What comes after Beyoncé? The conundrum faced by designer Raul López after Queen B made a rare appearance on the FROW at Luar’s AW24 show in February.

For SS25, the New Yorker had no trouble drawing in a crowd at the Rockefeller Plaza. Boasting New York It girls Amanda Lepore, Honey Balenciaga and Hari Nef, rising music hotties Doechii and Tinashe, a very, very late Ice Spice and of course, Madonna – arriving plus entourage plus loyal assistant who followed behind, lifting her trailing camel coat gown hybrid. Hype: check! But what about the clothes?

Opening with model of the moment, Alex Consani, the collection was a scorcher – set to a booming bassline from chucheros that flanked either side of the runway. With cameos from Offset and Solange’s son Julez Smith who returned for a second season, the slick SS25 offering featured tailoring spliced and Frankensteined back together with sexy sheer peekaboos, hooded habits, and denim two-pieces in tones of oil spill black, rust, champagne and cheetah. Hammering home the message, a mind-bending geometric print hypnotised attendees – with ‘LUAR’ repeated over and over in an endless reflection on jackets and trousers. Hot looks: check!

Who said New York Fashion Weak?! Once again, Lopez proved he knows how to close the city with a bang. Check! Check! Check!

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