Lurell Lurelly Being…Lurell
For luxury womenswear designer Lurell, affordability shouldn’t cost you everything.
Lurell M. is living the dream — on her terms. From curating shoots to styling coveted looks, Lurell is surely a big dreamer. The creative director and founder of luxury women’s brand, LURELLY, founded her professional namesake in the fall of 2012 on pure instinct. “I have always been passionate about fashion and design, and creating LURELLY just came naturally. The most valuable part of my position is the freedom to create whatever designs I want. There’s nothing like seeing my ideas come to life.” That same passion has garnered the attention of actresses Alexandra Shipp, Julissa Bermudez, Shay Mitchell and the consumer world of Instagram. Located in the heart of Los Angeles’ Fashion District, LURELLY’s decade long journey from the very beginning has been an adventurous one. “I’ve always had my unique style, and since the start, I’ve been designing and creating my wardrobe. Well before I officially started the brand. It’s been very adventurous. From the people my team and I have dressed, each collection we’ve done, even the behind-the-scenes ups and downs, it’s all been a great lesson for growth and improvement.”
Jamaican born and bred, Lurell’s connection to the island, its inhabitants – significantly her mother Jada Marie – has since played a major role in the woman she has grown to be. “Growing up on an island, the beach has always been my favorite place and the place where I feel the most Zen. It is exciting finding inspiration I love from so many sources, from art to vintage fashion and fabrics.” As a child living in Jamaica, her grandmother crafted dolls for Lurell and her sister. “We would make them little dresses and clothes out of fabric scraps we found. We would even dye the garments with berries and plants found in our backyard.” The experience of creating dresses for the dolls as a child created a lasting impression for the now-designer. “It was a very blissful time for my sister and me, and I try to capture that feeling when I’m designing my collections.”
Today, fast fashion has rapidly dominated the industry. Lurell hopes to see this trend evolve to more careful considerations by designers and corporations. “What I would like to see differently is for customers to take a closer look at who they’re buying from and support more ethical brands.” Making a name outside of what has become a norm in the fast-fashion industry, LURELLY’s mission is to bring luxurious, affordable fashion to the modern, everyday woman. “I believe that the LURELLY woman should always look and feel her best.” With sustainability becoming the leading mission for global labels, Lurell’s adoration for traveling and exploring new places visually intertwines every bit of inspiration along the way. “My hope and goals for LURELLY are to build a strong sustainable fashion house with stores all over the world and inspiring women to be their authentic beautiful selves.”
For many, fashion is a form of self-expression. A way to express how you feel to the world, an unspoken language in its own way. For Lurell, her true happy place is designing – for LURELLY. “I try to design based on how I want to feel, and how I want the LURELLY woman to feel.” Hunting for the next major look, one is likely to find the designer happily hunting in her local fabric store. “I am easily inspired by beautiful fabrics and prints, and I can immediately envision pieces I want to create.” Described as refined with modern-day elegance, LURELLY’s pieces are significantly timeless. Feminine, light and ethereal, the label has lasting staples that are sure to be in constant rotation. With the upcoming fall and winter seasons around the corner, there are a lot of things coming for Lurell and the LURELLY brand. From transitioning to sustainable fabrics to pop-up installations, Lurell is focused and engaged. “We have a lot in the works.” The most important work of all: making sure the brand is always giving and displaying the best for the current and new LURELLY woman.
For up-and-coming designers looking to Lurell for advice, she says, “Go with your gut.” Take chances and follow your bliss are just a few things Lurell hopes her clientele and fans take away from the work she has done. “Make sure everything you put out into the world is an extension of you and what you love. It’s difficult working in this industry, but if you love what you’re creating, it’s worth it. Make sure whatever you’re doing in life is fulfilling for you and in some way heading for the goal you have for yourself.”
