"The more we grow and expand, the more I continue to dig deep and find the brand's DNA," said Andrea Lieberman at a Fall preview. As usual, the A.L.C. designer succeeded in creating clean essentials for the modern wardrobe, but she included more personal details this time around that brought a new meaningfulness to the collection. For example, hip-hop was a formative influence on Lieberman (who was previously a celeb stylist with serious street cred), and she paid tribute to it here by tweaking basics such as a classic white blouse, which came with edgy, built-in bandannas. By the same token, she whipped up the perfect navy hoodie with endless layering appeal, and also added sporty nylon "boxer" accents to the waistbands of tailored trousers. Meanwhile, in a contemporary market where seemingly everyone is doing updated sweats, she put her own spin on the trend with a pair of full-on, tear-away pants done in luxe leather (note: definitely not for the gym). Elsewhere, Lieberman touched on other current ideas like cozy plaids and culottes, and featured plenty of signature outerwear such as terrific black parkas and timeless perfecto jackets. Those are the kinds of cool, functional staples that have earned her label a following. Speaking of which, A.L.C. fans will gravitate toward novelty intarsia sweaters that spelled out "Tribe," as well as an ever-expanding handbag range, with highlights including a slim, three-pouch cross-body and double-handled satchels that were subtly sophisticated—just like the clothes.
