It’s January of 2018, and TREND45 is experiencing baby steps of growth with six events under its belt. Remy Lewbel met Jimmy Nguyen. Lewbel and Nguyen connected through social media for a planned shoot. “We shared interests and motivation that made TREND45’s goals and dreams happen today” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Both were studying at University with aspirations to make a mark in the world. “Two youngsters who had the same dream” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020). Lewbel and Nguyen would go on to lay out a plan to grow the business far past its original accomplishments with measurable success for every event to come. They went about building and living the dream.

It’s November of 2017, and Remy Lewbel is focusing on his financial classes, but he knew it was time to bring back his events. In early November, Remy Lewbel hosted his next event in Holland, Michigan: Villa in The Woods. Holland would be Lewbel’s next big event with over 50 artists applying and selling out in the first week of ticket release. Lewbel started focusing on improvements with a stabilizing foundation with a secure video team, DJ, and professional security. Lewbel would then rent out a 14-bedroom modern villa built into a hill in the forest. The house was five floors tall with wrap-around balconies. “The perfect place for a party” (Speer, Austin. Personal Interview 14 May 2020). The content was spectacular with the picturesque backdrop of the Michigan countryside. With the event selling out so quickly, it gave time for Lewbel to start working with brands. Lewbel would work with clothing brands from local businesses. Lewbel scored a deal to chauffeured in a limousine from his college dorm, taking him to the event and back. “Showing up in a limo to your own event made quite a splash and will remain a highlight in my memory reel” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). TREND45 would begin the cycle of hosting events on a continuous pattern. With the success of these events, members would return again and again, from Alison Finley (MUA Model), Dylan Hudson (Photographer) to Breanna Borski (Model).

In August of 2017, Lewbel found himself planning one more event before returning to Western Michigan University. This event would push boundaries even further and head to a state the team or Remy had never been before. “They called it Endless Summer. This would of have been my fifth event with them (TREND45)” (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020). Lewbel knew that this event would be different. It was less than a month after the Detroit event. Lewbel brought 30 artists, a significantly smaller number than his prior events. “It wasn’t supposed to be a large event, I was creating friends through the business and we wanted to all be together again before the summer finished” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). TREND45 rented out a beautiful colonial villa in the heart of Carmel, Indiana. This event would create a pathway of standards, new love, and goals for Remy. “This is when I started definitely getting more comfortable with my life and where it was growing. Prior to Endless Summer I was way too shy. Endless Summer allowed me to get out of my shell. That’s where I first fell for this model. This girl was a lot older me but to be honest, most, if not everyone was older than me at this event.” Destiny Rose and Remy Lewbel were seen together from August to October of 2017. “I look back and I see the time I spent with Des, and I look back at many memories we shared in Carmel. I was 20 and of course your mind works differently when you’re younger. To top that I off, I was in a position and a career not a lot of other people my age was headed. I was envious that Destiny, who I considered a very successful model was also an accomplished student. Simultaneously throughout TREND45 events, I was trying to balance my education and it was difficult. I looked to Destiny who was managing both a career and school and I found comfort in her teachings and wisdom. I don’t think she ever knew that about the impact she had on me. Even it was for a just a month or two. I wrap and agree that I couldn’t talk about Endless Summer if it wasn’t for Destiny Rose. They say a little goes a long way…At least to me, you know?” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). TREND45 stayed in Carmel, Indiana, for one weekend, and the endless summer was finally over.

“Mykonos is one of the most famous Greek islands. Located in the Cycladic region of the beautiful Aegean Sea, Mykonos offers amazing beaches, beautiful nature, picturesque villages, delicious Greek food and a chic lifestyle. However, Mykonos is very famous for its great nightlife. Some people call Mykonos the Ibiza of Greece, since partying till morning in famous clubs with world known DJs next to movie stars and famous personalities happens every summer” (Debbie, Reynolds Trip 101. 6 May 2020). TREND45 set sail for Mykonos Greece in May of 2019 for Villa Apollo. This event would be the most luxurious TREND45 trip hosted to date. “We wanted to show the world that we had it. “If I were honest, I’d do it again, 100x over. It was worth it” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020). TREND45 rented out one of the largest villas in Mykonos. With views over the bay and of the four swimming pools. The house was magnificent in the traditional white-washed stone of the Greek Isles. TREND45 brought another 40 people to Greece, this time with a new spin. The excursions were not lush, they were loud. TREND45 commissioned a 30-meter Yacht for a wild day trip. Remy Lewbel worked hand in hand with friend Matthew Tomkiel, owner of Feel Alive Entertainment and sponsored Chad Dolan, a legacy photographer from Columbus, Ohio, along with two well-known Detroit DJ’s. “We would walk the old-town of Mykonos and rage at night. The photos were killer” (Brennan, Edward. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020)”. Jimmy Nguyen, Elizabeth Lupu, Sydney Irene, Danard Lenoir, Jeffery Mullins, Carolyn McCullen, Adam Johns, and Brooklyn Caldwell embraced their leadership roles in Mykonos. From managing guests to making sure the event ran smoothly, each contributing to its resounding success. Paul: “What was the funniest experience in Greece?” Remy: “My funniest memory was the one that saved my skin. No one told us mosquitoes were bad in Greece... I’m talking viscously bad. Some guests got bites that swelled up, which didn’t make for great pictures. Jimmy slept with his window and door open, the man got bit at least 40 times. Elizabeth guarded our door from the onslaught, and I left Greece without one mosquito bite; in essence she saved our skin!” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Lewbel and Lupu were at the airport in June 2019, leaving together two days before the event ended in Mykonos Greece.

