Author Bios
Lauren Levesque, Co-Founder and Editor in Chief
Lauren Levesque graduated from New York University in 2023 and 2024 with a B.Sc. and M.A. from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. During her time at university, she spent a bulk of her education on creative writing and literature courses, where she honed her skills and fueled her passion for fashion, creativity, and the importance of a well-written article. In her opinion, what makes an article worth reading is how it feeds you. Does journalism expand your mind on the topic? Do you snicker, roll your eyes, or notice the sarcasm or genuineness of the writer? Do you feel anything?
Not only is Lauren discerning when it comes to her streetwear and opinions, but she also has a plethora of experience in editorial, including internships at L’Officiel USA, PhotoBook Magazine, and time as a Public Relations intern at MVPR, where she contributed in pitch meetings, obtained assignments, and built a network of connections in New York’s social scene.
Additionally, she has cultivated over 100 bylines in industry giants, including Pop Sugar, InStyle, where she is a freelance contributor, and Business Insider. These publications have helped shape her ability to nurture critical skills and have led to her continuous articles in Fashion Magazine Italia, as a freelance contributor for an international perspective. In this B2B publication, Lauren writes a column, ‘Voicemail from New York,’ explaining the fashion cultural differences in America vs the European Union, what brands show promise and should be promoted to buyers, and interviews key players within Fashion, such as Gigi Burris. She attends New York Fashion Week and other industry events for articles, which will grow engagement and expedite her experience.
Lauren’s passion for fashion and understanding it at its core, being a personal defense for the wearer, is critical. This opinion is the foundation for her lens into the industry, and how clothing can change energy, point of view, and dictate social and political circumstances in real time.
The reasoning for starting La Mode Virtuoso with her past colleague, Valerie Soto, from their time at L’Officiel USA, is her thirst for success and the reality that Generation Z is the future. It will be our fashion, our voices, and our development in the world around us that pushes us into the future. Therefore, why not create a fashion magazine led by these voices? La Mode Virtuoso aims to educate and comment on the current culture observed and the clothing worn by supermodels, fashion houses, and individuals.
Fashion is your armor. Use it.
Valerie Soto, Co-founder and Editor in Chief
Valerie Soto graduated from the University of Kansas in 2022 with a B.S. in Journalism from the William Allen White School of Journalism and a B.A. in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. During her collegiate years, she spent her time honing her editorial skills by writing for the university’s publications, including The Daily Kansan and CHALK Magazine.
These two outlets solidified her love of writing and understanding of journalism’s importance and its ability to steer culture, challenge the status quo, and amplify underrepresented voices. Valerie’s academic background in gender studies complements her journalistic pursuits, allowing her to approach storytelling with a nuanced, intersectional lens.
She’s a sharp observer of fashion’s influence on identity and culture, but she also brings a strong editorial foundation shaped by hands-on experience at top-tier publications. She held internships at CR Fashion Book and L’OFFICIEL USA, and freelance roles, eventually contributing to outlets like MovieWeb. Her work has covered everything from cinematic costume analysis and red carpet style breakdowns to profiles on designers shaping contemporary aesthetics. These opportunities allowed her to sharpen her editorial eye, pitch original ideas, and work alongside seasoned editors in the media world.
With each story, she brings a journalistic rigor that crafts narratives that center fashion not just as a trend cycle, but as a cultural language.
Her co-founding of La Mode Virtuoso—a Gen Z-led fashion magazine— with her former colleague from L’OFFICIEL stems from her belief that fashion is both political and personal. It’s a form of resistance, identity, and reinvention. With La Mode Virtuoso, she and her team aim to amplify emerging voices, decode style through a generational lens, and create space for conversations that traditional fashion media often overlooks.
She’s taking the media and fashion industry into her own hands and paving her own path, looking to inspire others to do the same. Gen Z is the future after all, and it’s our time to step up.