Anna Sui is clearly in the throes of a heavy-duty blue crush. Her spring collection was centered on the modern teenage surfer girl—a descendant of the Gidgets of yore, just as feminine but far more independent, with a stubborn hippie streak.
The Sui girl has her priorities in order. Her wardrobe starts with a bikini, a surf shirt, or a pair of lace-edged board shorts; after that, anything is fair game. If she’s heading to a club or a party, she might drop a delicate baby-doll mini on top, tie on a printed apron dress, or wrap up in a short daisy-print canvas trench. If she’s got a serious social engagement, she might switch to a pretty gold shift dress, or zip on some black beaded jams. She’s got a yen for the psychedelic era, judging by the swirling flower and paisley prints and the mind-bending color combinations: pink with orange, lavender with blue, turquoise with green. Everything’s always worn with piles of shell jewelry, and fragile sandals or clear plastic Mary Janes.
Of course, the runway is the designer’s playground, but Sui’s collection isn’t all fantasy. With her trim trenches, sheer hoodies, and pretty little floral dresses, even women who don’t spend their days making waves will find plenty to get stoked.
