LaQuan Smith was your regular teenager in high school, and although the notion of a fashion frenzied soul usually comes with the stigma of one being bullied and teased for his/her fashion convictions, LaQuan Smith’s high school years weren’t like that at all. He went to class, ate lunch, hung out with friends, and then went home. However, that is where the road began to diverge. Instead of the typical teen who spends hours watching The Real World re-runs, or playing video games, LaQuan Smith spent hours upon hours in his room designing clothing.
“My High School years I spent making clothes at home, exploring my craft and fine toning my sewing abilities. I am self taught when it comes to design and quality is something that is important to me,” LaQuan told me. “If my purpose during this interview was to excavate years of bullying and teasing that initiated the pain that created wondrous works of art…I got nowhere.”
Nothing but motivation and the glimmer of success drives LaQuan. If the phrase “you are who you surround yourself with” is true, With mentors and friends such as Diane Von Furstenberg, LaQuan is truly destined for success. Although his sense style may seem so inhumanly polished that it leads the most strong of heart to find him off putting, behind the couture, glimmer and glamour is a very personable character.
Art Nouveau: You recently popped your fashion week cherry. How did it feel when your collection finally debuted?
LaQuan Smith: My fashion week debut in February was a fantastic experience, I was shocked by the out pouring of praise and love from the people in the industry. My second collection was actually the most overwhelming because the show was grander. Thankfully I had friends Andre Leon Talley, Sandra Bernhard, and Diane von Furstenberg cheering me on!
AN: What was your initial reaction when Tyra Banks modeled your clothing on tyra.com?
LS: My initial reaction meeting her was awe. She is so beautiful, so sweet and so welcoming. She immediately was excited and spoke about her interest in wearing my designs for the cover of the online issue, I was just overjoyed. After the shoot and the issue launched, I received a great response and I am thankful Tyra took the time to reach out to me.
Art Nouveau: When did your first begin designing? What compelled you to this form of art?
LaQuan Smith: I have always had a love for fashion, art, and design but, I started creating my own designs at about 13. I got a lot of my drive from my grandmother who was the main person in my family who actually got me sewing and she helped me develop and fine tone my craft.
Art Nouveau: How would you describe yourself as a designer?
LaQuan Smith: Fun-Loving, Free-spirited, and Open Minded. I enjoy making clothes that make women look elegant, sophisticated, and beautiful. I like to think outside the box, I like to try and make clothes that are bit unexpected and in my first collection “Water Goddess” I achieve this by using Scuba Fabrics and Neoprene.
Art Nouveau: How would you describe your personal style?
LaQuan Smith: I am always changing my personal style up. I love comfortable and chic. I try to wear jeans and fun graphic tees as often as possible. I do jazz up these simple wears with fun accessories with jewelry, watches, and great shoes.
Art Nouveau: What advice would you give to up and coming designers trying to break into this industry?
LaQuan Smith: My advice for people wanting to come into the fashion industry would have to be three (3) things.
- Always create the best possible product, quality is key.
- Go out and keep going out to meet people in the industry, networking is mandatory, that’s how I got a publicist and made the right connections.
- Create a great support team, people you can trust and always have your best interests at heart.
Art Nouveau: You have had many celebrities wear your clothing. Can you name a few and give us your initial reactions when you found out that they wanted to pull pieces from your collection to wear?
LaQuan Smith: Currently my pieces have been seen on: Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Tyra Banks, Alicia Keys, Cassie, Serena Williams, Deborah Cox, Julissa Bermudez, Toni Braxton, Ciara, Amerie, Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons, Andre J. and more! My initial reaction to celebrity wardrobe pulls is usually REALLY… That’s Crazy! I usually feel compelled to make a piece inspired by them and made for them but, you cant always do that due to time constraints.
Art Nouveau: For your Spring/Summer 2011 collection, what themes and concepts were you trying to convey. Who was your muse?
LaQuan Smith: This season, I wanted my fashion show guests to travel to France and view my clothes in an upgraded modern vision of Marie Antoinette’s style, the former Queen of France, who is the courageous muse that enforces the spirit of the art and culture for my Spring/Summer 2011 Season. The “Modern Marie” lives in Manhattan and is inspired by the New York City lifestyle. Never coy, she dons only Haute Couture luxury in the day and mixes warm-hearted gaudiness, accented by jewelry for effect, shimmer and shine. By night, she enriches her lifelike fantasy by arching her brows and delving into 5-inch + heels. Connecting with her inner strength, power, and elegance she is inspired by tough characters like Cruella D’Ville and Queen Elizabeth.
Art Nouveau: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
LaQuan Smith: There are a few things I am striving to accomplish for both myself and LaQuan Smith, LLC. In the near future, I would like a successful showing for my Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection during NY Fashion Week, continue to tour and travel with my collection to international fashion weeks, and a successful launch of my diffusion line entitled LQS. LQS is a more affordable line that will be available online by late February to Early March 2011.
For the rest of my career, I would like to establish my brand as one of the top international designer labels alongside Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel and my mentor, Mrs. Diane von Furstenberg. I envision setting a new, fresh tone for women’s apparel and carving a niche for my clothes, my designs, and my consumer in the international market.
Art Nouveau: How do you plan to go about branding yourself?
LaQuan Smith: I plan to take it slow and steady. I want the world to slowly become familiar with me and my brand and not become this brand that went in and went out in less than a year. I plan on allowing my clothes to speak for themselves for awhile and hopefully I will continue to get a positive response.
Art Nouveau: Your designs are like no other, they are truly unique where does your inspiration come from?
LaQuan Smith: My inspiration comes from multiple sources; friends, family, art, street style, vast cultures from Paris to New York and then to Johannesburg. I feel inspired by LIFE; the opportunity to live after my bout with cancer, my desire to succeed, my determination to create fashion and design. The gift of Life is the ultimate inspiration.
Art Nouveau: Describe a LaQuan Smith woman?
LaQuan Smith: The LaQuan Smith woman is the personification of modernity, sensuality, and liberation in femininity. She is a woman who has class, elegance, sophistication, and enjoys having fun with fashion.
Art Nouveau: Andre Leon Talley has been described you as being his mentee. Describe your relationship with him?
LaQuan Smith: Andre Leon Talley is a friend and mentor. I first met him when he came to my A/W 2010 Fashion Show at the Society of Illustrators. Andre came after an article by Ruth La Ferla came out in the NY Times. Andre is now a close friend; he has given me his guidance, his honesty, and all of his years of experience and wisdom. I have learned so much in a short period of time and he inspires me every time we speak.
Art Nouveau: Give us a quick briefing on the in’s and out’s for this fashion season.
LaQuan Smith: I spend most of my year making clothes for a 20 min show. Every season, I gather inspiration, sketch a collection, source my fabric, and begin making samples. I make a ton of samples and from those samples I tend to get more inspiration. I then have buying meetings, press pulls, interviews, and sometimes some international fashion weeks to attend and showcase. I spend a good chunk of time every season making my clothes so, I have no real time to enjoy the actually fashion week per se.
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I luv him, we will be working with him soon…. : )