Among the must-see destinations in New York City, The Strand bookstore is located in an ideal and unique location. Beloved by generations of New Yorkers and tourists alike, the retailer is a place that offers something unique and inspiring, visit after visit: not a trend, but a solid classic. The same can be said for Anna Sui, who showed her fall collection inside The Strand's iconic Rare Book Room. Every season, she does her thing, breaking out of the endless cycle of trends while also offering a new take on the special grunge sauce at the heart of her brand. She is a New York Fashion Week stalwart.
A fortuitous deep dive into the world of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, while Sui was feeling unwell, gave her a jumping-off point for the season. “I became obsessed with seeing all the Agatha Christies one after the other,” she said, adding Clarice Cliff ceramics and Virginia Woolf book covers as additional contributions to her list of styles seen by her front row of friends: Marc Jacobs , Sofia Coppola. , Debbie Harry and more.
A shearling-trimmed faux suede jacket over a stretch velvet crop top and Fair Isle maxi skirt set the mood with a wonderful mix of textures and unexpected prints. The theme continued through a palette of orange and mustard hues to blues, creams in outerwear, knotted fabrics and silk slips. It was a magpie mix of several decades of English country and urban dress. She accessorized with evening shots, including a black tulle and sequin jacket, a black bralette, and a long sequin skirt.
Spend time on fashion's TikTok and the topic of vintage will be introduced, a conversation Sui has been a part of for decades: Her store in New York City had a cabinet of curated finds. With a deep understanding that modern dressing means mixing decades and vintage in a wardrobe, for fall she collaborated with Eveliina Vintage, designing unique lingerie pieces in her collection. She sourced upholstered Gladstone bags and vintage souvenir scarves and gave each look argyle socks, cementing the modern bookish magpie grunge theme that felt completely current. Once found at flea markets, Sui will launch Anna's Vintage Closet online and deliver her finds directly to Generation Z, who are no doubt already fans getting lost in Anna Sui's decades-long good story.
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