Anna Sui’s shows always brim with bubbly energy. For spring, her runway was lined with palm trees — courtesy of her dear friend, knitwear designer James Coviello — so it was no great mystery what was to come. She took her audience across an ocean to the vibrant islands of the South Pacific.
Sui’s inspiration was her family vacation to Tahiti, but research and fabric selection for the collection had to be done before her trip, meaning it was based more on her fantasy of what Tahiti would be. So she played with traditional Polynesian influences mixed with American pop culture. Think Forties and Elvis in Hawaii, she said backstage.
The result: pineapple prints, seaside motifs, palm leaves and, of course, tropical florals. A Hawaiian shirt in Sui’s hands transformed into floaty crepe de chine dresses. Surf shorts were rendered in floral jacquard. Varsity jackets were embroidered. And there were plenty of colorful printed swimsuits. For fun, Sui also showed a hula skirt paired with a serape stripe jacket. Everything was accessorized with floral jewelry and leis made by Erickson Beamon for Anna Sui. And for the second season, Sui showed a few matching men’s looks as well. Being transported by fashion was a hoot — and the best thing? No jet lag.