Yesterday evening, LaQuan Smith debuted his Fall 2023 collection at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. The room’s elegance coincided with that of the collection. It was filled with celebrities like Julia Fox, who opened Smith’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection, Lil Nas X, Teyana Taylor, Prabal Gurung, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Ashely Biden, and more. Besides the celebrities attending, many notable models walked for Smith, like Alton Mason, Aqua Parios, and Frida Aasen, who opened the show.
With inspiration for the collection gathered from 80s Hollywood glamor, the show started with a show-stopping entrance epitomizing modern glamor from model Frida Aasen. Illuminated by a bright spotlight, Aasen fiercely flung her fur jacket over the balcony as the words “I own this house,” from Joan Collins’ in Dynasty echoed. As Aasen descended the stairs, she replaced the jacket with a briefcase to accompany her tailored dress reminiscent of a suit, embracing the Dynasty inspiration.
Such an evocative entrance sets the tone for the collection that embodies sleek, sexy, and sophisticated style. This is not a new aesthetic for Smith, known for metallic breastplates, moto leather ensembles, and sequence sets, as the brand thrives on the dichotomy of elegance and sex appeal. Smith’s Fall 2023 men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections featured emphasized silhouettes, sleek cutouts, and intricate tailoring. Regarding the fabrics, common themes of metallics, suede, sheer, and chiffon prominently exude luxury. Contrasting with the bright colors of the Spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection, this collection’s colors ranged from neutrals to olive green to purple and blue. The nostalgic fashion was modernized with futuristic accessories, consisting of exaggerated sunglasses and jewelry.
Nostalgic glam by Huda Beauty accompanied the collection to complete the retro elegance. Bold eyeliner dramatized the eyes, while the rest of the face makeup was glamorous yet subtle.
