LaQuan Smith treated us to a wild Valentine’s Day that we’ll never forget. The Queens-born designer made headlines with his Fall/Winter 2022 presentation at NYFW, which took place at New York’s Downtown Association, the oldest social club in lower Manhattan. 

The club set the tone for the show, which was opened by none other than an hours post-breakup Julia Fox, who made her runway debut in the perfect 2022 version of the revenge dress. Fox’s little black peekaboo dress falls perfectly in line with the rest of Smith’s collection, which has us yearning for the days of wild parties and sleepless nights.  

The collection itself is a blur of sequins, Lurex, and fur. Glamour has always been the foundation of Smith’s work, and the Fall/Winter 2022 collection is nothing if not glamourous. Skintight miniskirts and extreme cut-outs make this collection decidedly and unapologetically sexy, and Smith flexed his design prowess by playing with textures and bold colors, and pulling it off spectacularly.  

This year’s collection is rooted in neutrals, all of which are upstaged by vibrant reds, golds, and blues. The seductive silhouettes that have become a signature for Smith have somehow become even more suggestive in the time since Smith’s Spring 2022 collection debuted at fashion week in September (and that collection had entire chest cut-outs). Models also sported BB pumps and Pascalarehi boots by Manolo Blahnik, adding to the party vibe.  

Smith’s collection pays homage to a pre-pandemic New York City, and the show certainly celebrated the return of guests at fashion week. Smith got the party started right away, greeting guests with a strong cocktail provided by provided by Don Julio, Crown Royal, and CÎROC. The party mindset continued throughout the show, and was only tamed by a moment of silence for André Leon Talley, the iconic former Vogue editor and one of Smith’s personal inspirations.  

The grand club that used to serve only the city’s biggest Wall Street power brokers was completely transformed, serving instead only New York’s coolest and trendiest who made the guest list, including Nicole Ari Parker, Jessica Wang, Noor Elkhaldi, and more. This isn’t the first time that Smith has brought life (and sex appeal) to historic buildings. His September show took over the Empire State Building, flooding the landmark with fashion week goers clawing to get a glimpse at his work. 

Smith’s shows are quickly becoming the hottest ticket of fashion week. At 33, he is transforming the industry by demanding his competitors dust off their shoulders and show a little skin. Expect Smith to lead us into the post-pandemic fashion scene (and the party scene, too).