This fall, tough meets tender.
At multiple New York Fashion Week shows, models rocked both badass black leather looks and little lacy nothings. Often in the same outfit – because, you know, opposites attract.
The sexiest by far were on LaQuan Smith’s runway. With a drone buzzing overhead to capture footage, the Queens-born and raised designer sent out his signature catsuit in transparent black lace with a tiny built-in vest and thong. The sheer second-skin style put him on the fashion map years ago, and everyone from Beyoncé and Kylie Jenner to Megan Thee Stallion has zipped into one. And if Kanye West is watching, this might be something to get for Bianca, his figure-flaunting wife.
Smith’s VIP guests rocked the looks in real life. Model, dancer and actor Larsen Thompson sat front row in a corseted black lace catsuit paired with a sarong and sleeves while “Az If” podcaster Azaryah Milan, the daughter of rapper Fat Joe, belted up in a short funnel-necked leather coat. Photographers swarmed them before the show.
Smith also showed a rugged oversized black leather trench coat, sultry corseted lace gowns, and, naughtiest of all, a black leather dress with peekaboo lace panels over the butt and back.
Sergio Hudson’s newest lace pieces should come with a “Handle with Care” warning. That’s because his high-necked dress and flared pants are made of delicate latex and laser-cut lace. All jewelry and piercings must be removed before these garments are put on, and the inside of each should be coated with talc powder and, if necessary for slip, a light coat of dressing aid.
Hudson collaborated with Vex, the California-based custom latex studio, on the glossy designs.
“We were going for the drama, the glamour, the emotion, the spectacle,” said the designer in a release. “I wanted to honor every era of the brand while still designing what feels necessary for the woman today,” added Hudson, who celebrates a decade in business this year.
“The latex felt right for this collection,” added Hudson’s co-designer Charles Lynch. “The pieces are all so special and elevated and we felt the laser-cut lace was a fresh and unique way of showcasing a familiar fabric. Its body-hugging nature relates to the Sergio Hudson sculpted look. It was the perfect opportunity to work with our longtime friend, this being our anniversary collection.”
Nicola Brognano’s debut collection for 7 For All Mankind featured “rock-and-roll energy intertwined with bohemian sensuality and romantic subversion.” The Italian designer, who previously served as creative director of Blumarine, topped his low-rise skinny jeans with belted leather jackets and teamed a short, leather-look swingy dress with a maxi bag.
Joseph Altuzarra had a poetic take on leather and lace. Inspired by painter Diego Velázquez and filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar and Luis Buñuel, his beautifully constructed sportswear would be perfect for an elegant “paseo” evening stroll. Matador-shouldered leather jackets and sweeping Mantilla lace skirts added Mediterranean flair to the collection.
Alice + Olivia founder Stacey Bendet’s ultra-feminine confections harkened back to the Gilded Age, a time of extreme opulence for the wealthy. She took Victorian elements, like lace and embroideries, and made them look contemporary.
Her guest Jourdan Riane of Love Island UK fame wore a Gilded Age-meets-fashion-girlie getup: a Chantilly lace jacket, plenty of bare skin and a long, lean leather skirt.
Time to go hell for leather and lace.
