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Getting ready for the 2024 CFDA Awards with LaQuan Smith and Victoria Monet.

Posted on by Bobb
Getting ready for the 2024 CFDA Awards with LaQuan Smith and Victoria Monet.

When ladies at the top of their game want to show off “unapologetically sexy glamour,” they turn to the New York designer. Laquan Smith.

“It’s really the true essence of what makes a woman feel powerful,” the Queens native told Page Six Style of his eponymous label ahead of Monday night. 2024 CFDA Awardswhich he attended alongside Grammy winner Victoria Monet.

“She’s wearing a very dangerous, very formal black maxi dress with a cutout,” Smith explained.

“When I listen to Victoria’s music and see her power and raw sexuality that really comes through in her lyrics, I feel like it’s very much my intention. I am very glad that she became my companion.”

“It’s really the true essence of what makes a woman feel powerful,” designer Laquan Smith told Page Six Style of his eponymous label ahead of Monday night’s CFDA Awards. Tamara Beckwith/NY Post
Smith dressed Grammy winner Victoria Monet for the awards ceremony. Shakira McQueen
“She’s wearing a very dangerous, very formal black maxi dress with a cutout,” Smith explained. GC Images
“When I listen to Victoria’s music and see her power and raw sexuality that really comes through in her lyrics, I feel like it’s very similar to my designs,” the designer told us. Courtesy of Laquan Smith

Smith added that he is “excited” to be heading to the CFDA ceremony, often referred to as the “Oscars of American fashion,” for a fifth time.

“This is such an exciting opportunity and moment to truly celebrate American designers, celebrate the fashion industry, and celebrate all the small victories and huge successes that we have all achieved as creative people,” he shared.

And “On My Mama” singer Monet wasn’t the only one showing off his body on the CFDA carpet; Smith matched her style in a statement mink coat and black mesh turtleneck with matching gloves, his metallic manicure and Samsung Galaxy Ring shining through the thin fabric.

“We just did an incredible collaboration with (Samsung) during fashion week, incorporating technology into my designs,” he told us, referring to the capsule of neon translucent silk sleepwear he included in his spring 2025 show.

“The Galaxy Ring promotes and highlights the beauty and importance of health and sleep, and that really inspired me to include that in my collections.”

Smith collaborated with Samsung on a collection of colorful, translucent silk sleepwear that debuted during his spring 2025 show. Getty Images
Smith said he was “excited” to be heading to the CFDA ceremony, often called the “Oscars of American fashion,” for a fifth time. Tamara Beckwith/NY Post
“This is such an exciting opportunity and moment to truly celebrate American designers, celebrate the fashion industry, and celebrate all the small victories and huge successes that we have all achieved as creative people,” he shared. Tamara Beckwith/NY Post

And while Smith’s label may be synonymous with sex appeal, he has demonstrated his range time and time again.

Last month he dressed Vice President Kamala Harris in a long-sleeve sequined dress for a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation event, and in 2021 he Hailey Bieber wore a sensational nude midi dress for her and husband Justin’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Below, the designer reflects on those big moments, as well as some other memorable celebrity hits.

Kamala Harris (2024)

Getty Images for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

“Dressing Kamala Harris was truly an honor. She was one of (my) first supporters; She previously wore LaQuan Smith to Beyoncé’s Renaissance concert, which was very exciting. I know she’s a big fan of sequins and embroidery, so it was totally normal for me to go in that textile direction. I wanted something powerful, classic, timeless, yet progressive and within the same ethos that LaQuan Smith is known for.

“This is such a big moment and a huge platform for me to be showcased in this way. It’s just a great honor for me. And I think in support of young businesses, young black designers, American designers, business and designers of color, I think she really set the tone when it came to wearing LaQuan Smith. And I think it really opened the door for a lot of others.”

Rihanna (2024)

GC Images

“Hot. I mean, there’s nothing more to say! Just super hot, really cool, really exciting. I just love how she incorporated (the dress) in her own way. Rihanna has always been a big supporter of mine since the beginning, so it’s great to see her in LaQuan.

“I think that’s what’s so cool and unique about what I do… Seeing women incorporate LaQuan Smith into their daily lives from a 24-hour perspective has been the most inspiring thing in my entire career. And it allows me to keep doing what I do because I think every woman needs a piece of LaQuan, no matter what time it is.”

Beyoncé (2023)

Just last month, the couple were all smiles on the red carpet at the premiere of Swift’s “Era’s Tour.” Getty Images for TAS

“This look was specially designed for the Renaissance Tour. So I was very shocked to see her wearing this. No on tour! Beyonce was one of the first supporters of my brand. She’s always kept me on the rise as a designer, and it’s really fun to always work with her on projects, whether it’s on stage, on the red carpet, or just in her private jet and she’s living her best life. Always great to see her at LaQuan Smith.

“LaQuan Smith is for powerful women. I dress for women who want to be the center of attention, who love their bodies and who really care about the essence of the holiday. To me, it symbolizes Beyoncé and so much more.”

Hailey Bieber (2021)

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“I don’t think (sexuality) is something that needs to be really pushed or forced. I think when women zip up LaQuan, a new essence and attitude emerges that evokes those emotions that make people feel powerful in my clothes. So I love that she felt completely comfortable, effortlessly sexy and sophisticated, and I was really excited to see her in this look.”