“Cabin on The Grasslands is where I met my best friend, Brooklyn Caldwell. Cabin is a place where I got to create my dream photoshoot. That shoot was something I wanted to do for five years. This included over 14 female models and supported female employment in a way that I wasn’t expecting.” (Morin, Claire. Personal Interview 30 October 2019). In 2017, Remy Lewbel and the TREND45 team took their event to Ohio. Remy Lewbel was quoted, “I have always wanted to expand. They always told me it was too early, but it’s a legacy we were trying to grow” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Remy Lewbel never had any financial investment in the starting months. Lewbel has always born a risk-taker, whether it was maxing out credit cards on the front end. He believed in a dream so resolutely, to accomplish what no one had tried before. “This event was special to me because I brought a photographer along who I had done production with…” Sydney Irene worked with Remy and Karen Paz-Labra on a music video in Columbus, Ohio, earlier that month. “… I loved her work and from the start I admired her vision. To have someone you admire tell you they believe your dreams was incredible, I can’t even express that feeling” ((Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Connections weren’t visible at this point; guests were sleeping in bunk beds while dreaming of sleeping in villas. The Cabin in Aberdeen was a rustic hunting lodge with exposed timbers and a wrap-around porch. “First event at Cabin on The Grasslands? Shit was messy! (Chuckles) I found out the night before we left that I couldn’t rent a van because of my age. Well actually, I still can’t! (Laughs)…So my mom bussed 15 people out there from Detroit and drove them back. Mama Lewbel came in and saved the day! At that time in TREND45’s infancy, we couldn’t afford a video team. It was only a one night the event but I promised we would be back.” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020)). Lewbel returned to Aberdeen, Ohio, in June of 2018 for Cabin on the Grasslands II. “This time we brought 3 DJ’s, a chef and 50 creatives to a cabin for the weekend. The house was on some 100 acres and the house was a good 8,000 square feet with an obsessive number of bedrooms. So, it was fucking amazing” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Lewbel was creating a massive amount of notice in the creative community stretching from Indiana, Ohio, and all over Michigan. Lewbel’s team was just getting stronger. In the next couple of months, Remy Lewbel would change his life forever. “Creating events was the fun part. We were building something that we didn’t even fully understand yet. That was .5, this is only 1%.” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020).

“I couldn’t imagine doing any more events without a nod to the city I represent with Urban Elegance. Michigan is amazing, the beauty, the architecture, but the city of Detroit has a soul” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). Lewbel returned to Detroit in July 2017 and expanded to 2 locations: a hotel for guests and an additional main mansion. The Winder 97 was a new rustic boutique hotel in the soul of Detroit” (Runyan, Robin. Curbed Detroit. 15 July 2017). Lewbel went on from this specific event to see his dream becoming possible. “We were not slowing down; it was a new event in a new location every month, but now my team was getting better. I got to bring Sydney Irene and company back here too” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Remy Lewbel brought TREND45 back home, but that wasn’t his only shooting in Detroit. “Detroit has always been a home ground for me for shooting. All over, we would be downtown in the streets at night. I’d never take back those nights” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). Lewbel would always post photos going into abandoned buildings or on city streets. Lewbel raised on 13 Mile on the edge of the suburbs of Detroit. “We’d always pre-game at my parents’ house and then get downtown and rage. From nightclubs to parties, our squad would always be celebrating” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). “I first met Remy Lewbel in Detroit, Michigan. My first experience was at the Detroit event TREND45 hosted. Three years and the kid is still one of my best friends” (Speer, Austin. 14 May 2020). Lewbel and Speer would continue their mutual relationship. Austin would go on to attend future TREND45 events providing content, leadership, and, most importantly, he’s spread joy and laughs to all the people around him.

Paul Matthew: “How can you (Remy) describe your Walled Lake experience?” Remy Lewbel: “A fast year, a month after my first, demand went crazy. Over and over people reposted photos, applied, messaged me. I had no idea what to expect for Walled Lake, but hey, we had this crazy house on the water, a headline of artists and a tuxedo company sponsored all the male models. Come to think of it, I made a rule to myself not to turn up the night before an event like that again.” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Remy Lewbel and the collective of TREND45 created their second happening in a beautiful 7,000 square foot chateau on the lake in mid-February for Chateau le Reservoir. Producing even more content, people started understanding what impact TREND45 was making in the Detroit art community.

In 2017 Remy Lewbel held his first TREND45 event in Birmingham, Michigan. Visiting Birmingham would not Lewbel’s first time in this picturesque village in the suburbs of Detroit. Before beginning his modeling career, Lewbel attended Birmingham Covington School, a school of choice with a Technology focus, from third to eighth. Birmingham Covington School was actually down the road from Lewbel’s TREND45’s Colonial Revival. “My experience at Covington was formative; it was definitely a school for forward thinkers who drew outside the lines. My parents thought it would be a good idea to be surrounded by people in that mind set. It goes with the saying you are influenced by the people who you surround yourself with” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Lewbel found is original path helping others in his sophomore year of high school when he worked as a swim instructor for Goldfish Swim School in Birmingham, Michigan, from 2012-2015. Lewbel worked with children in the age bracket of two to seven years old. “This was my first experience seeing a business work and from that learned valuable work ethics there” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Remy Lewbel attended Birmingham Groves Highschool from 2011-2015. “I was into sports until I got sick of constant physical demand. I was balancing tennis, soccer, track and swimming, man. Shit was overkill!” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). It was early 2017 on a cold winter day when Lewbel found himself hosting his first event. “When people arrived it was show time, I couldn’t believe it! People were coming out and driving hours to be there early and wait outside for the event to start. That’s when I realized I was onto something.” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Remy Lewbel’s first event hosted 45 guests, and that “45” created the name of the company…TREND45. “Remy was that kid with a dream we didn’t believe until he proved us wrong. The kid wouldn’t settle for small. You could feel that energy from him throughout the whole event. If I know one kid destined for success, it’ll be Remy Lewbel!” (Gusmano, Salina. Personal Interview. 15 March 2020). Salina Gusmano became a significant advocate for TREND45. “Birmingham takes me to my roots because it’s where I was raised. From the people I know and the love I have here, Birmingham, Michigan is where the first chapter started” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018).

