June 17, 2026·Interview
Raul Lopez
The Brooklyn-raised designer behind Luar and the Ana bag on building an empire from the neighborhoods that made him.
Raul Lopez taught himself to design at 12, co-founded Hood By Air at 22, and left to build Luar — a label named after himself, spelled backward — out of the same Brooklyn neighborhoods where he was raised. His Ana bag became a downtown status symbol, earned him the CFDA Award for American Accessory Designer of the Year in 2022 and 2024, and put him on TIME’s Next 100 list. He's dressed Beyoncé and Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, and Kendall Jenner and shown at the Met multiple years running. He's now pushing Luar toward furniture and homeware. Here, he shares what's on his mind.
What do you do when you hit a creative block?
I go to the Dominican Republic and hide out in my grandmother's home in the country side.
What's the last film you watched that moved you deeply?
I rewatched The Color of Pomegranates.
What book have you gifted most?
A book by Dr. Soraya Aracena called The African Americans of Samana.
Who is your forever inspo?
My mom.
Write us a fortune cookie message.
Train your subconscious to think positively.
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