Within five years of founding his brand, LaQuan Smith's body-skimming designs have garnered quite the celebrity following. Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Cardi B have all gravitated toward his hip-hugging, waist-accentuating pieces. Who can blame them? Smith's clothes — often rendered in rich evening colors and covered in crystals and animal prints — celebrate the body and ooze sex appeal. The designer brings that same energy to a new capsule collection with ASOS Design which launches today on the British etailer's website.
Last month at his NYFW show, Smith teased pieces from the collection on the runway alongside his main line. Denim zip jeans and slim sunglasses from the capsule were paired with mini-dresses and sheer bodysuits. Elsewhere in his ASOS Design line (which includes plus options) are full camouflage and leopard looks, swimsuits, vinyl tops, and faux fur blouses. It also includes menswear, a new category for Smith which he unveiled in his main collection for spring 2019. For this partnership, the men's pieces include slim-fit glittery t-shirts, rhinestone flecked bomber jackets, tartan ensembles, and jumbo velour hoodies.
A few years after being rejected from FIT and Parsons, Smith translated the sewing and pattern-making skills he honed on his grandmother's sewing machine and at Manhattan's High School of Art and Design into a namesake label. Since taking that initial leap of faith, his brand has grown significantly and even been featured in an exhibition at the Museum at FIT. This new project with ASOS Design is an extension of that, but also Smith's gateway to more projects and exposure in the years to come.
Images Courtesy of ASOS