Lewbel attended Western Michigan University from 2015-2020, graduating with a degree in Sales and Business Marketing and minors in Communications and General Business. Lewbel was an active member of the fashion and modeling community at his school. Lewbel lived in Harvey Hall, and then in 2016, records show of him moving to a close-by condominium, Bronco Club, till early 2019. Lewbel walked in the MODA fashion in the fall of 2018. In Remy’s last year of school, he would be working as a Promoter for a nightclub called Y-Bar. Lewbel would also be moving closer to campus at Main Street Properties. In 2019 Remy was undergoing stress of passing for graduation, moving to a new home, and a very public breakup. Unfortunately, Remy Lewbel would be caught in 2019 on security cameras publicly intoxicated and smoking inside his residence hall. Lewbel’s lease was terminated for 2020. “My life is not perfect, I’m not the best person. I fucked up more times than I can count. At that point I didn’t give a fuck if I finished school or got kicked out. I left Kalamazoo in December and went to straight to LA. I just needed a break.” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). On 25 January 2020, Remy Lewbel would host his first event in France in the new year. Lewbel left Kalamazoo on 10 December 2019. “I had to be out of my apartment the day my finals started. On top of that I’d been driving 2 hours every weekend for two months straight. I would even be skipping class, driving back home to try so hard to salvage the relationship I held so tight” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel and Elizabeth Lupu- officially split in November of 2019. Reports of Lewbel allegedly cheating on Lupu would also start in November. “If I had one more conversation with Elizabeth, I’d be telling her how much I appreciated her. I wouldn’t forget to tell her thank you either. She showed me how to become a better person. She showed me how to love someone and grow. She taught me how to care for someone you really love. She showed me firsthand all of that. Elizabeth helped introduce me to culture, my physical health and was a support to me while touring. Elizabeth would have stopped the world for me, but not when I fuck up. Not when girls message me and I entertain them by flirting back. Imagine trying to build trust after seeing those texts? Then to top that off, a rumor that I cheated on her back when. Why would anyone stay in a relationship like that? It didn’t matter if I had sex with someone or not, I broke her trust when I promised I wouldn’t. I hurt the one person that meant the most to me. A year later and I still feel it” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Paul: “What would happen if the truth came out and no physical cheating happened?” Remy: “It wouldn’t matter, I wouldn’t want any girl to experience what she (Elizabeth) had to go through. I can’t understand why some people want to see you fail. I can’t understand why people want to see you hurt and I can’t understand why someone would say such hurtful things to such a beautiful innocent girl. She didn’t deserve any of that. One day I hope the truth does comes out. One day I hope we can reconnect. Maybe she sees how far along my Romanian has gotten. Maybe someday. (Remy Lewbel giggles) …Until then I have to keep moving forward and build” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020).

In July of 2018, Lewbel would host Remy Lewbel’s first event in Illinois, Modern Gatsby. “I think out of any event, this one was the most significant to me. I learned that my life was going somewhere. I was learning that the more I did, the better the payoff would be” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Emulating his favorite novel, Modern Gatsby was a modern-day take on the opulent parties of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Gatsby. Lewbel would host an event on Elm Street in the middle of downtown Chicago. TREND45 had a modern three-story villa in the heart of downtown. The TREND45 team prepped the house. With getting the help of yet another DJ, amazing video crew, and to create something unique, a musical artist. The house itself was six bedrooms. Lewbel had commissioned a nearby hotel for many of the attending guests. “In Chicago one of the biggest lessons I learned, was that TREND45 was bigger than me. I needed help. This where I found Jimmy Nguyen, Claire Morin, Brooklyn Caldwell, Jeffery Mullins and the countless others who stepped up. Some of these people had attended fewer than 3 events. Not only did these guests purchase tickets, they became an integral part of the team and helped me run an event that had over 70 guests. These people would become some of my closest allies and the steppingstones that TREND45 needed to get to the next level” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). “Chicago was a new photography opportunity for me. I knew with a big city I needed big ideas. This is when I took my photography concepts to a new level. My work needed more than just fashion; it needed props. I created custom designed roller-skates. Little did I know that those skates would be a start to a new business of mine!” (Morin, Claire. Personal Interview 29 July 2020) Paul Matthew: “How did you meet her?” (Elizabeth Lupu) “I met Elizabeth the second day of the Chicago event. She was cool, and our communication was surprisingly really easy. We discovered our parents lived four miles away from each other. Our chemistry was insane, we talked the whole event, enjoyed shooting together and walking around the city.” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). “These two were in love before they even knew it” (Palmer, Tamara. Personal Interview 30 October 2019). Towards the end of the night, TREND45 had a couple of booths in PRYSM Nightclub. Lewbel and Lupu sighted, leaving together. “We left the club, got a Uber and just hung out till the sun rose. It’s true I have a lot of memories with this girl” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Chicago was an amazing experience. Remy Lewbel got a reality check that this can be his life if he’d just pushed a little further, what could happen next?

It was almost midnight on 13 September 2018, the day before Remy Lewbel’s birthday. TREND45 set off to fly into Los Angeles International Airport in six hours. The story starts at the Lewbel Barn. “I’d show up to Remy’s house all the time. This one hit different, I hadn’t been back to LA since I was a baby. My girlfriend packed for me; I wasn’t going to sleep that night, so we got there at like 11pm. Remy’s getting a fade, Ben the Barber did a house call for Remy. (Laughs) SeVn and I remember we were all there smoking a toast”. (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020). TREND45 arrived at Detroit Metro Airport on 14 September 2018. This event would mark TREND45’s first event incorporating airfare for their guests. TREND45’s Malibu event had over 40 people flying from Detroit alone. “Imagine having an airplane with 40 TREND45 goers on my boy’s birthday” (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020)”. When everyone arrived in LA, TREND45 went classy and got an oversized party bus. “Those Malibu roads are narrow, and those Malibu cliffs are steep! (Laughs)” (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020). TREND45 made it to the top of a mountain where the houses glitter from the sun’s ocean reflection. Paradise Point took place within a classic mid-century modern architecture. This house included a basketball court, five acres, a pool and hot tub and a breathtaking view of the ocean. “So I’ve spent some time in LA, and I’ve made some ears turn. The boys came to show respect. I got to also see her (Sydney Irene) again; it had been like a year since I’d seen her last. This time she brought a guy. His name was Sam. The man was cool, though. We chilled, smoked, and caught jokes. I never thought I’d be able to travel the world with this guy” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). faces would be part of the history on this event. We’d see the return of Brooklyn Caldwell (Photographer), Claire Morin (Photographer), Jeffery Mullins (Photographer), Chad Dolan (Photographer), Breanna Borski (Model), and Elizabeth Lupu-Leica (Model). “My 22nd was fucking amazing” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel was creating a legacy by celebrating his birthday at a TREND45 event. He was giving himself a platform. Paul: “What was it like seeing her (Elizabeth) come to another event?” Remy: “Honestly, I was cool with her. I had no idea she would become such an important person in my life, but for real, we were just chill back then, I swear” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). “All right, I’m not too old or too wise, but these kids had something. A little dancing and a little flirting. (Laughs). I’m not that old.” (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020)”. Lewbel and Leica sighted, partying in the hills of Malibu on 16 September 2018. Lewbel would return soon home to Detroit and set plans for another milestone, to outdo himself once again. Fun fact: “We stayed at a house that no longer exists anymore. 2 weeks later the fires in Malibu took the house out we stayed in” (Morin, Claire. Personal Interview 15 July 2020)

