaposition.


I would describe my style as eclectic, playful, edgy, and chic with my own unexpected twist.

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