Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
Inspired by Louisiana’s Mardi Gras culture and the glitz of the 1980s, fashion designer Laura Citron’s collections can be summed up in two words: disco glamour. In Lafayette, New York, and now Nashville, Citron’s sequin-laden, sparkly and colorful designs have received national recognition from fashion magazines such as Vogue and Cosmopolitan, been worn by stars including Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina and the members of Little Big Town, and spotlighted on The Tamron Hall Show's “Up and Coming Designer” series. As part of the segment, Citron designed a custom look for Hall and participated in a runway show. "It’s surreal,” she said. "You work so hard for so long, and moments like that remind you it’s all worth it." But Citron’s story began long before discovering New York’s fashion world. She says her greatest inspiration has always been her roots. "Louisiana has a culture that centers around Mardi Gras and festivals," Citron said. "People go all out with costumes that have sequins, feathers, and color. I never shied away from that." That vibrant Louisiana culture provides the glamour, but the disco portion of her aesthetic traces back to her childhood home in Lafayette. Her mother, who she described as a “fabulous pack rat,” kept her wardrobe of 1970s disco jumpsuits and for Citron, that closet became a wonderland and an early glimpse into her future. At a time in her life when she was still discovering herself, she didn’t always see fashion as a career option. Citron studied broadcast journalism at LSU before an unexpected opportunity changed her path. Her cousin, a television producer in Los Angeles, invited her to spend a summer working behind the scenes on The Tyra Banks Show. "Seeing that wardrobe team in action was my ‘aha’ moment,” Citron said. "It made me realize it was possible to do this for a living." Putting a halt to her broadcasting degree, she applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Citron earned both her associate and bachelor’s degrees in fashion. After some time in New York, Citron and her boyfriend, who was then a boutique owner, made the decision to move to Nashville. There she opened a vintage clothing boutique. Inspired to try something new, Citron began creating her own designs which were vintage-inspired pieces that took elements she loved from past eras, like wide-legged suits and disco dresses and translating them into a signature Citron flair. “My brand celebrates maximalist glamour while being inspired from the nostalgia of decades past, but reimagined for a modern world,” she said. Citron said the move to Nashville turned out to be one of the best decisions she’s made being that New York is amazing for learning and connections, but there’s so much competition. She said working in a smaller city gave her a stronger foundation to develop her brand identity and build authentic relationships. “In Nashville, there was room to breathe and grow. People were excited to collaborate and support local designers,” Citron said. Breaking into the fashion world hasn’t been easy, especially coming from Louisiana, but Citron said that’s part of what makes her stand out. “Sometimes being from a smaller place helps,” she said. “People take notice when your story is different.” Today, the Laura Citron brand produces two collections each year in spring/summer and fall/winter while continuing to focus on small-batch, made-to-order pieces. Beyond her personal brand, Citron also works to make fashion more inclusive. She serves on the board for Fashion is for Every Body, a Nashville-based nonprofit runway show that features models of all ages, sizes, genders and abilities.