Remy Lewbel hosted his next event in Colorado, Centennial Villa. This event would be Lewbel’s first time in the state of Colorado. “My first event in Colorado was unimaginable. I attended with my girlfriend for our anniversary. This would be my first ever TREND45 experience” (Mcintosh, Jay, Personal Interview, 20 June 2020). Jay and his girlfriend, Mia, would witness one of the coolest events in TREND45’s generation. TREND45 landed in Denver in 2018. To the guest’s surprise, TREND45 had rented out a Tour Bus and Mercedes Sprinter Van. Remy Lewbel and TREND45 would drive three hours into the mountains to arrive at a beautiful villa on the hill. Brooklyn Caldwell and Claire Morin came ahead of time to secure the keys and to prepare the villa for TREND45’s guests. The villa stretched 13,000 square feet. This house included a basketball court, a heated swimming pool, four floors, a hot tub on the roof, and five balconies. While this event only lasted a weekend, the trip was like a blink of the eye. “It was the chilliest event I’d hosted. It made me want to just do something bigger. Like this wasn’t a challenge anymore” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). In the next month’s Remy Lewbel would take a risk that nobody could predict.

On 22 December 2018, TREND45 announced its first trip for 2019. This decision created a storm over social media and was a groundbreaking moment for creatives and the company. Remy Lewbel made one of the best decisions of his life to make international travel accessible and secure. Remy Lewbel opened a door for the creative community to be able to see the world. “This event was nothing like the others” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020) “This was my sixth TREND45 event. I had been attending since Detroit’s Urban Elegance. What made this event different was that it wasn’t just a weekend. It was a week, full of excursions, culture awareness, good food and amazing memories” (Kay, Heidi, Personal Interview. 27 July 2020). New Heights, TREND45’s first international trip would include excursions to private islands, waterfalls, elephant sanctuary’s, and beaches while lodging in a full private compound. “Bali from Detroit is at least 18-hour flight. This would be the first time I’d leave the USA” (Mullins, Jeffery. Personal Interview, 25 July 2020). Elizabeth Lupu-Leica and Remy Lewbel started dating in January 2019. “Elizabeth was one of my biggest supporters, she would be my number one. For a while there our relationship was an extended honeymoon. (Laughs). It felt like that’s what our lives were becoming.” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Lewbel and Leica would be sighted, in a very public relationship over the next few months. Paul: “Bali was amazing but how did these events change your relationship with her (Elizabeth)?” Remy: “I’d never been in a relationship where people sought out spite. You wouldn’t imagine what people will do or say just to see y’all not together. For me, luckily, I live in the moment. I said I was blessed in Bali and I cherished the memories I lived. Today we may not be talking, but these memories we both share resonate every night for me” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). The Bali event was another turning point for TREND45. As continually reported, TREND45 sold out their first international trip. TREND45 would be building a bigger team with new faces, including… Danard Lenoir (Videographer), Adam Johns (Event Operations), Carolyn McCullen (Model), Veronica Walden (Model), Ryker Carpenter (Photographer), Ryan Flowers (Remy Lewbel’s Cousin) Sam Chinomona (Photographer), and Paul Matthew (Videographer). With open arms, Lewbel was also acquainted with the return of old friends and colleagues who supported TREND45 in 2017 and 2018. “Sydney my big sister showed up with her man Sam. I gave a suite to Claire and Brooklyn. Jeffery, SeVn and Jimmy were like camp counselors. Those guys were making sure everyone was safe. Along with also the 19 employees that were making sure the grounds were kept up” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). “We didn’t set ourselves up with a Sprinter or a tour bus. We set everyone up with an eight-car convo and a police escort leaving the airport to the villa. Can you imagine us having a police escort? (Laughs) (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020)”. The compound TREND45 got in March of 2019 was not just an average hotel or house. This boutique hotel equipped with over ten personal villas on the property and amenities ranging from yoga, multiple pools, catered authentic dinners, and breathtaking excursions. The architecture of the property integrated a lush tropical forest. Showers were outside, and the main pavilions had outdoor shaded seating with Infinity pools and tiki torches. TREND45 was starting to look like a reality show! “I remember arriving the first night. We got to the villa around midnight. Not one person went to bed before the next night. I have so many memoires with every single person who went on the trip, from rock climbing, to getting lost in the jungle. My favorite memory was going to the Elephant Sanctuary” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Lewbel, Leica, Sydney Irene, and Sam Jenkins sighted at Mason Elephant Park feeding and washing the Elephants. Their friendship and business ventures would amplify in the coming months.

Remy Lewbel sighted shooting in London on 28 May in 2019 on route to the Villa Apollo event in Greece. “A 24-hour layover in London allowed us to capture some great pictures, eat some curry, turn up and managed not miss our flights” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019).

