In the midst of preparations for a couple of to-be-announced projects in 2017 (stay tuned . . .), Anna Sui has been revisiting her own archive. She’s not the only one, of course—just last month, Opening Ceremony reissued a smattering of pieces from Sui’s iconic Grunge and Punk collections. Sui put grunge—timelier than ever—to work for her again this season with a 1940s-spiked lineup, brimming over with the cornucopic prints and the darling dresses she has made her name on. Pattern, as ever, was a visual feast. The designer name-checked Schiaparelli, and indeed, there was a palpable bit of the surrealist doyenne in Sui’s terrific trompe l’oeil ruffles. The collection’s individual parts were ultra-feminine—lace bibs and inset trims—but often worked to tomboyish effect. Crinkled plaid baby dolls and sweet frocks with hook and eye closures down the front all spoke to the reasons Sui's Grunge collection remains among fashion's most iconic nearly three decades later. Those baby dolls will find a whole new generation of fans when they hit retailers later this year.
