At NYFW Spring/Summer 2026, Off-White’s latest presentation drew a crowd of celebrities, athletes, and style insiders, but one of the standout moments came when Julez Smith stepped onto the runway at New Design High School. The 20-year-old model, and nephew of Beyoncé, has been slowly carving his own path in the fashion world, and his appearance at the Off-White show proved just how confidently he’s settling into the spotlight.
Smith wore an all-white denim suit that struck a perfect balance between sharp tailoring and Off-White’s street-inflected cool. The crisp jacket, styled with slightly flared pants, gave off a refined ease, while his footwear pushed the look into bold Cowboy (Carter) territory. Opting for pointed-toe cowboy boots, Smith leaned into a Western edge, tapping into a growing frontier trend seen across recent collections. His signature cornrows further tied the look together, adding a personal touch that underscored his individuality on the runway.
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Smith sees himself as a Southern man through and through, as he mentioned during our February MOMENT cover issue. With his deep Texas and New Orleans roots, this look made perfect sense for the rising model.
For Smith, the Off-White runway offered more than a striking look, it’s a statement about his growing career. When looking towards his life in the next few years, he said: “I’m young, so I’ll be 22 in two years. Hopefully, I’m still running the model game. And then five years, probably shifting my focus to my brand and kind of cooling off on modeling. I want to master having a real clothing brand. I don’t want any quick Instagram, TikTok brand. I want a real store. I want a store, fashion shows, all of that. So yeah, by the time three, four years come around, hopefully that’s where I’m going to be at.” And with another show under his belt, we see Smith getting to where he wants to go.
In addition to Smith, Natalia Bryant and Landon Barker also walked the runway, with a very fun audience in attendance. NY Liberty’s beloved mascot, Ellie the Elephant, made a surprise appearance, adding playful energy to the crowd. Love Island USA stars Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe sat front row as well. It’s not every day a basketball team’s good-luck charm shows up at fashion week, alongside viral reality stars, but the mix felt fitting in Off-White’s universe, where cultural boundaries are meant to blur.
