Anna Sui recently welcomed a group of young students into her studio, an experience she described as unexpectedly moving. Seeing their excitement felt affirming. “It’s such an honor,” she said of their interest in all things Anna.
It’s a stamp of approval that cannot be bought, but authenticity is something her collections continue to expound, with fall drawing on a trip to India and the theatrical spirit of the New Romantics.
“It just reminded me of those early days of MTV when we started having a visual for all the music,” she said of New Romantic codes of dress. “It was just such an important moment.”
Others reimagine nostalgia; Anna Sui has lived it.
Shown in an intimate, salon-like setting at the National Arts Club, Sui cast a host of new faces across cultures, who will surely make a mark during fashion month. “It’s just great to see this whole mix available now, because during COVID it was really hard for people to get visas,” she said of the models.
New Romanticism ran through the silhouettes with capes, ruffles, prints and textures, but it was self-assured. Quilted coats with softly exaggerated volume brushed the floor, trimmed with fur-like textures that recalled heritage outerwear while retaining a modern nonchalance. Slipdresses and bias-cut pieces appeared beneath, finished with lace insets and delicate embroidery that nodded to Indian traditions.
There was a sense of layering as storytelling — garments accumulating meaning with jewel tones playing a key role — plum, emerald, saffron and rose — alongside earthier neutrals.
Leopard prints, painterly florals, and plaid coats with fur-trimmed cuffs reinforced the idea of romanticism as something slightly unruly rather than precious.
Sui’s accessories and styling cemented the narrative. Furry headpieces; stoles; lace stockings; softly pointed boots from John Fluevog — a longtime collaborator; oversized sunglasses, and relaxed proportions pulled the looks back into the present.
The result was a dialogue between eras: past and present coexisting, similar to how that group of young students probably prefers to dress. The mix has opened the door to a new generation, while reaffirming relations with Sui’s longtime clients.
