RAPHAËL LUCE
Some Angels don't fall. They stay!
.digital
ANGELOMANIA
Exclusive Interview 03RD MARCH / Fashion Story
SOME ANGELS DON'T FALL,
THEY STAY!
RAPHAËL LUCE
Raphael Luce brings a rare sense of intention to fashion. An actor by craft and a creative by instinct, he moves through image‑making with an ease that feels lived rather than performed. Viewers may recognise him from roles in series such as Stranger Things and from period drama work, where his presence already carries a quiet, otherworldly charge.
Shot in London following Paris Fashion Week, Luce entered the project as a collaborator rather than a subject. Fresh from an intense schedule, he travelled specifically for the shoot - a quiet but telling gesture of commitment.
Prior to production, Luce completed a private fitting in Paris with designer Raphael Algieri. The process was treated as a shared construction, resulting in a haute couture look chosen for narrative weight rather than surface impact. Luce personally transported the pieces from Paris to London, safeguarding the integrity of the vision throughout.
On set, he worked intuitively across art direction and styling, exploring form and movement with precision and openness. Wearing a corset for the first time, he approached the piece not as provocation but as extension - grounded, assured and quietly confident.
This feature captures Raphael Luce at the intersection of discipline and freedom, masculinity and softness, performance and truth. Engaging fashion as a creative language, he brings not only presence and talent, but a deep respect for the collective process and the people shaping it with him.
Not a transformation, a revelation.
CREDITS top and couture necklace - ALGIERI PARIS
INTERVIEW
. . .
Before you read the full conversation, we invite you into the room with us. The video interview captures the same ease and spontaneity that shaped the shoot, an honest exchange built on trust, curiosity and genuine collaboration. The conversation turns inward less about image, more about intention. Beyond the garments and the gestures, we meet Raphael Luce in his own words reflecting on presence, process, and the quiet discipline behind staying rather than performing.
“The challenging part
of acting is
that you’re not
in control...”
LUMEN - We see you have a love for visual arts and photography beyond acting, do you prefer being in front of or behind the camera?
RAPHAEL - "I love both, but over the past few years I’ve been increasingly drawn to videography and photography. I bought a Fujifilm X100V that I now take with me everywhere. It may as well be my favorite fashion accessory. I use it to document my travels and adventures, and I’ve found a lot of joy in that process.
I love working with composition and color. I enjoy finding geometry in what I see, interesting contrasts, or visual elements like shadows, reflections, smoke, or light effects. Photography has made me curious about directing one day, which I think would be an incredible experience.
That said, acting remains my first love. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. I genuinely believe it’s one of the best jobs in the world, and I feel extremely lucky and privileged to do this for a living. I hope to continue exploring different and interesting characters.
The challenging part of acting is that you’re not in control of when your next job comes, even when you truly believe a role is perfect for you. So when the creative child in me needs to come out and play, I grab my camera and create. It’s instant reward."
CREDITS DAVID KOMA silver flower brooch YUHAN AO black jacket with white hem ALGIERI black flared trousers EN G MINOR black oversized coat OLIVIA BLACK tie and pin badge LA TOILE pinstripe trousers and waistcoat PATTARAPHAN pendant necklace
CREDITS ANA CRISTINA TOJA LOPEZ green cloak SHEEP INC shirt with pockets ZIMISM shorts WOLFORD socks Left page: ALGIERI PARIS full look shirt and key chain necklace
LUMEN - With your presence being quite fashion forward, instead of asking who inspires you, who do you hope to inspire with your sense of style and attitude?
RAPHAEL - I hope I can inspire people to feel more confident in what they wear every day and to try new things. I think fashion should be personal. It shouldn’t just be about wearing what everyone else is wearing or what you’re told you should wear.
I honestly believe a lot of people would dress in more fun or unconven-tional ways if the world weren’t so judgmental. Thankfully, I think we’re moving in the right direction. The new generation feels less afraid to be who they are, regardless of gender or sexuality. I love that sense of normalization, and I hope to encourage people to let who they are on the inside show on the outside.
Even small choices can make an outfit feel more honest and more personal.
LUMEN - On Instagram, your approach to fashion feels deeply personal, less about trends and more about self-expression. How do you use style as a creative language, and what does it allow you to say that maybe acting sometimes doesn’t?
RAPHAEL - I see fashion and clothing as an extension of the body. It’s something you put on every day, and it can completely change how people see you, but also how you see yourself. What you wear can affect your confidence, your mood, and your energy.
When I’m on set or doing a shoot, I often find myself instinctively imagining the kind of person who would wear a certain outfit. Without really planning it, I start to become that person. It’s almost as if a character forms naturally through the clothes, and I think that’s really fun.
Fashion can communicate emotion instantly. Sometimes it allows you to express a feeling or a state of mind in a way acting doesn’t always get to, especially since acting takes time and context. Clothing can say something immediately, both to others and to yourself.
CREDITS DAVID KOMA grey trenchcoat with faux fur collar ERIC blue shirt YUHAN AO denim shirt set
CREDITS ZIMISM grey shirt and trousers NATHAN SLATE trunks with headphones BALENCIAGA genuine fur jacket ROKER grey shoes
“I think fashion
should be personal.
I see fashion and
clothing as an extension of the body.”
