LaQuan Smith – SPRING 2021 READY-TO-WEAR
There were standouts among this first section—a bejeweled minidress destined to appear on a pop diva, metallized capri pants, and all manner of bustier tops—but things heated up toward the end. A series of looks focused on strategic cutouts was especially bold. Whether you love the idea of double-sided tape and jaw-dropping cleavage or find it unappealing, it is impossible to ignore the attention such dresses command. A turquoise jersey number on model Alanna Arrington fit like a glove in a look book image that could double as an ad for a gym membership. Much like Smith’s reference point—the risqué Richard Tyler number Toni Braxton wore back in 2001 to collect multiple Grammys—the creations require extreme confidence. “One of the fun things about what I do is that it is pushing those boundaries about what it means to be sexy,” says Smith. “There is a fine line, but when I’m designing these gowns, I’m thinking about a classic era in the most sensual way. You put that dress on, and it’s going to make you feel beautiful and sexy.”
