Lafayette 148 began 30 years ago with a simple array of suiting basics, among them a white button-up shirt. Now, after spending the last year celebrating its anniversary, designer Emily Smith took the fall collection back to the label’s roots. She spent time with the archives, thinking about both the construction of a garment and the factory floor on which it was once produced.
Smith described “re-nerding” out about garment details and transferring them into a modern context as a women-led brand, from fabric materiality to the New York City-inspired color palette. Silhouettes included four new cuts of pants, slightly cinched waists, and shoulders that were more sharp than boxy as a nod to ’90s style. And of course, there was a classic white button-up reimagined as a wrap shirt in a relaxed, oversized fit.
In terms of proportion, Smith concentrated on what she called “the bits”—where her modern woman would want to accentuate and where a mid-rise trouser might flatteringly disguise. Pant legs and midi skirts were long and lean, emphasizing the other slim shapes throughout. Ornamental details were sparing, save for a few floral appliqués designed by in-house for a good old-fashioned touch of romance.