I never met Jonas Bevacqua, the co-founder of Lifted Research Group, known to many as the popular streetwear brand LRG. I definitely knew his clothes and his brand, first from casually seeing the clothes in stores, on the street, on TV and in music videos. I later saw the brand inside the pages of many of my favorite magazines, and eventually on the bodies of some of my favorite artists. Last year we had the chance to pair our brand with LRG, collaborating on two Closed Sessions in which we worked with LRG sponsored artists Outasight and Freddie Gibbs to create “Turn It Up” and “Something New” respectively. And although I never knew him, his untimely and sudden death has definitely affected me as my first thoughts went out to everyone we’ve worked with at Lifted Research as well as his friends and family who lost a loved one. My second thoughts went to our culture, which lost a leading creative, one who still had plenty to contribute and who’s true absence will never be able to be fully quantified as we don’t know what kind of greatness he had in his future. My third thoughts were simply astonishment as how someone so young and, by all the interviews I’ve seen, so happy and energetic could pass away out of nowhere. It definitely reminded me one more time how really precious life is, and not to take any days, any chances, any opportunities for granted. Sadly though, it was a reminder I didn’t need.
According to reports, Bevacqua was found on Monday evening in his Laguna Beach residence, and had been dead for several hours. Initial reports listed no immediate signs of foul play, with a full autopsy to be performed today.
The thoughts and prayers from everyone at RubyHornet go out to all of our friends at LRG and especially the family of Jonas Bevacqua. Hit the jump to see LRG’s official statement released on their website.