"Even small choices
can make an outfit feel
more honest
and more personal."
CREDITS left page ANA CRISTINA TOJA LOPEZ green cloak SHEEP INC shirt with pockets ZIMISM shorts WOLFORD socks middle NATHAN SLATE necklace LA TOILE pin stripe trousers right page EN G MINOR black oversized coat OLIVIA BLACK tie and pin badge LA TOILE pinstripe trousers and waistcoat PATTARAPHAN pendant necklace
LUMEN - You‘re spending time on all kinds of sets these days, movies, shows but also editorial productions. Are you enjoying all your newer ventures?
RAPHAEL - I’ve been really enjoying it. Recently, I’ve been working on films like Dracula, continuing to connect with Stranger Things fans, and stepping more into the fashion world. I attended Fashion Week for the first time, participated in events, and worked on a few editorial shoots.
It’s all been incredibly exciting. I feel like I’ve been experiencing so many new things at once. Premiering Dracula at the Chinese Theatre was especially meaningful, because that’s something I had dreamed about for a long time.
I feel very grateful to be part of these projects, and I hope I get to continue exploring both film and fashion in the future.
LUMEN - On set, especially for editorials, you’re known for embracing experimentation. Wearing pieces you might never choose in daily life.
What excites you about that process, and how does collaboration push your fashion boundaries?
RAPHAEL - One of my favorite things in the world is wearing pieces you would never wear in daily life, or even think about wearing. I find that really exciting. Experimenting with fashion allows you to step outside of your comfort zone and see yourself differently.
Working with magazines and brands also gives me access to clothing I might never be able to afford or wouldn’t normally think of buying, which is incredibly inspiring. It teaches me a lot and often influences my personal style.
In my free time, I love going thrifting or flea market shopping with friends, looking for fun pieces to mix and match and create new outfits. I’m especially drawn to jewelry and vintage watches. I’m also learning to let myself wear things that might not be ultra-conventional, without going too extreme. I like the idea of subtle suggestions rather than dramatic statements.
At the Dracula premiere, for example, I wore a slightly feminine shirt with a pearl necklace and a bit of eyeshadow. It felt unisex and playful, and most importantly, it felt fun.
The entire process encourages experimentation in a way nothing else really does. It’s playful, creative, and constantly surprising.
CREDITS A-JANE blazer under, trousers and the wired tie EN-G-MINOR coat over
CREDITS DAVID KOMA silver flower brooch YUHAN AO black jacket with white hem ALGIERI black flared trousers
LUMEN - If you could swap roles with any of your cast members for a day, who would that be?
I think I’d choose Caleb Landry Jones. Watching him as Dracula is fascinating. I’ve seen the film multiple times, and every time I’m struck by how deeply he commits to his performances.
On Stranger Things, I also find Jamie Campbell Bower’s interpretations of Henry, 001, and Vecna, or in Season 5, Mr. Whatsit, an even more subtle version of the character, incredibly interesting. What a role to be able to portray. I feel very lucky to have played even a small part in bringing that character to life.
I’m very curious about actors’ processes and what goes on in their heads while they’re working. I’d love to sit down with either of them one day and just talk about acting. They’re both incredible, and I hope I get the chance to work with them again in the future.
LUMEN - Having gained all of this experience already, in what space/ genre do you see yourself in future?
I truly hope I get to continue acting for a living. It’s an unstable profession, and things can change very quickly, but I feel incredibly grateful to be doing it right now.
I’m especially interested in roles that involve physicality. Both of my parents are stunt performers and former Cirque du Soleil artists, so movement has always been part of my education. I grew up learning high-wire work, fire stunts, high falls, stage combat, wire work, and stunt driving. I still enjoy training and learning new skills whenever I can.
At the same time, I hope I get the chance to explore other creative paths as well. Writing, directing, cinematography, photography, modeling — I’m curious about all of it. I think life is about experimenting and experiencing as much as you can. Trying something new, even in small ways, is what keeps things exciting.
LUMEN - Now that you have such a bandwidth of experience and you are clearly versatile and experienced on set, how was stepping onto the Stranger Things set for the first time?
RAPHAEL - When I first worked on Stranger Things, I was very young and honestly quite nervous. I hadn’t done many projects before, and I didn’t fully understand the industry or what acting truly involved. To be fair, I wasn’t given much information about my character, which forced me to do a deeper investigation on my own.
Looking back, I realize how much that experience helped me grow, not just as an actor, but as a person. It opened so many doors. I’ve been able to travel, meet people from all over the world, and work on projects that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
It also opened doors in my mind. Playing a character so quietly and internally taught me a lot about restraint and observation. That project shaped me in ways I’m still discovering.
CREDITS ALGIERI PARIS black shirt and Keychain necklace
CREDITS ZIMISM grey shirt and trousers NATHAN SLATE trunks with headphones BALENCIAGA genuine fur jacket ROKER grey shoes Right page: NATHAN SLATE necklace LA TOILE pin stripe trousers
TEAM CREDITS
photo - Jemima Marriott talent - Raphael Luce @abelita_pr creative direction, fashion and production - Sayuri Bloom
grooming - Melody Chantler fashion assistants - Meg Hetherington, Kate Doxey, Ezekiel Sok
backstage video and interview video - Emily Georg postproduction - NO1KNWS
