LaQuan Smith S/S 2024 New York

[HazJW]

I hate to say it because I'm gay myself and it's often said in a homophobic way about gay designers, but I really don't think this guy actually likes women or sees their bodies as worth respecting.

 

[LadyJunon]

I hate to say it because I'm gay myself and it's often said in a homophobic way about gay designers, but I really don't think this guy actually likes women or sees their bodies as worth respecting.

Looking at it again, I'd say that it's more autogynephilia than pure misogyny. There is very much the presence of this overblown fantasy that is very removed from women as a subject.

It's not a sartorial proposition for women (Azzedine, Ford, Helmut), nor is it a artistic allegory on womanhood/female sexuality/femininity (McQueen, Galliano).

It very much something to be consumed at face value and nothing more...

 

[Phuel]

Oh I never feel that’s true whenever accusations of misogyny is pointed at a gay man who designs extremely fitted/bodycon/barely there fashions for women. He just loves a certain type of women, and that certain type of women absolutely loves these fashions.

There will always be men— homo or hetero, along with women, that enjoy dressing and being dressed in OTT bodyconwear. It may be tacky and gaudy in some hands (like his), but it’s still fashions some women enjoy. If I were producing a certain story that’s very shiny plastic-y Vegas Showgirls-inspired, I’d absolutely pull from him.

 

[HazJW]

Looking at it again, I'd say that it's more autogynephilia than pure misogyny. There is very much the presence of this overblown fantasy that is very removed from women as a subject.

It's not a sartorial proposition for women (Azzedine, Ford, Helmut), nor is it a artistic allegory on womanhood/female sexuality/femininity (McQueen, Galliano).

It very much something to be consumed at face value and nothing more...

I think that's the case in this collection, which is better than other work of his I've seen, but his past collections have just looked like softcore p*rn-wear. There's discussions to be had about empowerment, body positivity, sexuality and so on, but all I've ever seen with Smith is a guy noticing that women feel increasingly empowered by their bodies and using that to make a buck. It's extremely cynical, and if he was an average looking straight man called Fred, rather than a handsome queer guy called LaQuan, I don't think he'd have a career. I don't know him personally of course, but I've met plenty of guys who think that because they don't fancy women, they can't possibly ever objectify them - and then when you ask about women they admire, it's all insta models, Kim K ... that's the kind of dude he strikes me as, and it's reflected in his work, to my eyes.

 

[Nimsay]

God please. Designers have been making slutwear for a certain customer for ages. Its just tastes have changed and women are wearing panty hose as pants now.

How can you have access to the internet but not have history? Bob Mackie was worse than LaQuan back in the day. Cher was dressed like a sex worker. Now that same mackie style dress is not blinked at on any RC.

Im starting to like LaQuan now because he gets people going.

 

[HazJW]

I think that's the case in this collection, which is better than other work of his I've seen, but his past collections have just looked like softcore p*rn-wear. There's discussions to be had about empowerment, body positivity, sexuality and so on, but all I've ever seen with Smith is a guy noticing that women feel increasingly empowered by their bodies and using that to make a buck. It's extremely cynical, and if he was an average looking straight man called Fred, rather than a handsome queer guy called LaQuan, I don't think he'd have a career. I don't know him personally of course, but I've met plenty of guys who think that because they don't fancy women, they can't possibly ever objectify them - and then when you ask about women they admire, it's all insta models, Kim K ... that's the kind of dude he strikes me as, and it's reflected in his work, to my eyes.

Like what does he actually want to happen, what's his ultimate goal?

God please. Designers have been making slutwear for a certain customer for ages. Its just tastes have changed and women are wearing panty hose as pants now.

How can you have access to the internet but not have history? Bob Mackie was worse than LaQuan back in the day. Cher was dressed like a sex worker. Now that same mackie style dress is not blinked at on any RC.

Im starting to like LaQuan now because he gets people going.

Could you share some photos of Cher wearing anything close to Smith's early collections, please? And the answer isn't "Google is free", it's 'no I can't, because she didn't'. Btw, his header quote on his website is about how he wants to bring back 'exhibitionism for vixens', so yeah, definitely a respecter of women, 100%.

 

[Phuel]

If anyone is convinced LaQuan is a misogynist, then he must be a masochist by the way he shows off his hard-worked body and dresses himself LMFAO He is the living embodiment of his brand— and the male counterpart to his womenswear. No one can possibly accuse him of not practicing what he preaches. I drag him, but his is that tacky jolt of needed gaudy volt of unapologetic, unabashed and unfiltered hot bod wet t-shirt contest— for both women and men. The bodies that are needed to exhibits wears are hard-worked (and hard worked on), hard-earned and flaunted hard. He’s more Mugler without the kitsch, but just as much tacky fun. A story treatment by Emmanuelle’s Vogue Paris set sometime in 1988, in full orgy glory of glistening, shiny, slithery, serpentine women and their boytoys, shot by Sorrenti would be a fevered dream. I wouldn't wear LaQuan if I were paid-- but I'm all for his decadence.

