If you were to look up “sexy” in the dictionary, a runway look from LaQuan Smith would be likely to accompany the description. Since his label’s inception, the designer has doubled down on raucous party wear—offering his women proactive pieces that are unapologetic, never afraid to show skin, and always ready to hit the town in. But can Smith do smart, sophisticated clothes too? This season, he was set on proving that he sure can. “I wanted to take elements of what I’m known for—keeping it unapologetically sexy—but with a level of refinement,” he said.
That’s not to say the designer dialed things down and traded his mini skirts for humdrum minimal suits. Instead, Smith ventured into covered-up tailoring and outerwear, but still kept his confident and seductive ethos by channeling an appropriate reference. “I got really excited by this femme fatale, James Bond girl concept,” Smith said. For someone who owns va-va-voom, that pairing worked well: Smith loved the strong and powerful personalities that many of the women embody in Bond films—Grace Jones as May Day, hello!—and wanted his attempt at evening sophistication to convey the same energy.
His opening looks included moto jackets reworked as saucy, short coat dresses. There were elevated details, like a curved zipper running up along the front. Very Casino Royale was his take on a white tuxedo shirt, with a black bow tie built in to the neckline, and left untied. In past seasons, Smith could lean so far into sexiness that it could read as somewhat crass, but this season he refined things. “I was really intentional with my cuts and silhouettes,” he said. “I took my time on the construction.”
Smith’s approaches to outerwear also felt fresh for him. His calfhair and croc-embossed leather trucker jacket was enticing, as were his big shearling jackets. Ditto the velvety pinstriped suits, and the velvety puffers he sent out with vertical paneling. Smith often focuses on dresses, but there were surprisingly few here—a nice change of direction, and an exercise in seeing what else he can do.
Of course, it would be a shame if Smith totally smartened up and shunned the fun, brazen attitude he’s known for. So, thankfully, the designer still offered a few sizzling pieces. (The models helped sell it, too, by strutting down the catwalk to a custom soundtrack by Ty Dolla $ign). Snith’s more pearl-clutching looks included a black lace catsuit, the neckline cut low, and the built-in spandex bodysuit cut extra-high on the hipbones. Sure, the sheer, naked dressing trend feels tired and overdone at this point, but for a designer like Smith, it feels almost naturally engrained in the brand.
His exposing of the skin worked better when juxtaposed against more elegant wears, like his white double-breasted suit, paired with a mesh nude top covered in strategic golden embroidery. It was like a hint of the LaQuan Smith woman considering focusing on their career versus hitting the club. “Every woman doesn’t want a suit, and that’s OK,” he said. “I offered a suit in a way that’s identifiable to me.” He should continue the energy and keep finding new ways to expand his world: the clothes tonight showed real promise there.