NYFW Spring/Summer 2021 – Anna Sui

“We’ve all spent a lot of time inside these past few months––I hadn’t been at home so much since I was a kid. I began thinking about what home means to me––comfort, security, the smells of delectable meals and desserts being made with care, the space to think about what is happening in the world and the people I love. I was drawn to the depression era watercolors of Charles Burchfield, his scenes of nature and to the French Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot. I thought of clothes with a homespun feel––comfortable dresses with eyelet lace and trims, old t-shirts reimagined with tie-dye, and other beautiful homemade things such as quilts like the one I saw in the 1966 Czech movie, “Daisies”; aprons with ric rac, and embroidered tea towels from the 1930s. Fabrics can be reused in such stunning ways––what might my version of sustainability be to create a better world––a better home for all of us? This was a moment to reset.

The Heartland collection is full of what we need now––comfortable, locally made, versatile pieces without a lot of fuss; flowy apron-inspired pinafore dresses, quilted jackets, shorts, negligée maxi dresses, bucket hats, and embellished sweatshirts that can be worn around the house or on Zoom and Teva sandals, a long-time partner, who sent me shoes that I could reimagine for the season. Florals in soothing mauve, cream, jade, black and cedar, combined with painted laces with graduated color, embroideries, crochet trim, and eyelet brings a homemade touch. This collection is all about that homey DIY feel, with a little bit of polish thrown in.”

– Anna Sui