LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR THE BRUNCH OF THE JUDGES

The LUXE Paris fashion house held its traditional LOOK of the YEAR Jury Brunch on the first Sunday of July. At the main table were the finalists vying for the position of LUXE Paris ambassador and the generous prize of L$50,000.

Americans Aria Absinthe, Athena Firehart, Kitty Dark Rage, Mike Moretto, and Varda Sedia-Havoc; Spaniards Claudia Fosse and Larida Andel; Canadian Jenny Starling; Australian Laycie Pearl; and Italian Lorez Aichi all looked very elegant as they took the stage to give short speeches, demonstrating their credentials as ambassadors.

A photo report by Ale Chun

And yes, you're not dreaming! For the second year in a row, the contest was also open to men, and two of them, Lorez and Mike, made it to the finals, a novelty that adds excitement to the contest, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary.

American finalist Sylver Vendetta couldn't attend the brunch, as her real-life house flooded half an hour before the event! However, with her feet in the water and her heart pounding, she managed to send her speech to the judges with the help of a friend, earning a warm ovation.

10th anniversary of the competition

"For a decade now, the LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR competition has celebrated the joy of fashion and chosen our ambassadors," exclaimed Mika Palmyra, co-founder of the LUXE Paris brand, established in Second Life since 2012.

"Over the course of this decade, a true dynasty of ambassadors has been created, extraordinary ambassadors who never leave us, even once their mission is accomplished," added the other co-founder, Parisian Skytower.

In fact, three LOOK of the YEAR winners were present at the brunch. Naar Absinthe, the 2017 winner, has been a member of the LOOK of the YEAR jury ever since, while her modeling academy, In-Nova, mentors the finalists. Avalon Chrome, LOOK of the YEAR 2020, has also been a jury member and mentor since her selection, in addition to being part of the LUXE Paris design team.

And, of course, VanessaJane, current LUXE Paris ambassador, who also became designer for LUXE Paris, was also there as a judge and a mentor.

A diverse and experienced jury

"The jury is also part of the larger LUXE Paris family, and most of its members are LOOK of the YEAR competition veterans," continued Mika Palmyra. 

"They know the LUXE Paris spirit perfectly."

"And they've never made a mistake in choosing our ambassador!"

The LOOK of the YEAR jury is also very diverse, ensuring a rigorous and thorough review of the candidates. In addition to the three LOOK of the YEAR winners and the LUXE Paris founders, it includes Zuri Rayna, the competition's official jeweler, represented that day by the director of her blog, Arual; Mila Blauvelt, designer of My Bags; Ponchituti Boucher, Lali Arbizu, and Diana Balhaus of One On One, the agency that produces the LOOK of the YEAR finals and oversees the mentoring; Hyaecinte, communications director of LUXE Paris and a certified real-life stylist, who was represented at the Brunch by TwinkieBean, first runner-up in LOOK of the YEAR 2024; Adonis Lubomir, founder of the prestigious Swank Event and owner of the renowned groups Womenstuff and Menstuff; Chemak Kamala and Lanai Jarrico, respectively editors of SL Confidencial magazine and The SL Enquirer news website; Mitsuko Kytori, of the beautiful Hayabusa gardens; Blueyes Bonetto, owner of the Latin Quarters music sim, the site of the grand finale; and Javi Gearz, a fashion videographer.

Much more than a beauty contest

This wide variety of judges led to a vibrant Q&A period, but all the finalists performed admirably. In short, the traditional Judges' Brunch achieved its goal: to highlight the finalists' personalities and ambassadorial qualities. The quality of their participation in classes and rehearsals will also be taken into account for the finals.

It's worth remembering that LUXE Paris is looking for a worthy representative of its brand, and therefore the LOOK of the YEAR competition is not a simple beauty pageant.

That said, the welcoming, family-like spirit of the fashion house and its team of mentors will allow all finalists to experience an extraordinary, rewarding, and enriching adventure,

regardless of the final result.

"You will see that this competition is unique," Parisian emphasized to the finalists. 

"You will discover a strong family spirit, as well as all the tools necessary to stand out."

We remind you that the grand finale, open to the public, will take place on Sunday, July 27th at 9:00 a.m. SLT. Your limousine will be waiting for you at the LUXE Paris flagship store, located at Bao/56/72/26.