Inside Vogue100 and LaQuan Smith’s Star-Studded Miami Beach Art Basel Soirée

Dorothy Wang, LaQuan Smith, and Tina Leung. Photographed by Aaron Idelson 

The fabulous and infamous came out to celebrate New York native LaQuan Smith in Miami. Hosted by Vogue100, the after-dark affair celebrated the independent designer’s foray into the buzzy Art Basel scene, one that requires lots of sequined and skin-tight LaQuan looks. The man of the hour donned a leather blazer and dripped in jewelry. Around him, friends and fans wore his sophisticated yet sexy creations pulled from his archive collections for one night only. Over the last decade, Smith has dressed style icons like Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Beyonce, to name a few. 

The setting for the intimate dinner turned dance party with DJ Kaytranada was hosted at none other than David Grutman’s Swan. A candlelit staircase lured guests up to the private rooftop terrace, which was dressed to impress. Exotic orchid arrangements by Paloma Blooms and birds of paradise lay over the long dinner tables. Each place setting was adorned with a black folding fan, an ideal accessory for staying cool in the Miami heat. 

Guests including Jasmine Sanders, Mona Matsuoka, Tina Leung, Pritika Swarup, Camila Coehlo, Xenia Adonts, Isabela Grutman, Zulay Pogba, Charly Sturm, Sabrina Harrison, Dante Bowe, Sira Pevida, Dorothy Wang, Harrison Vail, Ramon Walls, Laura Sachs, and Corina Larpin joined Vogue’s Elise Taylor and Cassandra Pintro cocktails before dinner was served family style. A tropical feast featuring snapper ceviche, octopus carpaccio, and lobster cavatelli offered revelers the chance to fill up before a night out on the dancefloor. Of course, cocktails—the “Regal Fashioned” mixed with Crown Royal Apple was a favorite—flowed throughout the evening. 

Vogue and Smith share a long history. André Leon Talley, the late Vogue editor-at-large, attended Smith’s New York Fashion Week debut back in 2010. Over a decade later, the designer dedicated his fall 2022 runway show to Talley, noting him as not only an inspiration but a mentor. A few months prior, Smith was a finalist in the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund alongside emerging talent like Eckhaus Latta, Theophilio, and Batsheva. The Art Basel dinner with Vogue100 served as a festive way to toast the head-turning designer during one of the year’s most star-studded weeks. 

There is no question that the brand’s DNA is rooted in glamour of all forms. From cheetah catsuits to cut-out sequin ensembles and lots of PVC pieces in-between, Smith knows how to make anyone feel like a rockstar in Miami and beyond.