Anna Sui Escapist Fantasy

Escapism and fantasy are also, incidentally, some of Sui’s strongest suits. Her career is built on the ability to translate that visceral sensation wanting—needing, even!—to dress up as whimsically and carefree as the best on-screen muses, the coolest rockstar babes, and the most famed artists and models into clothing available for us mere mortals. For fall 2021, she has mashed up Birkin’s eclectic style in the film with her own late ’60s references of concert posters and the psychedelic style of The Beatles’s Apple Boutique. (The Fool, a Dutch collective that ran the Apple Boutique, costumed Wonderwall.) Set into five distinct moods, the collection brings together many of Sui’s signatures, like chiffon tea dresses, thick black lace trimming, faux-fur leopard coats, and imaginative floral prints, with a freewheeling, magpie sensibility.

While the collection might read as Sui as ever, with its quirky stylings and plentiful accessories, she has actually been collaborating and expanding her Suiverse. A diverse cast of artisans and makers contributed pieces to the collection. Anna Castellano, a young designer in Europe, hand-painted several psychedelic jeans. Monika Forsberg, a London-based illustrator, provided peacock and snake graphics, as did the Spanish artist known as Golden Daze. Some artisan collaborations have carried over from last season too, with Birdie Purl hand-making grungy knits and Fellow Earthlings continuing to produce recycled acetate sunglasses with matching chains. Other collaborations are in-house, literally: Sui’s niece Olivia drew cartoon illustrations that appear on tees, another niece Isabelle made hand-beaded mask chains with a star motif.