"I've been really feeling poplin and starched collars," said Andrea Lieberman at a recent Resort preview. This lent a new sense of crispness to her latest A.L.C. lineup, which was full of fresh shirting—a previously under-addressed category for the contemporary brand. The collection opened with a white button-up paired with a silver leather biker jacket, which set a clean, modern tone. Classic polo shirts were updated in black cotton with sporty zipper closures, so the summery staple felt less preppy and more cool, particularly when shown untucked, with a sharp pleated skirt. A series of geometric lace pieces had a similar linear appeal but still seemed very on-brand with their vaguely tribal undercurrents. The designer stuck to a mainly black-and-white palette but mixed in occasional pops of chartreuse and acid blue (found, for example, on day dresses that gave the impression of layered separates). "I love colors that come across as punk," said Lieberman. Elsewhere, she revisited A.L.C. signatures, including tailored jumpsuits, ultra-luxe hoodies boasting leather sleeves, and cozy bandannas that had a delightful teddy-bear texture. Meanwhile, a pair of low-slung Bermuda shorts featuring a panel of silk around the hips was a warm-weather take on Lieberman's favorite trousers from Fall ’14, which imitated the look of boxer shorts peeking out from underneath pants. "I wasn't ready to let that style go just yet," she laughed. Finishing things off on a high note was a perfect black leather bucket bag (that doubles as a cross-body) roomy enough to hold all your everyday essentials. Like the clothes, it offered pedigree with an edge. But more important, the purse was priced to sell at $795, "so you don't feel like it's costing you a whole month's worth of rent," Lieberman added.
