Obituary: L-R-G's Jonas Bevacqua, 33
Jonas Bevacqua, pioneering streetwear designer and the co-founder of high-profile Orange County streetwear brand Lifted Research Group/L-R-G, died on May 30. He was found dead at his home in Laguna Beach, Calif., by his fianceacute;e and his father. There were no signs of trauma on Bevacqua’s body, and there is no homicide investigation, according to Laguna Beach police Sgt. Louise Callus. Bevacqua was 33.
An autopsy performed on June 1 found no obvious cause of death, according to Jim Amormino, spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s and Coroner’s Department. More tests will be conducted, and results will be announced in six to eight weeks.
Family members told Laguna Beach police that Bevacqua suffered from no medical conditions. He was found dead on his bed. His unidentified fianceacute;e, who was traveling over the Memorial Day weekend, last spoke to him Sunday, police said.
L-R-G co-founders Robert Wright and Charlie Moothart officially broke the news of their partner’s death with a statement on their brand’s website (www.l-r-g.com) on May 31. “Yesterday we lost an icon,” the statement said. “Jonas Bevacqua was a true pioneer in the fashion industry. hellip; Jonas was a mentor to an astonishing group of creative individuals at L-R-G who will carry on his vision for years to come.”
L-R-G- started in 1999 when Bevacqua met Wright. Together, they built a privately held business that designed a colorful collection of T-shirts, jeans and outerwear for men. Its women’s line is called Luxirie. The line has been sold at retailers such as Macy’s, Metropark and Jack’s Surfboards. The line has been most enthusiastically embraced by hip-hop-music fans. Music stars such as Kanye West appeared in L-R-G advertisements, as did underground Atlanta musician DJ Toomp. Popular comedian Tracy Morgan was an avid fan of L-R-G.
L-R-G often released CDs of up-and-coming musicians, and a mixtape or a spot in an L-R-G advertisement was taken as a seal of approval from an important tastemaker, according to Greg Selkoe, founder and chief executive of Boston-based Karmaloop, a leading streetwear e-commerce retailer. L-R-G was Karmaloop’s top-selling brand since 2006.
Bevacqua created the template of the streetwear look—fashion-forward and sophisticated but rooted in a raw-edged youthful way, according to Selkoe and other prominent streetwear people. “He put a combination of different subgroups together—skate, surf and hip-hop. He knew everyone, and he made things happen,” Selkoe said.
Bevacqua also rose from a modest background. Selkoe said Bevacqua, who was adopted, often spoke to orphans and foster-care kids in formal and informal settings and served as an inspiration for them.
In 2001, Bevacqua told Apparel News that he hoped his line would be embraced by independently-minded people.
“It’s not just a name on a shirt,” he said. “There is meaning and substance behind not only the brand but every piece in the line. We design what we like rather than designing what the market wants. We think people should wear clothes by companies that they believe in rather than just buying whatever brand name is hot at the moment.”
L-R-G had frequently exhibited at the Agenda trade show, and Agenda President Aaron Levant called Bevacqua a visionary designer. “He was super-successful,” Levant said. “They’re going to go on. The company is as strong as it has ever been.”According to the L-R-G statement, Bevacqua is survived by his fianceacute;e, son, his adoptive parents and seven siblings.—Andrew Asch