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In 2019 Remy Lewbel had been to Costa Rica four times. Remy Lewbel and Elizabeth Lupu-Leica would go on weekends for personal vacations, family, and a break for fresh air. “Elizabeth first invited me to Costa Rica with her family. The Leica’s took me in and treated me like family. We would return to Costa Rica for birthdays and weekends I had off school” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). In July of 2019, Lewbel and Leica would soon want to share their love of the country. Lewbel and Leica would begin hosting their final trip of Summer ‘19, located in Costa Rica. “In August of 2019, I was mentally exhausted from traveling. I had been going country to country for four months. Elizabeth and I went to 12 different countries in one year. While being abroad, Sydney Irene, Sam Jenkins, Jimmy Nguyen, Claire Morin, Danard Lenoir, Paul Matthew, and Carolyn McCullen stepped up. Carolyn would join the team, officially working directly over social media. “She set standards for how we represent ourselves online today” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). TREND45’s team would be planning and pulling off one final event that summer. This event would mark TREND45’s 3rd international event in one year. “We had the same motto; we were pushing out more and more content. It was different working with this event. International calls made communication difficult between Remy and I” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020). “My team worked hard. I would give recognition to Sydney Irene, especially. She was my point of contact while abroad. She would be the person to find the house, recruit, photograph, and manage it all and helping build the company I see today” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Pura Vida became a significant event for the TREND45 team. At this event, Claire Morin laid down the foundation for TREND45’s move to a corporate entity. The villa was an unbelievable sight. The architecture was an open concept in the middle of the jungle, overlooking Manuel Antonio National Park. With over 12 bedrooms, this villa had accessible floors as common areas for peers to connect. The house had glass doors that stretched to the ceiling. With its tropical setting, this house was a dream that became a reality. TREND45 would leave Costa Rica and complete its 2019 event calendar year in August of 2019.

Costa Rica November 2020

“I landed in San Jose in Costa Rica on November 6th 2020 and I hadn’t been there since I was in my relationship with Elizabeth. That was back in August 2019, to be honest the memories still ftill my brain and it blows my mind it’s been that long. This trip wasn’t to bring those memories back though. It was to make more” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Remy Lewbel would be joined with Jimmy Nguyen, Bianca Malatesta, Chad Dolan, Maya Ciechanowski, Alyssa Cooley, Sydney Jeney, Jessi Joplin, Caroline Hopper and another girl named Jenny. We would be staying in Jaco, Costa Rica in a penthouse overlooking the ocean. Same city Remy Lewbel would be a year earlier. “We would all arrive all together and enjoy a weekend with warm vibes and good people. Take a breath away from the toxic election and the negativity from America. In fact, I was so eager to leave the country that as soon as the border opened in Costa Rica we were on a plane that week” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Lewbel and friends would party to late hours of the night, taking photos and creating video on VHS. “On the 2nd day we would all go swimming. I’m used to swimming big waves and have familiarized myself with the current from this beach. Everyone else? Not so much… Chad and I are deep in the ocean away from the break of the wave. We noticed that the girls and Jimmy were starting to push to where we were. Chad and I were at least 50 meters out. The undercurrent and riptide took control of Bianca and Alyssa. From what I was told, Maya and Jimmy started swimming back. They could tell they were losing control. Meanwhile Jimmy gets to shore and sees the current has swept Bianca and Alyssa in deeper. Jimmy went full Baywatch and ran to them to save them. At this moment Maya and Caroline were at shore. Those two were were safe. Jessi and Jenny were inside in the penthouse. To my best understanding Jimmy grabbed the two girls and all three lost control and were pushed out even further. Chad and I started swimming closer to them to realize all three were panicking and drowning. We had no idea till we got there. Chad went for Jimmy and I went for the girls” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Remy Lewbel had been an aquatic instructor from 2013-2015 working at Goldfish Swim School and a lifeguard Manager from 2016-2017 at Birmingham Athletic Club. “I had to first calm both girls down. Alyssa almost drowned me from panicking. During that time I had to put each girl around my arms and kick breaststroke. I went on my back and started kicking slow to save my breath. My ears were ringing cause of the girls screams and the waves kept pushing into my face headfirst. I held my cool, breathed out through my nose and kept swimming. Not a clue how far I am out or how deep the water was. I brought both girls to safety, to quickly run to help Chad who had successfully brought Jimmy to shore as well on his own. At this moment after I knew everyone was safe, I collapsed. Jessi and Jenny came over after we all looked like beached whales from exhaustion. To know everyone was safe I could then relax” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Lewbel and friends would not re-enter the ocean the rest of the trip. “Drowning wasn’t the only exciting opportunity we had. We got to celebrate Mayas 21st birthday and I got to look at property and meet with architects. You see I have a lot of goals for what I want to do with hospitality. I had been very busy in the months leading up to November. Finally, being able to observe a property to maybe build on. I’ve looking to purchase property out there. With that we should be able to create TREND45’s own creative compound. Similar to what kids are doing in LA” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Bianca Malatesta would leave a day early. “To be honest being stuck with someone resorting only to Facetime for 5+ months really gets you to grow with that person. What it doesn’t do is prepare you for how real the interactions are when in each other’s company when you really see each other again in person. This time it was harder for me to say goodbye understanding that yet again I won’t know when I would see her again” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 17 November 2020). Remy Lewbel and the rest of the group would leave Costa Rica on the 10th and head home safely.

Costa Rica September 2021

“It’s crazy to think another year is passing. I look at all my memories and ask myself how is life going this fast? (Remy Lewbel, Personal Interview. September 14th, 2021). Remy Lewbel and Jimmy Nguyen would be joined with Raul D’Souza for Remy’s 25th birthday in Costa Rica Manuel Antonio. (Remy Lewbel, Personal Interview. September 14th, 2021). There Lewbel, Nguyen, and D’Souza would ride horseback, relax, and enjoy the beachfront all while exploring investment properties. Lewbel would be still hunting for places to purchase in Costa Rica. In recent years Lewbel’s birthdays would be large and would be with many people. “This would be small. It would define me to learn that I am no longer the child I felt like I was. The more I understand MJ’s childhood the more I understand. I have spent the past four years traveling the world, missing birthdays, weddings, and all different types of celebrations and losses. That makes me think a lot. You’d never realize the kid traveling the world would be missing out more at home. I never had friends growing up. Now once I made those friendships, I’d be on an airplane months later. Friends fade and memories grow” (Remy Lewbel, Personal Interview. September 14th, 2021).

