Sandy Liang is often inspired by groups of women who fit together, whether intentionally or not. “They don’t realize how beautiful they are when they stand together,” Liang said in her studio a few days before her runway presentation. She must have gotten a kick out of all the people who attended her show, with their low-cut Sandy Liang pleated skirts, taffeta dresses and pointed shoes.
In light of last month’s Baggu collaboration – which sold out so quickly that the accessories company published an apology on Instagram – and the equally successful ballerina and Salomon sneaker launches over the past year, it feels like Liang is transcending her as- you-know-you-know status. Her downtown princess uniform is so consistent that it is now instantly recognizable. The fact that it is often memed reinforces its cultural relevance. “That’s the Internet – they take something and run with it, and you don’t necessarily have to decide,” Liang said, adding that the fleece that made her famous in the 2010s is no longer in the foreground, and she is happy with that. “My vision of myself and the client’s vision of me are aligning for the first time in a long time,” she explained. “For a while it was this fleece, and people thought of me as a fleece designer. I understand that, but I’m happy with it now. Finally I feel like I can take two things – don’t even look – and then put my hair in a braid.”
Certainly, the additions for spring 2024 fit in well. An image that Liang returned to again and again was of the character Cecilia Lisbon The Virgin Suicides. The troubled teen wears an ill-fitting vintage lace dress with chunky daddy sandals. (Makes sense, because for her wedding, Liang wore a custom dress and Merrells.) When the models on the runway weren’t wearing Liang ballet flats, they were wearing Teva wedge sandals. Mermaidcore and Y2K were also incorporated into the collection via shell accessories, graphic T-shirts and a stunning mini skirt.
If there were two items that define Liang’s collection now as fleeces used to, they would be pleated skirts and bows. Both have been strengthened this season. The designer was drawn to a more businesslike, regal vision of a princess, with smart jackets and matching (if not exactly matching) skirts. Fortunately, the skirts were too small, sheer or too low-waisted for a real state dinner. She also found a new way to subvert expectations via a twin set of sheer, sparkly fabric (an homage to Britney Spears’ “Toxic”). As for bows, Liang developed shoulder bags that, from a distance, look like a giant bow tied over the shoulder. They seem to be a hit in the making.
The collection ended with a bride in a mini sailor dress with an oversized collar, a pleated skirt and a dozen bows on her body. Loud applause followed, led by front row attendees like actors Lola Tung, Greta Lee, AnnaSophia Robb and Rachel Sennott. Everything felt right, aligned, and – you might say – tied in a bow.
