NYFW Day 4: Julia Fox at LaQuan Smith, Markarian's Jazz Age Showgirls and More

Call it what you want (revenge, plotting, scheming, hustling), but the moment predictably went viral and no one benefitted more than the designer, whose show downtown was overflowing with excited guests, VIPs, friends and fans of the brand who came for the LaQuan Smith experience — cocktail hour downstairs followed by the fashion show and then the afterparty upstairs, where Saucy Santana mingled with the crowd to "Material Gworl."

The show opened with a moment of silence for the late and great André Leon Talley, who was one of the first people in the fashion industry to champion Smith in his early design days. Afterwards, things switched into high gear with cropped outerwear, cutout swimsuits, sheer dresses and miniskirts. If the defining LaQuan look last year was those sheer black catsuits, this season is all about the high-V bodysuit with low-waisted pant, something Julia Fox knows a thing or two about.

Carolina Herrera was another surprise guest at Fashion Week, this time at her namesake brand's show where creative director Wes Gordon sent out looks inspired by the woman herself: crisp white shirts and ball skirts, a look she made her signature and one that still endures today.

A soundtrack by Rosalía gave off a distinct Latin flair, as did the purple coat embroidered with a large bejeweled cross. But the bigger story was the series of tailored, linear looks and tweed minis that comprised much of the collection before the dramatic column dresses, tulle skirts and colorful princess gowns finally emerged. Against the all-white runway set, these looks packed quite a punch.

As a token of gratitude, Gordon took his final bow alongside Miro Hermes and Francois Bouchet, two of the brand's head patternmakers that are retiring after 22 years and 19 years respectively. It was a lovely gesture.

Markarian was one of the biggest new names to debut on the NYFW schedule last season, having made headlines earlier in the year for dressing First Lady Jill Biden on Inauguration Day. With her second runway show under her belt, designer Alexandria O'Neill's vision becomes more and more crystallized with each season.

Her penchant for intimate, salon-style shows with an almost debutante twist continued for Fall, this time showing in The Prince George Ballroom with a grandiose display of Putnam & Putnam florals covering the entryway. The showgirl costumes from the Jazz Age inspired everything from the exaggerated peacock feather hats by Gigi Burris to the silk velvets and plissé lamé to Markarian's first shoe collection done with Maria Luca. (Joe Biden's Gen Z granddaughters Finnegan and Maisy both sat front row in a sort of subtle full circle moment for Markarian.)

Coach brought the fashion crowd to the tip of Lower Manhattan inside a vast space where the brand created a sort of nostalgic take on suburban America. The "Coach neighborhood" set had makeshift houses, retro cars and models walking dogs with a '90s grunge soundtrack. Photographers could not get enough of Megan Thee Stallion and Angus Cloud hitting it off in the front row.

Of the collection, which was mostly made up of excellent shearling jackets and leather outerwear paired with babydoll dresses, creative director Stuart Vevers said: “The collection explores tensions between romance and toughness to reinvestigate Coach heritage. I liked the idea of creating a nostalgic world somewhere in America seen through a widescreen lens, mixing the energy of today with the nostalgia for pop culture that has always inspired me.”

Dion Lee was the final show of the night, returning to the New York runway after a few seasons away. His cutout tanks, slinky dresses and sexy, androgynous knits have helped him build a cult following over the years as nearly all of his scantily-clad fans in the audience demonstrated.

For Fall, several looks came with integrated face masks shaped like jockstraps, hardly a surprise given Lee's queer Brooklyn fan base. “I was looking at the idea of architectural facades and masks, obviously the influence of face coverings at the moment — feeling like it becomes part of your identity in a way," he told WWD.