BTW, Cher's hilarious!

 

[susseinmcswanny]

Will 100% see this stuff on Meredith Marks next year

 

[gazebo]

As a gay man, the claims of misogyny are sad ; if only they weren't funny.

There's a reason why gay men are the best fashion designers.

Can anyone please tell me why is that the way it is?

I think we should all be appreciative of gay men designers; otherwise we end up with MGC and Virgine Viard.

 

[velvetandsilk]

As a gay man, the claims of misogyny are sad ; if only they weren't funny.

There's a reason why gay men are the best fashion designers.

Can anyone please tell me why is that the way it is?

I think we should all be appreciative of gay men designers; otherwise we end up with MGC and Virgine Viard.

Men in fashion sometimes can forget about practical aspect of clothes and they focused on form. They don't wear this clothes. When you are woman, knows why you hate some kind of clothes. I am not big fan of Maria design but she always emphasize that her clothes should be practical not for dreaming. Virgine is a designer by accident.

 

[Phuel]

Also as a gay (… so cringe when people always preface their posts with “As a…” cuz apparently, the entitlement and privilege is strong when you identify as a minority first and foremost LOL), I’d like to immortalize forever on the interweb that there are as many talented women designers as there are men— or conversely, there are as many awful women designers as there are awful men designers. Ultimately, whether one believes gayz are the best designers, comes down to one’s personal preference for an aesthetic. We’re just in an era where the most minimum of mediocrity to create logo/monogram basics is passing as creative talent— propelled with the profitable gender-identity armour, will give a lesser talent an advantage. Because it’s always the lesser ones that rely on identity-politics rather than their talent, to make a fashion statement. So maybe a gay that's pure, classic hedonistic showoff like LaQuan is the perfect anecdote to all the corporate dullness.

That only women possess an innate appreciation and understanding for a more pragmatic sensibility and aesthetic is of the same fallacy that all the gheyz are naturally stylish LOL Far from true, more gheyz are a walking fashion slop than effortlessly stylish, and more in this slop of a fashion era.

LaQuan is that designer who’s very old-fashion, even traditional in how he envisions fashion and his ideal of women, and now also men. There’s a creative growth, not just in his tailoring, but also in his design vocabulary. His adult customers seem to be in it for the shallow, shiny, slinky fun-- and being an “exhibitionist vixen” is a form of empowering statement that’s pure fcuk u fun and nothing deep.

(…Looks like I’m fully out, loud and proud in support of LaQuan now.)

 

[Lola701]

As a gay man, the claims of misogyny are sad ; if only they weren't funny.

There's a reason why gay men are the best fashion designers.

Can anyone please tell me why is that the way it is?

I think we should all be appreciative of gay men designers; otherwise we end up with MGC and Virgine Viard.

Im always confused about that idea of gay men against women in fashion.
I started working in fashion as a teenager and I was surrounded by gay men obviously. They definitely gave me confidence. While I have women that I consider fashion icons and who are always an inspiration for me, the presence of gay men and the eye they had on me made me distance myself from the typical « male gaze ».
For a long time (and maybe still today), I dressed for gay men because they allowed me to be audacious. It was about confidence. Of course I was lucky to be audacious wearing Balenciaga, YSL or Stella McCartney but it was never about seduction.

The approach of Virginie or MGC is valid but at the same time, Miuccia Prada played with elements of « seduction » but it was still accepted by women. I don’t think Donatella who does sexy clothes is more valid than Laquan.

For me, it’s all about confidence. I think the women who wears these clothes are happy to wear them in the types of environment they wears them.

Straight men are usually intimidated by this kind of obvious display of skin.

‘Maybe the twist with Laquan is that his clientele is very much associated with the Hip-Hop community where the male gaze is the least sympathetic towards women. But the women who buys Dior by MCG or Chanel by Virginie, mostly for the Couture part, lives in very mysoginistic environments.


In some environments, wearing prairie dresses cannot be liberating for some women…

 

[Nimsay]

@Phuel is right that LQ is influenced by Mugler. I couldnt place what influence created the yoked blue leather pants with french seams down the front. Thierry Mugler.

I mean I think as long as women are freely buying clothes they will wear as they like. I dont think hes kidnapping women and forcing them to wear his clothes. I guess the argument would be that the women buying it have internalised sexism. Anyway…

I dont see any menswear online. I love sheer clothes for going out. I think the omnipresence of sheer was foretold by John Galliano - who literally couldnt make opaque clothes for like 10 seasons. Also sheer stuff is great for layering.

