The Faces in June 2026

Acting, playing guitar, creating beauty products… The world is full of talent just waiting to be discovered. We’ve scoured the stages, runways, sports fields, and more, and we’re here to introduce you to our current heroes and heroines.

OLIVE FOREVER

Gina Dirawi

Instead of relying on the artificial intelligence of GPTs, we should listen more often to the other GPT: Grandparents talking. In her native Sweden, Gina Dirawi is a successful multi-talented artist, ranging from pop star to author. For her new project—the beauty brand Zëiyt—Gina draws inspiration from her grandmother’s wisdom. For generations, the family’s Palestinian roots have been intertwined with the power of olive trees: the oil used in Zëiyt’s products comes from trees in the West Bank, some of which are over 3,000 years old.

SUMMER SUMMARY

Danial Aitouganov

Summer is finally here. The perfect time for… Zomer. The creations from this young fashion label are as much fun as drinking rosé on a kids’ swing. Behind it all is Creative Director and co-founder Danial Aitouganov. He’s originally from Tatarstan—you can look it up on a globe if you get the chance. Danial has spent most of his life in Amsterdam, but he sees his future in Paris. Still, the colorful designs have a hint of his old homeland about them. Or maybe they’re designed upside down, like the upcoming F/W collection. Uh. Okay, Zomer.

THE GREAT UNKNOWN

Enza Khoury

A year ago, Enza Khoury was an unknown teenager from a small town whose biggest attraction is a popcorn shop. (Whose popcorn, admittedly, looks damn delicious.) Then she was cast by i-D Magazine for the cover of “The Unknown Issue.” Since then, modeling jobs have been popping up for the 19-year-old like, well, popcorn kernels on a hot stove. At Paris Fashion Week, Enza walked the runway for Vivienne Westwood, Ottolinger, and Lacoste, among others. It’s a picture-perfect career, just the kind you’d read about in fashion magazines.

STRING BREAK

Guitarricadelafuente

Álvaro Lafuente’s guitar plays flamenco into the 21st century. His music echoes the drama and vulnerability of Spanish folk styles, yet is aimed at the ears of contemporary pop fans. And their numbers are now growing steadily even beyond his Iberian homeland. This is partly because the name Guitarricadelafuente can now be found not only on album covers but also on movie posters. The multi-talented artist will soon be seen alongside Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close in the historical drama “La Bola Negra.”

STAR MAKER

Petra Collins

Petra Collins’ eyes see the future. The way she has staged Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, and Olivia Rodrigo in front of the camera has shaped the visual pop culture of the coming years. The photographer and director’s subjects are dangerous and vulnerable, dreamlike and nightmarish. If Gen Z were the Renaissance, Petra would be its Raphael. Now the Canadian artist has published her new photo book, “Star.” We flip through a kitschy journey through time, in which fame is a monster we’d all love to jump right into its jaws.

ALWAYS ON GUARD

Miles Chamley-Watson

It’s not enough for Miles Chamley-Watson that his opponents don’t stand a chance. As a fencer, he won the World Championships and an Olympic medal. Now the American wants to turn this niche sport into a mass spectacle. It worked for “Pirates of the Caribbean,” after all. Instead of scruffy buccaneers, Miles’ World Fencing League brings together world-class athletes and combines their elegance in white with modern production and crossover appeal. Chamley-Watson’s spectacular appearance at the Met Gala shows that fashion and fencing go together like a saber and a bandolier.

PRETTY PICTURE

Sumayya Vally

For Sumayya Vally, architecture is not simply a matter of stacking bricks until a roof can be placed on top. As an architect, she creates buildings, public spaces, and installations that mean more than just the purpose they serve. The South African artist builds bridges (sometimes in the truest sense of the word) between cultures and draws inspiration from Islamic traditions. For this, Vally was honored in the “Cross-Disciplinary Creator” category at this year’s Art Basel Awards. After all, art doesn’t always hang on the wall. Sometimes the wall itself is the masterpiece.

MAN OF THE MOMENT

Théodore Pellerin

He played Karl Lagerfeld’s longtime partner, is Loewe’s new brand ambassador, and Tom Ford wants him for his next film, *Cry to Heaven*: Théodore Pellerin is in the spotlight—and all the rage in the fashion world. We first took notice of the actor as a lanky multi-level marketing loser in “On Becoming a God in Central Florida.” Since then, Pellerin has been racking up exciting film and TV roles like a hungry guest at a pancake buffet. We believe it’s only a matter of time before the Canadian holds a golden statuette in his hand in Hollywood.

MAD IN THE U.S.

Arthur Jafa

In July, the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, staggering around the ring like a boxer with a concussion. One artist who has been standing ringside for 30 years, artistically documenting the drama, is Arthur Jafa. Perhaps precisely because it feels as though the sun is setting on the American empire, the 65-year-old’s works now shine with particular intensity. Jafa takes images from pop culture and classical art and uses them to create explosive collages about systemic racism—and the struggle to overcome it.

HOME RUN

Allyson Felix

The California Gold Rush lasted from 1848 to 1855, when thousands of fortune seekers panned for glittering nuggets. The second California Gold Rush began when Allyson Felix laced up her running shoes for the first time. The sprinter became a 14-time world champion and seven-time Olympic champion—and the most successful track and field athlete of all time. Put her feet up and relax in the glory of her medals? Nope. For the 2028 Olympic Games in her hometown of Los Angeles, Allyson is coming out of retirement—or rather, running back into it. And hopefully back to the top.

We know who you need to know. For example, these amazing talents.