Born and raised in Detroit, educated and discovered in New York, Anna Sui reinvented pop culture fashion with her signature rock-and-roll romantic label in the 1990s and has remained a design icon ever since.
Beginning with her premiere catwalk show in 1991, Sui has shaped not only the garments, textiles, accessories, cosmetics, and interiors that comprise her design universe, but also the course of fashion history by popularizing the boutique fashion look. Sui’s unique approach to creating narratives through her work is legendary: a self-taught historian of culture, art, and fashion, she samples music, books, exhibitions, movies, time periods, photography, and art movements in her designs.
On display until February 23, The World of Anna Sui features approximately one-hundred looks from the designer’s archive, presenting a roll call of twelve archetypes that are staples of the Sui aesthetic.
It also spotlights her heroes as a youth and the importance of her collaborators, including the New York City Garment Center.
Pictured:
Anna Sui and Chris Scoates (MAD’s Nanette L. Laitman Director)