At first scroll, LoveLeo looks like your stereotypical TikTok E-Boy heartthrob with painted nails, a single drop earring, and perfectly floppy hair fashioned into a centre parting, but there’s more to the Californian than first meets the eye. Born Leo Reilly – the eldest son of actor John C. Reilly – the creative is primarily a musician, but studied fashion design, and sells vintage clothing and jewellery that he makes himself as a side hustle. 

“I look at everything I do as an opportunity to do things differently,” he explains of his approach to creativity. Recording his debut single “BOYFREN” in his bedroom, his nonchalant tones schmooze over indie-esque sounds telling the listener to break up with your boyfriend (OK!). The accompanying trippy music video sees Reilly’s face superimposed on everything from an egg yolk to a fridge magnet. 

Outside of his musical endeavours, LoveLeo has unsurprisingly caught the eye of the fashion industry, most notably walking the runway at Moschino’s Halloween-inspired SS20 menswear show and creating a short film for Kenzo. It’s music and philanthropy – the musician is passionate about climate change – that has Reilly’s laser focus at the moment and he wants to find a way to combine the two.

“I want to have the resources to open a series of studios for artists of all different mediums, where they can create any kind of project,” he muses on where he hopes to get to with his career. “This will be an affordable space for people with big dreams to create and collaborate with like-minded people.” As for his dream collaboration: “I want to make a song with Pitbull about saving the environment.” 

How did you start doing the work you do, and what inspires it? 

LoveLeo: I have an innate desire to create. My work is inspired by things I enjoyed as a kid. In everything I do, I try to remove any sense of ego and view it objectively. Would I like this? Would I click on this? I’m just making things I like and having as much fun as possible in the process. 

“I want to have the resources to open a series of studios for artists of all different mediums, where they can create any kind of project” – LoveLeo

What issues or causes are you passionate about and why?

LoveLeo: Climate change. It’s clearly up to young people like me to hold everyone accountable. One thing I’m focusing on is setting an example for young fashion designers to show that it’s possible and necessary to cut down on the waste produced by the fashion industry by using sustainable materials and processes. I also believe everyone should have the opportunity and resources to create, no matter their socio-economic situation, geographical location, etc.

What creative or philanthropic project would you work on with a grant from the Dazed 100 Ideas Fund?

LoveLeo: I want to do free pop-up workshops where people can bring random items and make them into earrings, or customise their clothes with rhinestones and paints. I want to make a massive mural in LA composed of small drawings and pieces of writing from everyone who comes.