Andrea Lieberman flew into New York on a red eye this morning for a few whistle-stop Spring previews, then was off to Paris by 3 p.m. for a fabric trade show—economy class, no less, the better to save up funds to spend on her line. Lieberman herself is quite down-to-earth, but her designs for A.L.C., while still straightforward, are racheting up the flash. A sharp, collarless mint green blazer paired with a crisp button-up and second-skin leather pintuck trousers balances effortless polish with a touch of grit. And an easy shirtdress in "safety orange" washed silk was long and unbuttoned up to the waist with an attached mid-thigh slip, for a flash of leg that was just right. Lieberman is all about those little tweaks that elevate a classic (or not-so-classic) staple. Case in point, the cutout racer-back on a stretchy "baseball jersey" dress or the built-in bras on several crepe jumpsuits, which outnumbered gowns by far in the eveningwear category. Jumpsuit formal has been on the rise of late, and Lieberman succinctly summed up the suits' appeal: "They have the ease of throwing on a dress, which a lot of girls—including myself—don't feel like wearing."
