When I got the call to work with Lafayette 148, I was completely thrilled and jumped at the chance. I had been selling the collection for about 6 years as a clothing stylist working 1-on-1 with clients, however, I didn’t realize I was about to take a deep dive into an iconic new york brand that would elevate my clients to the next level. One of the things I have been selling for years is Lafayette’s classic pieces: the cotton poplin shirts, the perfect blazer, pants, the essential staples in every wardrobe that you need. My clients all reiterated that they loved the quiet luxury look that Lafayette 148 provides with every new collection. Even though they love brands like Gucci, Dior, and Channel, they wanted more elegant, understated pieces that just by looking at the texture, fabric, or color, you could tell they were wearing something fabulous, rather than flashy.
Many movie stars have been spotted wearing Lafayette pieces such as Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon Witherspoon, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. These stars can wear anything their hearts desire, but they continually come back to Lafayette for an elegant and effortless look.
As a stylist with Lafayette, we are invited to a fashion summit twice a year held in New York City. Some of my personal highlights from the summit other than meeting and working with other designers on the team include going behind the scenes and having 1-on-1 conversations with Lafayette’s creative director, Emily Smith.
Emily’s approach to fashion design comes from her background with Bill Blass. One of the things I love about her designs, besides being aesthetically pleasing, is there is so much emphasis on texture of garments, pleating of garments, and taking a piece that is usually traditional and creating an unexpected twist. Taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. It’s so rare when you work for a huge fashion house that you have the opportunity to actually meet with the creative director and designer. Talking with her and hearing about her inspiration behind every little detail is so rare and I was incredibly honored to witness her creative process and have access to the resources that Lafayette provides their stylist team with.
When us designers attend the summit, we get the privilege of going to the showroom and warehouse in Navy Yard with a panoramic view of the New York skyline - it’s one of the collection’s main inspirations and creates the perfect ambiance for the design team. On the back of the house, we visited where the cutters cut the fabrics, the drapers shape each design, and the place where all the different materials are stored - truly where all the magic happens. They walked us through each collection, and for this particular trip, we focused on Lafayette 148’s spring collection.
According to the company, “For spring 2024, Lafayette 148 presents ‘The Gardens of New York,’ a collection celebrating nature’s thriving presence within the urban environment of New York City. Drawing inspiration from the Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm - located directly in front of the brand’s New York headquarters - and the unexpected co-habitation of the botanical with the architectural Manhattan cityscape. Spring 2024 channels the deeply creative pursuit of urban gardening and the distinctly human connection to nature it cultivates. Showcasing the much-reputed process of the Lafayette 148 design atelier, the versatile wardrobe presents a range of broad signatures for Spring - relaxed and unlined tailoring, elongated shirts in nappa leather, crisp poplin white shirts, plissé pants and uniform-inspired detailing - juxtaposed with the seasonal presence of floral motifs in naturally-sourced eco-printing, handstiched embroidery and jacquards; fringed flourishes, workwear apron-inspired design details; gardeners’ straw hats; the most luxurious ultra-fine fabrics and an innate springtime lightness and ease that typifies the understated luxury at the heart of the Lafayette 148 design philosophy.”
To conclude this incredible trip, I want to reflect on the 4 things I learned about Lafayette women:
She is an intelligent, self-confident, cultured, dynamic, well-informed, philanthropic, professional woman.
She wears the clothes, rather than they wear her.
She appreciates luxurious materials, expert craftsmanship, intelligent design, flawless tailoring, attention to detail, elevated storytelling, and exceptional service.
And lastly, she wants a wardrobe that works with her rich, dynamic, and ever-evolving life. Pieces that take her from office to evening, plane to meeting, dinner to weekend, city to sea.
I’m very excited to announce that I am now accepting appointments for my new Lafayette 148 spring trunk show! Instead of by appointment only, this time my showroom will be open Mondays-Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM beginning the week of February 18th in Wayzata, MN.
If you would like to view the collection, click on this link to my very own Lafayette 148 website:
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