LaPointe vs Brandon Maxwell: Which Gown Is Right for You?

These two American houses come up together constantly, and the reason is simple: both are New York labels built on eveningwear, both dress red carpets, and both have dressed Lady Gaga. If you are choosing between them for a gown, the differences are real and they are easy to describe.

Who are they?

LaPointe was founded in New York in 2010 by Sally LaPointe. She is a CFDA member and the house is known for colour-driven statement dressing, fluid sculptural silhouettes and a signature use of feathers.

Brandon Maxwell launched his label in New York in 2015. He came to fashion through styling, worked closely with Lady Gaga, and won the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear in 2016. The house is known for precision tailoring and a polished, old-Hollywood register.

What is the core difference?

Fluidity against structure.

A LaPointe gown is usually cut to move. Doubleface satin on the bias, a drape, a slit, plumes that catch the air. The silhouette is created by the cloth falling, and the clothes look best in motion.

A Brandon Maxwell gown is usually cut to hold. Seaming, boning, a defined waist, a strong shoulder. The silhouette is built into the construction, and the clothes look best standing still in a photograph.

Put simply: LaPointe designs the fabric’s behaviour, Brandon Maxwell designs the body’s line.

Which one suits which occasion?

A red carpet photograph. Brandon Maxwell. Structured tailoring reads sharply on a step-and-repeat and holds its shape under scrutiny.

A long evening where you will dance. LaPointe. Bias satin and jersey move with you and forgive a full dinner.

A wedding as a guest. Either works. LaPointe if you want colour and softness, Brandon Maxwell if you want a tailored, covered line.

A daytime event with a dress code. Brandon Maxwell tailoring translates more easily to daylight.

Anything where you want to be remembered. LaPointe, and specifically the feathers.

How do they compare on colour?

This is the clearest split. LaPointe builds collections around strong saturated colour: berry, emerald, mulberry, marine, chartreuse, a powder blue called cloud. The satin is chosen because it carries those shades.

Brandon Maxwell leans on a more restrained palette with strong use of black, white, ivory and a single accent. If your wardrobe is neutral and you want one loud piece, LaPointe gives you more to choose from.

How do they compare on price and choice?

Both sit in the same contemporary luxury bracket, and on Coveti the two ranges overlap heavily across gowns and separates. LaPointe carries the wider assortment of the two here, including knitwear, hosiery and accessories, where Brandon Maxwell is more concentrated in dresses and tailoring.

Compare them directly: the LaPointe edit and the Brandon Maxwell edit.

How do they compare on sizing?

Both are American houses sizing on the US ladder, and Coveti converts everything to UK, so a UK 10 is a US 4 in both cases.

The practical difference is in the fit tolerance. A structured Brandon Maxwell gown fits where it is built to fit, so measurements matter and an alteration is more involved. A LaPointe bias gown skims, so it tolerates a wider range of bodies and alters more easily at the strap and hem. See the LaPointe sizing guide.

Which should you buy?

Buy LaPointe if you want movement, colour and a signature that people recognise, and if you would rather be comfortable for six hours than sharp for one.

Buy Brandon Maxwell if you want a defined waist, a strong shoulder and a gown that photographs like architecture.

If you want to look further afield, brands like LaPointe covers the wider set, and the evening gowns category puts both houses side by side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between LaPointe and Brandon Maxwell?

LaPointe cuts for fluidity: bias satin, drape and feathers, with the silhouette created by cloth falling. Brandon Maxwell cuts for structure: seaming, a defined waist and a strong shoulder, with the silhouette built into the construction.

When were LaPointe and Brandon Maxwell founded?

Sally LaPointe founded LaPointe in New York in 2010. Brandon Maxwell launched his New York label in 2015 and won the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear in 2016.

Which is better for a red carpet?

Brandon Maxwell, because structured tailoring holds its line in a still photograph. LaPointe is the stronger choice for an evening where you will be moving and dancing.

Do LaPointe and Brandon Maxwell size the same?

Both are American houses sizing on the US ladder, and Coveti lists both in UK sizing, so a UK 10 is a US 4 in each. A structured Brandon Maxwell gown is less forgiving of measurement than a LaPointe bias gown.

Have both brands dressed Lady Gaga?

Yes. Brandon Maxwell worked closely with Lady Gaga before and after launching his label, and LaPointe has also dressed her.

Read next

• LaPointe evening gowns
• Brands like LaPointe
• Celebrities who wear LaPointe

Written by Gemma Deeks, Fashion Editor at Coveti.