Page 29 - AT

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 16 OctOber 2019
Fashion's LaQuan Smith embraces that Champagne lifestyle

By LEANNE ITALIE ion director Elizabeth Sul-
Associated Press cer. She was in demand for
NEW YORK (AP) — LaQuan industry parties and events,
Smith is all about the Cham- and Smith made use of
pagne lifestyle: bubbly, lux- those contacts, showing up
urious and, especially when uninvited at times dressed
it comes to the women's in his own designs. He took
clothes he creates, sexy. to handing out his leggings
The designer made his New to whoever would take
York Fashion Week debut them. In 2010, the effort
at 21 with a sleek and sassy paid off when he spotted
collection he dubbed "Wa- Lady Gaga in a pair as he
ter Goddess." Ten years lat- flipped through a tabloid
er, his rise seems meteoric in while with his mom at a su-
fashion years, from sneak- permarket.
ing into industry events and "My mom was, like, yeah
handing out wildly colored that's nice," he said. "I don't
and textured leggings think she really got it."
he sewed in his Jamaica, The same year, Smith
Queens, basement to out- showed for the first time at
fitting Beyonce, Serena Wil- fashion week and Ameri-
liams, Jennifer Lopez, Kim can Vogue's former editor-
Kardashian and Rihanna. This Oct. 10, 2019, photo shows fashion designer LaQuan Smith posing for a portrait in New York. at-large, Andre Leon Talley,
At 31, some see the self- Some see the self-trained Smith as a pioneer in pushing the fashion culture forward. chatted him up. Also, Ri-
trained Smith as a pioneer Associated Press hanna wore his gold chain-
in pushing the fashion cul- mail bodysuit in her "Rude
ture forward, but it was far play Tuesday when Moet Smith said. "Manufactur- bone cancer, a truly "hum- Boy" video and later shout-
from easy. He told The As- & Chandon named Smith ing in Queens is just some- bling experience," he said. ed him out on Instagram for
sociated Press in a recent one of its "Nectar of the thing that organically hap- Smith recovered and con- his "money green," barely
interview that he owes his Culture" ambassadors, pened." tinued to pursue his fash- there net dress she styled
success to his singular pas- along with other trailblazers Some of Smith's lows struck ion dreams, desperate to over a bikini in Brazil.
sion — fashion — and stay- in music, art and more, in early in life, after his grand- return to New York, but he "I was 21 years old and I
ing true to himself by trust- celebration of Moet Nectar mother taught him to sew was rejected by both the had such an incredible
ing his gut. Imperial Rose. It's the latest when he was 13. After put- Fashion Institute of Technol- amount of support from
"It's just by doing what I in a long line of collabora- ting on a fashion show at ogy and the Parsons School industry insiders, and then
love, just doing things that tions as Smith continues to his middle school, he was of Design. a couple years after that it
speak and represent me," build his namesake brand, thrilled to attend the High "I was just kind of devas- sort of was like a crash and
said Smith, dressed in a kill- sticking close to home School of Art and Design, tated and at a loss. I didn't burn, where reality started
er red-and-blue plaid jack- to produce his clothes in only to say goodbye to really know how to get my to hit me," Smith said. "I had
et, turtleneck, ripped black Queens. bustling New York in the head up off the ground," no business infrastructure, I
denim jeans and pristine "New York used to be the 11th grade when his moth- he said. had no money. It was just
white kicks. "I always like to primary source of garment er moved the family to Del- That's when he was offered popularity. ... It took time for
start with a level of authen- construction, and that's aware, a place that held an internship at BlackBook, me to be able to focus on,
ticity." something that I wish we no allure. It was then that the art and culture maga- really hone in on, running a
That authenticity was in could sort of go back to," he was diagnosed with zine, working for then-fash- solid business."q

Fantasia won't be boxed in on 'Sketchbook' album

By MELANIE J. SIMS sia, whose powerhouse honeyed vocals over the
Associated Press vocals earned her the title island-influenced beat of
Fantasia, "Sketchbook" of "American Idol" back in "Take Off"; and experiments
(Rock Soul/BMG) 2004. Since then, the R&B with a rock feel on "Warn-
If you haven't heard Fanta- world has seen tons of shift, ing." Fantasia's gospel roots
sia's latest singles, there's an with newcomers who seem remain strong, of course,
easy summary: one's spiri- more focused on creat- and fans will be delight-
tual, another's about sex, ing "a vibe" and less con- ed with "Looking for You,"
and both are worth a listen. cerned with (or capable which features the singer's
The singer draws from very of) the dramatic belting mom, Mama Diane.
different worlds on her lat- out that Fantasia's known "Sketchbook" was origi-
est album "Sketchbook" — for. And while Fantasia has nally supposed to include
crediting a higher power for injected some youthful- a collaboration with fel-
her heavenly vocals on the ness into her production, low R&B stars Brandy and
upbeat "Holy Ghost," then the Grammy winner is stay- Jazmine Sullivan, though
confessing the pleasure ing true to her artistry on Fantasia explained that it
and peril of a good romp "Sketchbook," her first inde- didn't happen because of
in the hay on the seductive pendent release. She deliv- "politics." The song would
T-Pain-assisted "PTSD" (short ers the fullness of her voice have been welcomed, but
for "Post-Traumatic Sex Dis- on the sexy, guitar-laced thankfully Fantasia makes This cover image released by Rock Soul/BMG shows "Sketch-
order.") Neither areas are "Believer" and the easy- "Sketchbook" a work of art, book," a release by Fantasia.
foreign territory to Fanta- going "Enough"; pours her all her own.q Associated Press