Smith, LaQuan
1988- · Contribution: 2009-present
Built an internationally recognized womenswear brand after being rejected by both major fashion schools he applied to
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Built his eponymous brand into an internationally recognized label dressing major celebrities, including being named a finalist for the CFDA Fashion Fund, despite being rejected by both the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design.
Life & background
Raised in Queens, New York and taught to sew on his grandmother's Singer sewing machine at age 13, Smith was rejected by both the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design. He built his skills independently, interning at a magazine to gain access to fashion industry events where he could showcase his own designs. He presented his first collection at 21 and built his eponymous brand into an internationally recognized label with clients including Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga, later becoming a finalist for the CFDA Fashion Fund and partnering with major retailers including ASOS.
Sources
- Marie Claire; Strike Magazines
More in Arts, Music & Entertainment Tech
Ailey, Alvin Jr.
1931-1989
Founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, creating a lasting home for Black dancers and choreographing 'Revelations,' one of the most performed ballets in the world
Allen, Debbie (Deborah Kaye)
1950-
Tony-winning choreographer and dancer who served as principal choreographer of 'Fame'; founded the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in 2001, training thousands of young dancers regardless of financial background
Anderson, Marian
1897-1993
One of the finest contraltos of the twentieth century and a landmark civil-rights figure; the first Black singer to perform with the Metropolitan Opera, whose 1939 open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial—after she was barred from Constitution Hall because of her race—became a defining moment of the era.
Armstrong, Louis Daniel
1901-1971
Transformed jazz from collective ensemble playing into a soloist's art form through his revolutionary 1920s Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, establishing the trumpet as jazz's premier solo instrument and pioneering scat singing, while later becoming, as “Satchmo,” one of the most beloved entertainers in American history