 

[Phuel]

^^^…And people seem to only fondly remember Mugler’s extravagant HC, but his RTW— and especially the men's RTW, was tacky AF!

If LaQuan's menswear is picked by by any stockists, it likely won’t be available until the usual period that S/S 2024 trickles into retail. Ssence.com will likely carry a selection. However anyone-- or myself, may feel about his sensibility, the menswear is consistent with his women’s, that such a distinct direction is genuinely personal and not a design of marketing. He seems to be expanding in the old-fashion, traditional way that smaller labels build the business: slowly. Looking at his earlier offerings, these last few Seasons, he’s been investing in a creative growth that is admirable— more so with the finer technical aspect.

(Since HazJW hasn’t pulled up any of the “multiple posts” I’ve supposedly made “defending” Weinstein, along with apparently “multiple female members” I've offended, I’ll pull that thread up: Harvey Weinstein Accused of Sexual Assault *Update* Sentenced to 23 Years Imprisonment

I made 2 posts in that Weinstein thread, suggesting the allegations against Morgan Freeman for asking an assistant about underwear were exaggerated. Benn and fashionista-ta replied to my post. Only one member is a woman— and her and I have had disagreements but always have had civll discussions. She has never posted lies about me— unlike this person, who is “happy to have a discussion with people of different opinions” LMFAO)

 

[gazebo]

Will 100% see this stuff on Meredith Marks next year

Meredith will probably stick to blazers and bell bottoms, and dress Lisa in this, deflecting her garbage whor fantazy

 

[Nimsay]

are you talking about RHSLC ? Is meredith the one mary likes? I love Mary - she owns some rare stuff and has her own style. I dont like her relationship w LV shawls

i have only fast forwarded through the seasons to see mary. I didnt really notice what anyone else wears. Except Heather and whitney dress tacky.

 

[gazebo]

are you talking about RHSLC ? Is meredith the one mary likes? I love Mary - she owns some rare stuff and has her own style. I dont like her relationship w LV shawls

i have only fast forwarded through the seasons to see mary. I didnt really notice what anyone else wears. Except Heather and whitney dress tacky.

Yes. Mary queen of salts . She salty!

You should watch. Obviously it all about logomania, so that you can tell they're rich bit*h.

Last episode Meredith had them do a trust assignment, picking outfits for each other, it was quite entertaining.

Jen used to bring it, but all her purchases were from defrauded elderly people's money. She was allegedly flaged at LV for paying cash.
Now she's in an orange jumpsuit, and not the Hermès kind.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

Meredith will probably stick to blazers and bell bottoms, and dress Lisa in this, deflecting her garbage whor fantasy

Meredith's son is gonna advise her that this stuff is amazing lol. She was wearing these LaQuan Smith metallic blue patent moto pants on a "casual" stroll with Lisa on the 2nd ep of this new season lmfao


source: bigblondehair.com

 

[gazebo]

Meredith's son is gonna advise her that this stuff is amazing lol. She was wearing these LaQuan Smith metallic blue patent moto pants on a "casual" stroll with Lisa on the 2nd ep of this new season lmfao

View attachment 1236626
source: bigblondehair.com

I do have a thing or two to learn from you; I would never know these were LaQuan, cause I don't follow his collection.

I did love she said her heels were walking shoes, because she can in fact walk in them.

Listen, I can not judge , cause I know nothing about living in snow,
but she can take a page from Lisa's book of style. With all do respect, she ain't no Jen, who could manage looking ridiculously over dressed, and perfectly dressed for an occasion.

It just feels too fake and manufactured on her.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I do have a thing or two to learn from you; I would never know these were LaQuan, cause I don't follow his collection.

I did love she said her heels were walking shoes, because she can in fact walk in them.

Listen, I can not judge , cause I know nothing about living in snow,
but she can take a page from Lisa's book of style. With all do respect, she ain't no Jen, who could manage looking ridiculously over dressed, and perfectly dressed for an occasion.

It just feels too fake and manufactured on her.

Tbh I did not know they were Laquan either lol I just browse the website bigblondehair.com sometimes cuz they post what all the housewives are wearing on the shows. Interesting stuff sometimes! Mary M. Cosby actually wears REAL serious expensive stuff like straight off the runway Chanel. Truly blessed by stepping on the backs of others god. But anyways I agree, Meredith could learn from Lisa to tone it down and refine. Mer tries wayyy too hard to be a Jen Shah type but it's hard being over the top when you're perpetually in a k-hole. And her dumb*** son is to blame too bc he tells her what to do and he's so into stuff like Laquan and Christian Cowan, Meredith ends up looking like a character from Barney or Sesame Street clomping around in feathered bellbottoms with her head bobbling all over the place.