Within the axis where style meets sound, model-turned-musician Reign Judge is in perfect sync with spring’s covetable bags, proving that a bold look and a loud character are the only statement you need this season.

V MAGAZINE: What are a few things that you always need in your bag? 

REIGN JUDGE: A large variety of lip products, a pen, perfume, and a joint, ha!

V: What’s one piece of clothing or accessory you can’t go without right now? 

RJ: I never leave the house in anything but the best because it makes me feel empowered and amazing. These days, I’ve studied so much to understand what I do and don’t like that my style [has become] extremely intuitive. [Lately], I’ve been wearing these thick gray Chloe aviator glasses with just about everything. They make me feel fabulous and put together.

V: Do you remember your first designer bag?

RJ:  My first real designer bag was a Gucci Diana small brown bag! My boyfriend at the time gave it to me as a gift when we started dating. I remember feeling like I couldn’t believe it was mine; it was definitely the nicest thing I owned at that point! 

V: You’ve shared your love of music before. What’s a song or artist that instantly shifts your mood or inspires your creativity? 

RJ: Nancy Wilson and Amy Winehouse are my go-to comfort artists. Whenever I’m having an off day or going through something in my life, I know there’s a song by one of them that will make me feel seen and comforted. Jazz as a genre gets me in a really creative mood. Typically, jazz is less dense lyrically, and I feel that allows my thoughts to flow freely and easily.

V: What are some of the top picks on your playlist right now?

RJ: Memphis in June by Nina Simone, The Show is Over by Evelyn “Champange” King, Don’t Speak by Loaded Honey, Ma I Don’t Love Her by Clipse, and After the Pain by Betty Wright.

V: What inspires you when creating music? 

RJ: Though I’ve been singing since I was eight, this is the first time in my life [that] I’m creating original songs. I’m still figuring out my process, but thematically, the inspirations have all been from my own life experiences. It’s honestly felt like a sort of therapy to be able to convey the unexpressed thoughts and feelings that I have in a way that stimulates my mind and soul creatively.  

V: If you could trade bags with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why? 

RJ: Peggy Gou. She has the craziest bag collection I have ever seen. 

V: What’s been one of your favorite modeling moments to date, and how do you hold onto your own sense of style and identity on set? 

RJ: I love any opportunity I get to shoot with my good friend, Conor Cunningham. He’s my creative soulmate. Working with him is always insane because it feels like our thoughts are constantly being communicated telepathically; we can’t help but finish each other’s sentences! I am extremely communicative on set about my thoughts & opinions, and I feel I’m lucky to typically work with people who see me for who I am and respect it.

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This story appears in the pages of V158: now available for purchase!

Photography Zach Apo-Tsang

Fashion Anna Trevelyan  

Makeup Holly Silius (R3 Management)

Hair Marcia Hamilton (Forward Artists)

Manicure Yoko Sakakura (A-Frame)

Model Reign Judge (IMG)

Set Designer Isabella Monge

Lighting Technician Jack Thomas

Styling Assistant Damien Lloyd

Makeup Assistant Laura Dudley

Movement Director Marly Phillips–Nicol

Executive Producer Leon Wong (Kintzing)

Head of Production Amy Siddons (Kintzing)

Producer Fletcher Nightwine