Costa Rica November 2021

Lewbel would touch down in San Jose again in Costa Rica on November 23rd, 2021. There he would be joined again with Raul D’Souza. D’Souza would also bring his family with him. Remy Lewbel would be traveling alone this time to Costa Rica spending the holidays with one of his best friend’s family for the holiday. “His family and I would go back to Jaco. It’s the same town I’d been to so many times. I think this trip to Costa Rica was slower for me. I spent a lot of time waking up early in the morning and walking alone on the beach. Listening to music to make me smile and try to enjoy the sand between my toes. But there’s no harder realization that time is going so fast. I’ve retraced my steps again and again almost like feeling what it would be like in the past. Something like feeling the way I did back then. Maybe that’s the way I keep coming back?” (Remy Lewbel, Personal Interview. December 1st, 2021). Remy Lewbel would spend the week showing Raul’s family the restaurants and things to do in the coast. “Almost like my last did to me” Remy Lewbel, Personal Interview. December 1st, 2021).

“This would have been my second TREND45 event. With my first being Bali. Every fucking event TREND45 hosts get better than ever” (Walden, Veronika, Personal Interview. 2 July 2020). Remy Lewbel would meet Nguyen, Chinomona, and Walden at the train station in Marseille and the small team that attended the event in January. “It was a breath of fresh air seeing Nguyen had arrived the night prior and rented out an Airbnb for the team. It was about a month since I’d seen them (TREND45 Team) last” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). TREND45’s Château Avion event was different from the others. This event would be much smaller than hosted in the past. With TREND45 renting out another boutique hotel. TREND45 successfully sold it out. “I work in sales with TREND45. We got a lot of sales and a lot of applicants. After France, I personally told Remy we need to invest in a larger team. If we get more celebrities to shout us out and then attend. There’s no way I’m going to be able to manage all those applications” (Carpenter, Ryker Personal Interview. 2 July 2020). TREND45 would rent out a 14-bedroom castle on top of a hill overlooking wine vineyards. This castle, located upon an old town called Le Castellet. “The only tower that was taller than our villa was the steeple of the church. The property was where celebrities wish they got married” (Nguyen, Jimmy. Personal Interview. 12 May 2020). Remy Lewbel took a different approach to host this event; he wanted to go back to be a leader and took on the responsibility. “I’d eat last; I’d help clean everyone's dishes. By the fifth day, everyone was following the examples I set the first night. See, we flew out our chef, and my job was to make sure not only our guests were happy but our team members as well” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel and Jimmy Nguyen would obtain International Driving Licenses. This time Nguyen and Lewbel would be finding ways to save money to keep profit margins high. One of those ways was to take over driving for airport pickups/ drop-offs and excursions. Lewbel and Nguyen would rent Mercedes’ vans and take leading to another level. “It was my job to pick up the stragglers whose planes were delayed or coming in late. This is where I first met Bianca Malatesta. A girl who applied online and flew in from Toronto. Bianca didn’t know anybody coming to the event, and truthfully, I didn’t know much about her. This would be her first experience traveling abroad by herself. Seeing her eyes light up when we arrived at the villa reminded me why I do this job in the first place”. (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Bianca Malatesta would find comfort in discovering that she had a suite and her bathroom overlooking the pool. “Just seeing the guests mingle and start creating content on their own, it just shows that there doesn’t need to be operating procedures for guests. They make the connections and collaborate on their own. On day two of Château Avion, we hosted a little party in the dance hall of the castle." (MISSING CIT) Lewbel and Malatesta were sighted, leaving the party at 1 am. “I pulled Bianca aside and asked her to leave the party. We ran inside the conference room and just started learning about each other. Tell me why this girl was so similar to me. It’s like we had the same wit and taste. Hell, we even bonded over being broken up by our significant others”. Throughout the trip, Remy Lewbel and Bianca Malatesta would kindle in commonalties and find comfort with each other. “We would stay up till crazy hours of the night talking with each other and laughing. She’d help me clean-up for the morning and make sure that I was being taken care of. I spend a lot of time making sure the guests were all good, but she was on the other arm, making sure I was good too” (Lewbel, Remy, Columbia University Interview. 28 July 2020). TREND45 would set sail to excursions in Provence and Cassis, seeing lavender fields and cliffs alike. Bianca Malatesta and Remy Lewbel would even match their clothing without planning. “Bianca would show up ready for an excursion in clothes that made my friends think we coordinated. In reality, she just had a similar style to me. Bianca may only have known me a week then, but it felt like we’d been friends for years” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). TREND45 in Marseille would come to a successful close after six days. Malatesta would leave Marseille on 1 February, flying back to Toronto, Canada. Lewbel flew back on 3 February to Los Angeles from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France. Invited to Toronto by Bianca Malatesta on 5 February 2020, Lewbel left the Los Angeles International Airport on 6 February.

Remy Lewbel and SeVn Scott were on tour with Chobani in 5 different cities in October 2016. While balancing University studies at Western Michigan University, Lewbel was sent on tour and headed to Columbus, Ohio. “We can’t give any credit to Kentucky if it weren’t for Columbus, and us getting fired” (SeVn Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020). SeVn Scott and Remy Lewbel arrived 2 hours late because they were indecisive on their Halloween costumes. Result: SeVn and Remy had no work to go to a hotel room, costumes, and were ready to celebrate a holiday in the city. “What else are two single dudes about to do? We hit up Tinder and ended up at the frat houses of Ohio State. I’m not really a big football fan, but people at Ohio State sure don’t like people from Michigan, especially fraternity brothers!” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Scott and Lewbel found success on Tinder and met three girls who were about to change their lives. “The girls were cool; they liked us. They invited us to come down to Kentucky with them for a creative meet up” (SeVn, Scott. Personal Interview. 20 June 2020). Lewbel and Scott took them up on their offer and joined three strangers to drive to Kentucky. When they pulled up to the location, they found themselves and many others amazed at the beautiful property before them. “There wasn’t too much direction, and a lot of people were just chilling, they weren’t taking advantage of being there. Eventually, we realized the homeowner had no idea that people were throwing an event at his Airbnb. Long story short, he threatened to call the cops and half the guests dipped” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). This event may have been a rough experience for some artists who paid to attend; however, with Remy Lewbel’s energy, he made the most of it. Lewbel captured some of his favorite photos to date and met some great connections with artists who are still involved in the business today (wearetrend45.com, 26 July 2020).

