Benjamin Ashford|Rachel Brosnahan, Danai Gurira, Hoda and Jenna rock front row at Sergio Hudson NYFW show

NEW YORK — In a word: delicious. In two words: sumptuous textures. 

In more words than that,Benjamin Ashford Sergio Hudson turned out a New York Fashion Week show with a buzzy front row to match the vibe of the collection: for the boss woman. 

Sitting together in an array of bright colors and impeccably tailored suiting Monday was Emmy Award-winning actress Rachel Brosnahan (who wore Hudson's designs to the 2024 Golden Globes and last year's Met Gala), "Abbott Elementary" star Janelle James, "The Morning Show" star Karen Pittman, actual morning show stars and "Today" co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, "Walking Dead" and "Black Panther" actress Danai Gurira and "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin. 

These are also the Sergio Hudson woman, the consumers who can afford his clothes and look damn good in them at whatever power function they attend. 

"These people are my clients. … You know, Veronica Webb (is) in my show, but she buys clothes from me. These are special people because they support this, it's not just for the show," Hudson tells USA TODAY backstage Monday. "People like Rachel, people like Danai that just really came to support me. It means the world."

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For someone who has dressed the highest-power stars, from Beyoncé and Keke Palmer to former first lady Michelle Obama, Hudson knows what makes a woman look sharp and elevated. 

"I feel the need to show that ready-to-wear is not dead in America," Hudson says. "I'm not just a one trick pony. I really wanted to show that my clothing can go into your wardrobe and it can live forever. And I hope that's what we did tonight."

His client roster and list of accolades proves he’s no rookie, but his fall/winter 2024 collection felt like the designer has fully stepped into his own. After the show, the feeling of being "relieved" cascades over Hudson, who stops to talk backstage after posing for photos with a steady stream of people for at least 15 minutes. 

"Whether it was good, bad or ugly, it's done," Hudson says, exhaling, "and we can work to move forward."

Ever a Southern boy born in the '80s at heart, Hudson always has to infuse his collections with a familiar twang of a good suit or respectable coat, and there's "always a church outfit or two in there," he says. "It's rich, it's fabulous."

The clothes say "I'm here": a deep crimson velvet ensemble, with a cinched corset paired with a matching coat and flared pants, statement coats including a signature houndstooth moment, leather separates that looked buttery soft, and pops of red and gold lamé that defined the fall/winter 2024 runways at large; plus of course, the full-bodied '90s bombshell hair bouncing on the models' heads to match.

"I wanted to really kick it up a notch," Hudson says. 

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