Lafayette 148's Creative Director, Emily Smith, shares insights into navigating the luxury womenswear market through a vertically integrated model and a strong brand philosophy focused on dressing women for their everyday lives. This episode offers valuable lessons on building customer loyalty, maintaining brand identity, and the strategic importance of retail stores in a competitive fashion landscape.
Key takeaways
Embrace vertical integration to gain control over design, production, and customer experience, minimizing reliance on external factors in a volatile market.
Cultivate a 'women dressing women' philosophy to deeply understand and cater to your target demographic's practical needs and desires, fostering strong brand loyalty.
Leverage your own physical stores for direct brand representation and to create an authentic, immersive customer experience, reinforcing brand identity.
Understand that successful navigation of the luxury market's fluctuations requires a clear brand philosophy and a consistent approach to customer engagement and product quality.
Strategically utilize events like Fashion Week to reinforce brand messaging, showcase new collections, and engage with loyal customers and industry influencers.
NYC-based luxury womenswear brand Lafayette 148 has earned a loyal, influential customer base in its 28-year history — many members of which turned out for the brand’s spring 2025 collection presentation in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood on Monday. Among recognizable attendees viewing the elegant, art-inspired designs were actresses Beanie Feldstein, Rachel Brosnahan and Karen Pittman, among others.
A designer at the company for 22 years, starting as a design assistant, Emily Smith is now Lafayette 148’s creative director. As such, her work is largely fueling the brand’s fandom.
“It’s women dressing women,” Smith said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “We know the fuss of getting dressed in the morning and what you do and don’t want to deal with. … And we want to dress our customer seven days a week.” Also on the podcast, Smith discussed the importance of fashion week in today’s fashion ecosystem, the secrets to navigating the “up and down” luxury market, and the perks of working for a “completely vertical” company.
Embrace vertical integration to gain control over design, production, and customer experience, minimizing reliance on external factors in a volatile market.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Cultivate a 'women dressing women' philosophy to deeply understand and cater to your target demographic's practical needs and desires, fostering strong brand loyalty.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Leverage your own physical stores for direct brand representation and to create an authentic, immersive customer experience, reinforcing brand identity.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Understand that successful navigation of the luxury market's fluctuations requires a clear brand philosophy and a consistent approach to customer engagement and product quality.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Strategically utilize events like Fashion Week to reinforce brand messaging, showcase new collections, and engage with loyal customers and industry influencers.