In November of 2015, way before TREND45 started, Remy Lewbel had his first modeling gig. Edge Portraits, now closed, hired Lewbel for a lifestyle and editorial shoot. Remy Lewbel paired with Sammy, a talented, up-and-coming photographer. Lewbel was just newly 18 years old and was smitten this creative and sweet German woman of 23. Remy and Sammy began dating in December 2015. Through Sammy, Lewbel would be introduced to new connections and photographers to start his path into the modeling industry. “Sammy jumpstarted it for me. You have a moment of understanding, and you have to be grateful for the people who are put in your life” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Remy Lewbel was introduced to Sammy’s co-worker Jeffery Mullins in January 2017. They created a photoshoot in the back of a garage, and still, today is one Remy Lewbel’s favorite shoots.

“Sometimes no matter how you hard you try, you or can never really understand why we make the choices we make. In August of 2020, I wanted to set out to travel somewhere. I had been locked down at my parents’ home for the past four months. Working on zoom meetings if not every day.” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 8th September 2020). Remy Lewbel would drive north from Detroit to Grand Rapids on August 22nd. “Paul Mathew, Claire Morin, Danard LaNior and Dylan Hudson all live there so I am familiar with the creative community. I would reach out to Claire Morin and plan a photoshoot with her. The ones we had taken in the past were all at TREND45 events. So having an opportunity to shoot with Claire was an easy choice. I also had been to Grand Rapids a hand full of times in the past, but never a photoshoot there. I would call Claire up and she took me to a place where you wouldn’t expect. A sand dune in a forest! I was joined with Paul Mathew on this adventure too. This place is really special to Claire, so it really meant a lot to me that she wanted to shoot there. After a day of tubing down the rapids and then a night going out around the city. I was blessed to smell the fresh air there. It honestly helped my hangover and the dread of my car ride back a little easier.” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 8th September 2020).

"Most people don't realize the extent of how beautiful Michigan is. Metamora is like 45 from Birmingham, Michigan, but it makes you feel like you could be in a different country." (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel would shoot in Metamora in November of 2016 with Sammy. Remy Lewbel wouldn't be back to Metamora up until he began to be friends with Alison Finley. "My girl (Alison) lived out there with her parents. They had like 30 plus horses too. We'd have bonfires and drive four-wheelers. It was a great way to escape the city" (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel would shoot and visit Metamora up until Alison moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 2019.

"I had spent my whole life growing up with the kids from Bloomfield Hills. These areas in the suburbs of Detroit are crazy wealthy. We had opportunities to hang out in mansions, drive expensive cars, and enjoy a life that not many kids could. It's like the Calabasas of Detroit. (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Remy Lewbel would shoot with Austin Speer, Sammy, Jimmy Nguen and live with Elizabeth Lupu-Leica. Birmingham Michigan, would be the neighboring city. "During Covid, Alex and I would chill in his backyard every night. See, our parents known each other since before we born. Some odd 30 years." (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Alexandre Mallebay-Vaqueur and Remy Lewbel would have been family friends. Both Lewbel and Mallebay-Vaqueur are first-generation Americans. Lewbel and Mallebay-Vaqueur's parents immigrated to America. "Our dads almost got kidnapped in Côte d'Ivoire. They have been through it, Alex and I want to share the same legacy when both of our families grow too." (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020).

“Most people who seek a love for fame, creativity, and art inspire to move to cities like LA. In the Midwest, it’s assumed that you don’t have too much creativity happening. Maybe the reason I started TREND45 there was to build a community at large, but I digress. I was lucky to have my aunt work at Universal Studios in Hollywood. My Dad would fly me down there for the summers. I’d spend my time there riding around in backlot at Universal Studios” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Remy Lewbel dreamed of a backstage lifestyle of celebrities and actors at an early age. Lewbel planned to follow in their footsteps one day. “I remember always getting in trouble with security ‘cause I would be sneaking around sets and watching movies being built and set up. It was better than watching a movie in the theater” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Over the years between 1996 and now, Lewbel had been to Los Angeles more times than he could count. Remy Lewbel started taking modeling seriously in 2016 and booking shoots in around Downtown Los Angeles. Between 2016-2019 Remy would start forming connections in the city he vowed to move to after school. In 2019 Remy Lewbel and Elizabeth Lupu were spotted together in a red Ferrari 488 in Beverly Hills, California. “Bougie kids’ man. We were living a fast life” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019). Lewbel, Lupu, Nguyen, McCullen, Jenkins, and Irene were also seen together in Los Angeles on 14 September 2019, celebrating Remy’s 23rd birthday in Downtown Los Angeles.

Between 2016 and 2018, Remy Lewbel spent much time in Ann Arbor. It would be where Remy Lewbel would set up his first LLC. It would be the first time experiencing owning a business. “The supporters I had in my corner at the time made a vision from a piece of paper to a real event. I owe that city, the people, and the students that” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020)

In March of 2017, Remy Lewbel flew in from Tampa, Florida Airport to Columbus, Ohio. Lewbel was on schedule to report to set for DIMENSION, a Showroom Studio. Lewbel also spent time filming with model Karen Paz-Labra and meeting director Sydney Irene for the first time. Lewbel and Paz-Labra would create a highly anticipated remake of SMALL DOSES from Grammy-nominated Bebe Rexha. (grammy.com, Reference. 12 June 2018). Karen Paz-Labra and Remy Lewbel starred in the fantastic video. “Man, life seemed so much faster, then. I was living on an airplane. They had me staying at hotels, recording movie footage, shooting a music video, then a fashion photoshoot. I only had time to take Karen for one dinner at a restaurant in Columbus. Since then, both our lives have skyrocketed. I only wish her the best” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020). Paul: What was it like meeting Sydney for the first time?” Remy: “She and I vibed really well. It was like I knew her all my life. We joked and talked about our goals. I told her about TREND45. She was willing enough to come to her first event in Aberdeen, planned for a few months later. Hope I have the chance to work with her again one day. It’s crazy how much time I’ve known her” (Lewbel, Remy. Paul Matthew Media Podcast. 19 November 2019).

