Miquela Sousa

Who is Miquela Sousa?

Miquela Sousa, known publicly as Lil Miquela, is a virtual influencer, model and singer created for social media. Debuting on Instagram in April 2016, she presents a fictional teen persona who mixes fashion, music and social commentary while performing as a digital character.

Creator and studio

Lil Miquela was developed by the Los Angeles transmedia studio Brud, cofounded by Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou. Brud built Miquela as part of a roster of digital characters and later became part of a larger Web3-focused organization.

Visual style and aesthetics

Visually Miquela blends photoreal CGI with stylized touches: brown hair often worn in signature buns, freckles, a visible tooth gap and contemporary street-to-luxury wardrobe choices. Her posts mix editorial looks and everyday outfits, pairing streetwear labels with high-fashion pieces and beauty-focused closeups.

Persona and content

Miquela’s public persona reads as youthful, socially engaged and fashion-forward. She speaks about music, style and social topics while adopting a friendly, conversational tone that invites fan interaction.

Her creative identity spans modeling, music and cultural commentary; she appears in fashion editorials and releases original songs and music videos as part of her profile as a virtual artist.

Content Type & Format

Lil Miquela's content mixes static Instagram posts and editorial-style imagery with short-form video. She uses posts and stories to showcase outfits, behind-the-scenes moments and staged portraits that read like a fashion diary.

She publishes music and music videos on streaming platforms and YouTube, and shares clips of studio time, lyrics and performance-ready visuals. These videos sit alongside shorter reels and trend-driven clips on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Lil Miquela's personality comes through in captions, interviews and collaborative projects; her content strategy combines lifestyle storytelling, fashion promotion and music releases across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to engage fans and industry partners.

Lil Miquela Collaborations and Campaigns

Prada Instagram takeover: Prada x Lil Miquela. In February 2018 Miquela participated in a Prada social program around Milan Fashion Week, appearing in branded GIFs and a curated Instagram presence that tied her visual identity to the show and its digital collateral.

#MYCALVINS campaign: Calvin Klein x Lil Miquela. In 2019 Miquela featured in a Calvin Klein installment of the brand’s campaign series, appearing in short film content alongside a live model to amplify the campaign’s exploration of identity and expression across social video and brand channels.

#TeamGalaxy campaign: Samsung x Lil Miquela. In 2019 Miquela joined Samsung’s #TeamGalaxy slate of ambassadors in a digital film series that used short video and social creative to position the brand around creativity, technology and cultural storytelling.

Brand fit and target market

Lil Miquela fits fashion, beauty and tech brands seeking a digitally native, culturally tuned audience. Her mix of streetwear and luxury visuals, plus musical output, makes her a match for campaigns aimed at Gen Z and younger millennial consumers interested in style, music and digital culture.

Media presence and recognition

Miquela has been profiled widely in fashion and technology press and was named among Time magazine’s 25 Most Influential People on the Internet. Her work has appeared in major outlets and in fashion editorial contexts, reinforcing her role as a pioneering virtual talent.