GLOBAL DJ HUGEL BRINGS HIS LOVE FOR CREATING MUSIC TO THE WORLD’S BIGGEST VENUES WHILE STILL STAYING LOYAL TO HIS ROOTS.

His own suit and sunglasses STYLED BY MANUELA GUTIERREZ, GROOMING BY MELODIE BRIERE SHOT ON LOCATION AT FIVE PARK MIAMI BEACH, PH4702, DESIGNED BY ARTEFACTO & LISTED BY DOUGLAS ELLIMAN DEVELOPMENT MARKETING PHOTOGRAPHED BY FILIPPO BONFIGLIO

From a young age, DJ Hugel (@hugelthug), formally known as Florent Hugel, knew he wanted a music career. He also knew he wanted to come to America one day and live in Miami. Now, he’s accomplished both of those things, plus so much more. Add in an upcoming residency at Hï Ibiza this summer, a clothing line of his own called Tafari World, the chart-topping success of his single “I Adore You,” and collaborations with names from Diplo and J Balvin to Ellie Goulding and more—and you could say the Marseilles-born DJ has “made it” in the music industry.

“It feels like a movie—sometimes I need to ask myself if all of this is real, but I guess it is, and thank God for that,” he says on the mainstream success of the track and its viral fame on the internet. “I’m living my best life; I have the chance to do what I love and to be able to share it with people I love too.” Hugel followed up the momentum of “I Adore You”

with “Forever”—a track in collaboration with Diplo released shortly after.

Dolce & Gabbana top and pants, dolcegabbana.com; Louis Vuitton sunglasses, us.louisvuitton.com; his own shoes. PHOTOGRAPHED BY FILIPPO BONFIGLIO

“It feels like a movie—sometimes I need to ask myself if all of this is real, but I guess it is, and thank God for that. I’m living my best life; I have the chance to do what I love and to be able to share it with the people I love too.”

“It felt right to collaborate with Diplo because he was the first artist in America who showed me some love and support in 2021. He’s also the first big DJ I did a back-to-back set with when I moved to America,” he shares. “So, we are good friends, and apparently, we sell great tickets together.”

When we chatted, Hugel had just come off an epic Miami Music Week, during which he headlined multiple shows, including back-to-back sets with Diplo at Hyde Beach and a 15-hour set with his label at the legendary Club Space.

For him, doing it all in Miami, which he now calls home in America, was the icing on the cake.

Louis Vuitton button-down, jeans and sunglasses,us.louisvuitton.com; his own tank and watch. PHOTOGRAPHED BY FILIPPO BONFIGLIO

“I always knew I wanted to live in Miami,” he expresses. “I don’t know who showed me the movie Scarface when I was 12 years old, but [when] I saw it I was like, ‘I need to immigrate to America one of these days because this looks like paradise.’”

And he’s already adapted to the local life well. When he’s not performing at one of the clubs, he reveals that he’s developed quite an addiction to Wynwood burger joint Skinny Louie’s. You can also find him chilling at the beach at The Setai or picking up a game of padel.

“It feels like a dream come true to call Miami home finally,” he says.

Although he’s jetting worldwide this summer, he looks forward to returning whenever possible. Most excitingly, he has an upcoming residency at the legendary Hï Ibiza, which he reveals will have a sexy cabaret theme, paying homage to his French roots.

“Everybody’s trying to go digital now with all the scenes and robots, making it futuristic—so I wanted to reconnect with the Ibiza roots and bring it back to what it used to be back in the day. We created a cabaret with an electronic twist. We’ll have the screens and the technology, but it’s not just a screen. You’ll also have special decorations, where everything is decked out in red velvet, Gatsby style, with stairs on the stage and a chandelier with girls in the air. The chandelier will be moving through the crowd, creating a full, immersive atmosphere,” he previews. “You’ll get an old-school cabaret feeling, and I think it’s going to be a very new experience for the island.”

He continues, “I’m French, so we are famous for all those things with the old cabaret vibe. And I felt like, if I had to create a party, I would have to represent my roots and bring the French craziness to Ibiza. They’ve also wanted to create this for a long time, so it worked out well. This is one of the biggest productions I’ve ever had, so it is going to be really special.”

Outside of music, Hugel also takes his creative talents to the fashion world with his personal brand, Tafari World (@tafariworld). Having released its first drop during Miami Art Week in 2024, the brand has already picked up momentum and will release multiple drops throughout the next few months.

“I always wanted to have my own brand,” he says on the inception of Tafari World. “I have always been into fashion and style but never found the right partner. I became friends with an amazing designer named Tyler three years ago, and we decided to work together. I’d get asked where I got my jacket or pants when I was out, so it felt natural to create my own so I could say, ‘It’s my own brand.’ Tyler is the designer, but we work together throughout the whole process, and it’s a great partnership. We’re not going to do collections but release drops and create excitement.”

Dolce & Gabbana top and pants, dolcegabbana.com; Louis Vuitton sunglasses, us.louisvuitton.com; his own watch. PHOTOGRAPHED BY FILIPPO BONFIGLIO

They recently opened a showroom with select hours in San Diego, and when asked if Miami could be next, Hugel responds resoundingly, “Why not?” after its successful pop-up during Miami Art Week.

Hugel is a talent to be watched, and it’s clear this is only the beginning of what’s to come. Next on his dream collaborators list? “The Weeknd, no doubt,” he answers immediately.

With a desire to channel his creativity into different outlets, Hugel maintains that following what you’re passionate about is the key to achieving success. “When you make decisions based on money or a commercial achievement, it doesn’t work. You have to do it with love,” he asserts. “With love, the money will come automatically—because if you connect with it yourself, people will also connect.”

“I DON’T KNOW WHO SHOWED ME THE MOVIE SCARFACE WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, BUT [WHEN] I SAW IT I WAS LIKE, ‘I NEED TO IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA ONE OF THESE DAYS BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE PARADISE.’”