It came pretty naturally, he tellsVogueof his industry aspirations.
I just wanted to be fly and keep up with thembut I wanted to be on the modeling side.
He wears aBottega Venetashirt and tie with the same ease that he dons aWales Bonnersweatshirt.
Julez Smith wears a Marni coat, Luar suit jacket and shirt.
What do you love about your hometown?
Julez Smith:The South kept me humble and gave me a good, strong foundation.
My whole family is from out there, so its home; its where I feel the most secure.
Smith wears a Wales Bonner sweatshirt and pants, Gucci loafers
Everybody is so nice there, and the food is good.
They feed you in Houston.
Did you go to traditional schools growing up, or were you homeschooled?
Photographed by Andy Jackson. Styled by Ian McRae.
I went to school.
I played basketball growing up, so that was always a big factor when picking a school.
I always wanted to play for the school that had the best team.
Smith wears a Loewe jacket and jeans, Miu Miu T-shirt, and CamperLab shoes.
I was really a hooperI thought I was going to the NBA.
And now youre pursuing modeling.
Tell us about your runway debut at Luarhow did that come about?
Smith wears a Bottega Veneta coat, shirt and tie, and Gucci jeans.
Ive been wanting to model for a couple of years, it just never really worked out.
Luar was really my breakthrough.
So I went to the casting and I got it.
Smith wears a Wales Bonner suit, necklace and ring by Bernard James.
Smith wears a Loewe jacket and jeans, Miu Miu T-shirt, and CamperLab shoes.
What were you doing as an intern?
Helping them out around the office, helping them style people, boxing things up; regular intern stuff.
The Luar show generated so much buzz and excitement.
What was that night like for you?
It was jam-packed and nerve-racking, but it was a lot of fun.
It was good to have my family there to support.
How did you learn how to walk a runway?
Did somebody coach you?
And my mom and my grandma were pretty consistent; they were like, Practice, practice, practice.
I also watched a lot of runway videos on YouTube and saw how the models were so locked in.
Thats how I learned.
Did any of the shows you watched stand out?
Virgils last showforLouis VuittonI probably watched that once a week.
I love that show.
Smith wears a Bottega Veneta coat, shirt and tie, and Gucci jeans.
And everything moves really fast.
Its work, but I like it.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Later I hang out with my friends, give a shot to eat good food.
Yeah, but Im trying to limit that.
What music are you listening to right now?
Ive been listening to a lot of Cleo Sol and Marvin Gaye.
Smith wears a Wales Bonner suit, necklace and ring by Bernard James.
And what are you watching?
Empirewas my show growing up, but Im more of a movie guy.
I likeQueen & Slim, Gone Girl, Prisonersthose suspenseful movies.
Youve been wearing your hair in braids for a while.
Have you had a chance to tryCecred?
Yeah, my grandma tested it out on my hair before it came out.
How would you describe your personal style?
I like to be comfy but still fly.
I rock sweats probably five days out of the week.
Theyre probably nice sweats though.
Yeahtheyre nice sweats, for sure.
Photo post-production by Sarah Murray @Pancake Post.
