LaQuan Smith knows methods to throw a celebration; there’s little question about that. Once you consider the mirror partitions and chic Art Deco interior of the Rainbow Room, you’ve got one heck of a swanky soirée—and this level of sophistication is clear within the designer’s fall/winter 2023 collection, too.
Don Ashby
The show kicked off with a model performing a reimagined scene from the favored ’80s soap opera Dynasty. It was a compelling vignette, one which demonstrates a lady coming into her own with a recent sense of power, and serves as a metaphor for the LaQuan Smith woman. She’s still sexy, but she’s grown up. The very best part? She knows who she is.
Don Ashby
Don Ashby
Models, with their slicked-back hair and stiletto heels, strutted down the steps and around the long-lasting venue wearing quite a lot of tailored pieces made for today. Structured tuxedo jackets, low-slung (but polished) trousers, mini blazer dresses, and—consider it or not—briefcases made their way across the ground, making a powerful case for on a regular basis wear. These were accompanied by loads of body-hugging and skin-baring staples, corresponding to bodysuits and two-piece sets, ensuring Smith’s signature sex appeal was still very much in the gathering. And with a mostly neutral color palette (the one colours seen were a vibrant violet and a sky blue), it also felt like a stark contrast to his spring 2023 show, which only reinforced the indisputable fact that each he and his audience are leveling up.
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Don Ashby
Don Ashby
The designer also took the chance to debut menswear, with one standout look being an all-black ensemble featuring black suiting, a sheer shirt, and a thin scarf. These looks felt very rock ‘n’ roll and drew clear inspiration from none apart from Lenny Kravitz, who recently wore a custom LaQuan Smith outfit to the CFDA Awards in November.
Don Ashby
Perhaps it was the cocktails and caviar that began the evening—and the audience, which included the likes of Teyana Taylor, Lil Nas X, Kimora Lee Simmons, and, in fact, Julia Fox—off on a high note, but there was a selected energy that pulsed through the room (I, for one, left the show with my heart racing). It might have been Smith’s voice over the music stating, “That is LaQuan Smith.” Regardless, one cannot deny it: LaQuan Smith is here.
Don Ashby
Don Ashby
Dale Arden Chong is the Senior Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Previously, she was an editor at MensHealth.com and has written for Who What Wear, GLAMOUR, The Coveteur, and more. She loves fashion, food, and art, amongst other things—but her best love is K-pop idol V of BTS.
