IN CONVERSATION WITH LORI HARVEY

Interview by Jana Letonja

Numéro Netherlands is thrilled to introduce Lori Harvey as today’s Digital Cover Star. Lori stands out as an entrepreneur, a compassionate philanthropist, and an accomplished model. With her proven entrepreneurial skills and influential presence in the business world, Lori possesses unique and undefinable qualities that not only captivate everyone’s attention but also hold the power to make a significant impact on the world. She continues to distinguish herself as a millennial trailblazer. Don’t miss her starring role in this stunning editorial captured by Richie Shazam.

Lori, how did you begin your career as a model? Have you always been interested in fashion?

I have technically been modeling since I was very young, booking my first modeling gig for a kids’ clothing boutique called Cotton Tails. The ad even ran in the local newspaper. However, I first fell in love with fashion when I started attending major runway shows with my mother. It was fashion designers like Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who were early supporters of me and eventually, I was booked to walk in my first runway show during Milan Fashion Week.

Which moment from your modeling career stands out the most to you and why?

I would say most recently making my Sports Illustrated Swimwear rookie debut in the SI Swimsuit 60th Anniversary Issue wearing my own YEVRAH Swimwear collection. This one was special to me because shooting for Sports Illustrated was always a goal of mine, but when I was creating YEVRAH Swim, it quickly shot up to the top of my list because now the goal was to shoot in my own swimwear line. I didn’t think I was going to scratch that goal off my list so quickly since I had only launched a few months prior to shooting, but when I got the call it was truly a dream come true and full-circle moment.

Before stepping into the fashion waters, you were a competitive equestrian and aspired to compete at the Olympic Games. How heartbreaking was it when those dreams got cut off with the injury that forced you to leave the sport behind?

It crushed me. I never envisioned myself doing anything else, so it took me a while to bounce back and recover, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. It was an eye-opening moment for me because show jumping was my first love and passion, but my accident made me tap into my other interests, like modeling and fashion, and I’ve loved every single moment of the journey. I truly do believe, even as heartbreaking as it was, that everything happens for a reason.

You grew up surrounded by entrepreneurial energy in your household. How has your family’s knowledge of business success helped you on your own path as an entrepreneur?

My parents are both naturally business-savvy and would always give me the best advice, especially when I started my first business by myself. Their drive and dedication were qualities I always admired and try to emulate with my own companies.

What were the most important lessons one must be aware of when trying to set up their own business?

The biggest lesson I learned is that you’re going to make mistakes. It’s unavoidable, but it’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes and then you learn and you grow and you mess up some more and you keep learning and growing and it’s never-ending. Starting a business has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but also the most rewarding and I love watching my babies grow from the ground up.

You founded and launched your skincare company SKNbyLH in 2021, which was inspired by your continuous struggle with rosacea, an exceptionally delicate skin condition. Can you tell us more about rosacea and what struggles you had to deal with due to this condition?

My skin is super sensitive and can get irritated by any little thing and the rosacea causes my skin to get super red and inflamed and sometimes blotchy. It causes acne-like bumps, so as I was growing up, I was using products that were too harsh on my skin and honestly just made my condition worse. I was just going through terrible breakouts. I was scarring badly and had really bad, dark marks and hyperpigmentation. When I got into the modeling world, I had makeup constantly being applied to my face. My skin was just really going through it and I was using so many different products to try to just get my skin back healthy and glowing. I felt like there had to be a simpler way for me to do this. I also felt like I wasn’t the only person that was going through this. There had to be other people who felt like me, who wanted something simpler that they could use to get their skin back to being healthy. That was really what planted the seed for me to start my skincare line, SKNbyLH.

What are the main values and mission of SKNbyLH, and what is that factor that truly separates your products from what the consumers can encounter on the saturated beauty market?

I think the defining factor is that we’re clean. We’re vegan, we don’t have any sulfates, no parabens, no petroleums, no synthetic dyes or fragrances or coloring. So, all the good stuff. We’re also suitable for all skin types, but we especially cater to sensitive skin. That was extremely important to me because I have extremely sensitive skin and wanted to create products that worked for me and my skin.

You launched your own swimwear line YEVRAH, which is inspired by your European travels, last year. How have your travels inspired the line in general and individual pieces as well?

Swimwear has always been an avenue I wanted to explore, so I felt like the timing was just perfect for me to dive into it. For my first release, I wanted it to be elevated staple pieces that can be worn anywhere, anytime, any season and that will never go out of style. The collection is called Euro Summer as each piece is named after an European seaside destination, like the Cannes Bandeau Bikini or the Mallorca Playsuit. My love for traveling to Europe played a strong factor in my overall design process.

What can we expect from YEVRAH Swim in 2024?

Each collection will feel different from the last and it’ll showcase where I’m at creatively at this time, while also keeping the brand new and fresh and fun. My next collection will be way more bright and colorful than my first and a perfect way to kick off the summer.

How soon did you begin working on the new collection and when can we expect the new launch?

I’ve been working on the next collection literally since I launched my first collection and I can say that we’ll be dropping a new swim collection very soon, so stay tuned.

People Magazine called your swimwear line the ‘it girl’ necessity. If you had to pick only one piece as the IT piece, which one would it be and why?

It’s tough to just select one piece. They each have their own vibe, so it really just depends on the mood I’m in at the time. I know some favorites have been the Cannes bikini, Ibiza bikini and Antibes one-piece, but you really can’t go wrong with anything from the collection. I wanted it to feel very elevated and luxe in the same way that I wanted my skincare to feel as well. I also wanted them both to be inclusive, like there’s something for everyone, and I believe I achieved that.

As always, you will continue to elevate your business in 2024 with business ventures from beauty and fashion to lifestyle and film. Can you share a bit more on what other exciting projects you’re currently working on?

I’ve been working on my next collection for YEVRAH Swim and that will be coming out very soon, as already mentioned. I’m super excited about this one. I’m also venturing into the TV and film space this year, so definitely have some exciting things in the works.

TEAM CREDITS:
talent LORI HARVEY
photographer RICHIE SHAZAM
stylist RAZ MARTINEZ
hair RAY CHRISTOPHER
makeup DIANA SHIN
photography assistant LOURDES SALAZAR
lighting RYAN PETRUS
styling assistants HANNAH ATIRA & JOYCE ONUORAH
market editor CELINE AZENA
editor TIMI LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN