See Simone L. Smith x Sergio Hudson Jewelry At NYFW

• Simone L. Smith designed 28 new jewelry pieces to debut with Sergio Hudson's runway show.
• The jewelry balanced boldness and refinement, allowing the clothing silhouettes to shine.
• The collection drew inspiration from Black culture, blending heritage with high fashion.

By now, you’ve probably seen the viral clips from Sergio Hudson’s 10th anniversary runway show at New York Fashion Week. The coats were luxe. The tailoring was sharp. The colors were bold and unapologetic. I mean, the runway is literally on repeat in our heads.


But alongside those commanding silhouettes was another moment that deserves just as much attention: the jewelry.


Simone I. Smith — longtime jewelry designer, entrepreneur, and wife of LL Cool J — partnered with Hudson to debut 28 new pieces on the runway. And these weren’t background accessories. They were standout pieces that told a story.

How Simone L. Smith & Sergio Hudson Balanced Boldness On The Runway

“I’m known for bold hoops and unapologetic statement pieces — that’s a part of my DNA,” Simone told HelloBeautiful. “But with this collaboration, I wanted to refine the boldness. The pendants are still powerful and commanding, but the earrings are more elevated — still strong, just less oversized than some of my classic SIS and Sister Love pieces.”


For her, the biggest design risk was restraint.


“Pulling back just enough to let Sergio’s silhouettes breathe, while still making sure the jewelry had presence.”


And that balance showed. The pieces didn’t compete with the clothes; they complemented them.

Simone & Sergio Understand Fly Power Dressing For Black Women

If you know Sergio’s work, you know he designs for women who walk into rooms with authority. Simone approaches jewelry the same way.


“I want Black women to feel seen. Powerful. Covered. Chosen,” she said when describing how her pieces empower women. “These pieces are bold in symbolism — protection, patience, purpose, abundance, greatness. When a woman puts them on, I want her to feel aligned. Like she’s stepping into a room already knowing who she is.”


The 28-piece capsule drew inspiration from Black culture, including geometric shapes and sacred motifs reminiscent of Akan symbolism from Ghana. The collection blends heritage with high fashion — nostalgic but modern, polished but still a little “too much” in the best way.


Each piece is crafted in 18K yellow gold over sterling silver with simulated diamonds. Select styles feature carved mother-of-pearl or onyx inlays, along with cultured freshwater pearls. Seeing her pieces walk the runway inside the iconic library setting of the New York Public Library was emotional.

“Gratitude. Pure gratitude. I kept saying, ‘Thank you, God,’” she shared. “It wasn’t just about fashion. It was about years of work, prayer, growth, and perseverance coming down that runway.”


And she was just as captivated by the clothing as the rest of us.


When asked about her favorite pieces from the Fall/Winter 2026 collection, she didn’t hesitate. “The coats. Absolutely, the coats. They were commanding, structured, and regal. Sergio understands how to dress a woman in authority.”


That’s what made this partnership work. Two creatives who understand power and how Black women want to show up in that power while looking fly at the same time. The collection was a match made in fashion heaven.


Pieces from the Simone L. Smith x Sergio Hudson collection start at $800. They are available online.

ICYMI: Simone I. Smith & Sergio Hudson Delivered The NYFW Jewelry Moment We Didn’t Know We Needed was originally published on hellobeautiful.com