The first event in 2018 was in January. TREND45 was now a year old, going from Michigan to throughout the Midwest. Remy Lewbel laid his next event up north Michigan, far away in a small town called Glen Arbor. Lewbel would spend summers and winters at the Homestead Resort with his family. Lewbel wanted to relive those memories with his new business. “Midwinter Manor was a difficult event to plan. It was the dead of winter, everything was closed, almost every hotel and Airbnb for miles would be closed for the season. I remember begging hotels to open for the weekend and saying that we would rent the whole place out” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). Lewbel and his team would experience one of the worst winter storms to come through Michigan, the night before the event. Roads shut down, highways were closed, and many guests could not arrive at the event. Practical guests would leave a day before the storm, and Lewbel begged the hotels to open up to allow their guests to stay the day before. They opened their doors. Lewbel arrived to view one of the most beautiful views of a snowy Lake Michigan. “God gave us more than light. He brought everyone who drove to the event safely and gave us a backdrop photoshop couldn’t create” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018). TREND45 would now begin to start seeing the jealously of its success rage throughout the creative community. The community that Lewbel would celebrate turned its back on him. More and more community directors would ban Lewbel from engagement groups and Facebook groups. “It became hard to advertise on other platforms because we would be shut down every post. This happened because people were catching on to this idea and trying to unsuccessfully copy it for themselves. If it was hate or jealously, shit never bothered me. I just kept moving forward” (Lewbel, Remy. Kalamazoo Media. 20 March 2018).

In July 2017, Remy Lewbel sighted leaving Burbank Airport on a private jet. Remy Lewbel brought a photographer with him. “The friends from Ann Arbor Michigan hooked it up for me” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview. 25 July 2020).

In 2014, a young Remy Lewbel, sixteen-year-old student vowed to spend a small portion of his junior year of high school going to Jamaica. Jamaica wouldn’t be a trip for relaxation, photoshoots, or vacation. This trip would be for the community of Jamaica to help their schools, orphanages, special education schools. Lewbel would teach, feed, and learn from children that come from different parts of the world. “JAMAICA-LINK MINISTRIES INC is an ethnic/immigrant center or provider of services. Founded in 2003, it is located in Montego Bay, Jamaica” (www.open990.org, Reference. 22 March 2014). A significant amount of college essays at Western Michigan University described his life-changing experiences in Jamaica. “That day, I understood privilege. That day I understood how hard it is for people who are not the same as me, to create a life and be able to experience even the littlest of things we take for granted over in the States, changed me. In order for me to live the life I do now, I need to understand what privilege is, I need to take the opportunities I was blessed with to do good. Lemme repeat, do better than good” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020)

). In just three years, Remy Lewbel would start TREND45 and pave ways for artists, collaborators to create their vision. With Remy Lewbel’s take on life, he wanted to share that experience. It would start here.

Remy Lewbel and Elizabeth Lupu flew into Bordeaux in the South of France on 6 July 2019. Lewbel and Lupu would spend the weekend for his father’s (Henri Lewbel) 60th birthday. “With Elizabeth introducing me to her family and friends in Romania. I could only do the same thing by introducing her to mine. We’d traveled so much it felt like we’d been together for years. I ate mamaliga in the mountains of Romania with her family, and she ate croissants with mine in Cap Ferret.” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Lewbel and Lupu would take the bullet train from Bordeaux to Paris and continue their vacation in the Place de la République in Paris, France, till Late July. In early January 2020, Remy Lewbel would fly to Los Angeles, California. Remy Lewbel would stay with friends while getting acquainted with new videographers, content creators, and business owners. The TREND45 team would remain in Detroit to finish planning the Frane event and secure operations from home. Lewbel would fly to Paris France on 19 January 2020, joined by a new videographer, as well as friends. “This was my first time traveling out of the country. To be able to do it with Remy, I only wanted to see more” (Bohem, Michelle, Personal Interview. 1 February 2020). Michelle Bohem would accompany Remy Lewbel to Paris along with her friend Ashley. “The first night in Paris was cold. The girls passed out from traveling all day and I went to the liquor store. From there I found something that caught me off guard” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). Lewbel would stumble across the same city block where he once stayed with then-girlfriend Elizabeth Lupu. Remy Lewbel found himself at the Place de la République again, just a few months later. “That next morning I woke up early. I’m talking at least 5am, got my ass got dressed snuck out of the hotel, ran to the same block, the République to see it in the morning. I was walking without maps and surprisingly I found the same hotel. I snuck in, went up to grand staircase up the third floor. From the third floor I pushed the lock into the courtyard. The memories Elizabeth and I once shared came back, and all I wanted to do was share it with her again. Even if it was just for one more time” (Lewbel, Remy, Personal Interview. 28 July 2020). In the days leading to the event, Lewbel would participate in parties and events for Paris Fashion Week. Remy Lewbel would leave the morning on 23 January 2020.

During Remy Lewbel’s time in Kalamazoo, his modeling experience expanded into nearby areas and cities. Portage was where he connected with Photographer Lacey Howland. She would help Remy Lewbel to develop his modeling angles and look in February 2018.

Grosse Pointe January 2021.

It’s early January, with breeze from Lake Saint Claire blowing on the houses in Grosse Pointe Michigan. Remy Lewbel would be working more frequently in his career. “I’d spend some summer days in GP but it’s the old side of town. Not like old people but like old money. Like those cranky rich guys from Gatsby. Short story the houses are expensive, and the people don’t like loud music” (Lewbel, Remy. Personal Interview March 10, 2021). Lewbel would be seen shooting in and around the Grosse Pointe area working with newer photographers. Serafim Mazurs, Maya Ciechanowski and Jack Fisher would all be caught on RING video cameras shooting on people’s properties. “I only think the police only came like once” (Lewbel Remy. Personal Interview March 10, 2021). Lewbel would not be penalized for trespassing. “Come to think of it why did a border patrol agent even respond to that call. To be honest if it where Grosse Point PD guaranteed we all would have been written up.” Lewbel Remy. Personal Interview March 10, 2021).