Lucille Lane: Pop Art Takes on Ben Franklin, Lil Wayne

by Kerri Cooke

Zoey Reed’s main job is lightyears away from the boutique she just launched, Lucille Lane. With a background in political advocacy, Reed, who is originally from Sulphur, spent years living in New Orleans, only recently moving back to the Lake Area. What began as a way to use her creativity to decompress from the serious work she was doing during the day is now a shop that is skyrocketing in popularity on Instagram. 

The shop is named Lucille Lane, the persona behind the brand who is not that far removed from Reed herself. In fact, you could say Lucille is an alter ego for Reed. Lucille is a sassy, Southern lady who says “things you probably shouldn’t say in public. She’s into pop art and loves needlework,” according to Reed. 

Reed begins with a hand-drawn sketch and revisits some of her older paintings, digitizing and reimagining them with fresh elements before completing the color and final details digitally, a process she fondly refers to as “digitally frosting” them. The humor has resonated with an audience across the United States—she has shipped to Virginia, Iowa and New York—in a time when social media can be a divisive and depressive place. In fact, she had one lady who told her just as much, but when she came across Reed’s art, she smiled. This is the type of escape and joy Reed seeks to instill in her art. “I have spent my career helping people with their words to elevate their voice. It is fun to help Lucille find hers.” 

Describing herself as a Grandmillennial, Reed says, “If you come to my house, you might assume an older woman lives there and that’s an advantage for me.” She is definitely tuned into the hunger and nostalgia many are feeling for a time before life moved so fast. In fact, just as this interview took place, Glamour published a story titled “Granny Print Is the Next Grandma-Inspired Fashion Trend Emerging in 2025.” 

Lucille Lane’s tagline is “a little bit Walmart, a little bit Neiman’s,” which represents fine taste at an affordable price. “People want to participate in the art world, but they get intimidated,” Reed says. Perhaps, due to the formal approach to much art, the public feels they have to “figure art out.” However, Reed’s art instantly resonates with people due to its approachability and humor. For example, the name of some of Lucille Lane’s tote bags are: Abe the Babe, pop art of Abraham Lincoln; By George, pop art of George Washington; and Queen Lizzy, pop art of Queen Elizabeth. She also has a Lucille Lane branded Taylor Swift tee and a print of Napolean Bonaparte holding a banner saying, “Fun Sized.”  

Reed finds it exciting to imagine what these historical figures would be like in the modern day and age. One print features Benjamin Franklin with an iPhone, and Reed created a text thread for him on Instagram. America will mark its 250th anniversary next year, so she expects to develop more products with the Founding Fathers. “Alexander Hamilton is getting a little jealous,” she says. 

Reed also creates modern figures, including Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. (There’s a fun Lil Wayne story you’ll have to ask her about if you see her.) A slew of new products is in the works, but since her business has gained momentum so fast and demand is high, creating new merchandise takes time as she is a team of one. She will eventually have her prints on a variety of merchandise, including cufflinks. Reed’s philosophy is to ask the people what they want and then deliver. (Spoiler: She’s currently working on Mardi Gras merch. I’ve seen one of her prints and I’m obsessed with how clever it is.) 

What started with only a couple hundred dollars in ads on Instagram has brought forth many returns, as has Reed’s journey back to SWLA. “Lake Charles is an epicenter of really good artists and musicians. My humor is rooted in this community and the spirit of this place.” 

As to what the future holds, Reed says, “I hope Lucille evolves and stays cheeky. I’d love to wholesale my art. It will be fun to see where it ends up.” 

You can find Lucille Lane on Instagram @ lovelucillelane or at shoplucillelane.com.