Anna Sui

As she's been my favourite designer since I can remember, i thought it would be fitting to kickstart this blog with a quick biography of Ms Sui, and a look at her new collection.

Anna Sui
b.1964, Detroit, Michigan
Moved to New York to study at Parsons School of Design.
After leaving Parsons,she worked for a variety of junior sportswear companies whilst designing clothes from her apartment which went on to retail at etseemed New York department stores Macy's and Bloomingdales. Encouragement came from supermodel friends Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell, and in 1991 she launched her first catwalk show to astounding success. Following the impressive reception her first collection received, she opened her own boutique at 113 Greene Street in Soho, New York. As word spread, Sui's reputation flew to stratospheric heights, and now her runway shows are world reknowned and anticipated for their unique music selection, background designs, and of course, the jaw-dropping designs themselves.
During her time as a designer she has won countless awards and accolades, most notably the CFDA Geoffrey Beeny Lifetime Achievement Award (past winners have included Ralph Lauren, Yves St Laurent and Diane Von Furstenburg. She was also recently named in Time magazines 'Top Five Fashion Icons'. She's built her career on "never pander[ing]" (attrib. New York Times)to the media and her critics, a strategy thats seen her profile expanding beyond all belief. In 2007 she launched a more youthful range, Dolly Girl, and in 2009 debuted a childrens line called Anna Sui Mini.
Her other ventures also include designing a line of mobile phones for Samsung, releasing a collection of 12 perfumes (my personal favourite being Secret Wish with the little fairy on the cap!) and for her fall collection premiered a line of exquisite Anna Sui shoes. What next?!

"If you're going to have a show, then have a show." - Anna Sui, 2009

Proust and the 'Paris of the Gay Nineties' were key inspirations for this collection. I've picked out four of my favourite ensembles, the best of which (in my humble opinion) being the insanely nu-dandy brocade jacket (almost a smoking jacket, to my eyes - not too sure on the mad-crow headgear, mind) modelled by the divine Agyness Deyn, which looks like its been pulled straight out of the wardrobes of one of Oscar Wildes hangers-on. Aapart from the standard Autumn-Winter monochrome affairs, there were some beautiful peacock and cerulean blue shades on show, embellished wonderfully with all sorts of brocade, embroidery and beading, and emitting a gloriously decadent vibe. Rose prints, soutache trims and black velvet were also sprinkled liberally throughout the collection, and in my opinion its beaten her slightly 'safe' spring summer collection hands down. Opinions/constructive criticism welcome =)

The yellow light of an opal

on the white-walled houses dies,

the roadway beyond my garden

it glimmers with gloden eyes.

Alone in the faint spring twilight

The crepuscle vague and blue,

Every beat of my pulses

Is quickened by dreams of you.

You whom I know and know not,

You come as you came before,

Here in the misty quiet,

I greet you again once more.

The dim grass stirs with your footstep,

The blue dusk throbs with your smile;

I and the world of glory

are one for a little while.

The spring sun shows me your shadow,

the spring wind bears me your breath,

you are mine for a passing moment

but I am yours to the death.

- Rosamund Marriott Watson

(I thought a nice poem by one of the reknowned 18th century decadents fitted the theme of this post rather well!)