In a classic LaQuan Smith curveball, his fall 2025 runway show was scrapped last minute—replaced by a more intimate setup at his Long Island City studio. There, he invited clients and buyers to cozy up to the collection (literally and figuratively). And while he promised more star-studded, fashion-meets-nightclub affairs in the future, this season was all about dialing in. “I needed to focus on the business—on the collection, the market,” Smith said. “I’m doing something a little different right now.” Different vibe? Sure. But the collection? Still 100% LaQuan: sexy, bold, and just the right amount of dangerous.

Take his spin on houndstooth—typically prim, right? Not here. He reimagined it in pony hair and trimmed it with patent leather for a cropped jacket and slit-so-high pencil skirt that basically begged for a power walk. 

Office wear got a “don’t mess with me” makeover with tweed and wool blazers cinched at the waist and a silky pussybow blouse shimmering with pinstripes. And suiting? He added mini heat-set crystals to tailored separates and threw in a pair of cummerbund trousers for good measure. Still, LaQuan wouldn’t be LaQuan if he didn’t cater to the woman obsessed with her own reflection (and owning every second of it). Cue the catsuits—one in black lace, so sheer it was basically a dare, saved from total scandal by a strategically placed strip of fabric.

His influences—Norma Kamali, Lil’ Kim, and the streets of New York—were practically dripping off the oversized outerwear. The pièce de résistance? A royal blue faux fur coat that swept the floor like it had somewhere very important to be. Smith shared how growing up, fur was the women-in-his-family uniform for church, funerals, and every milestone in between. “That was the blueprint for success and glamour to me,” he said, still standing firm in that vision.

Sure, we know Smith’s wheelhouse is overtly sexy, but the standout moment? A crystal-encrusted open cage-knit jacket and a matching mock-neck column dress, hand sewn in India. Just as sultry, but a little left of center—and honestly, a direction we’d love to see him take more often.