NEW YORK FASHION WEEK DAY 2: ANNA SUI

The pandemic has done wonders for Anna Sui’s creative juices. She has made some of the best block picking videos. This weekend she put on a big show in a small East Village bar to just 80 people and it was truly Sui at her best: bright, cheery hipster clothes that capture the playfulness of youth.

His inspiration came from photos of Baby Jane Holzer, Andy Warhol’s superstar, dancing at the Peppermint Lounge, the Midtown club that gave birth to the Twist trend in the 1960s.

The cast of Sui entered dancing on a small stage before making their way around the bar in stunning metallic faux leather negligee dresses, tank tops, skirts and disco trench coats, all paired with sequined knit tights and matching booties.

faux fur bolero; chenille wool jackets; clover windowed coats and sweaters; or camo parkas all had wit and kick. Done in a Pop Art palette of bubblegum, hot pink, rose, cornflower and, of course, lots of peppermint. Think of Coco Chanel’s niece fleeing France to hang out on the Lower East Side after hours.

Only 26 looks and a tiny cast where several models made three costume changes. Culminated by appearances by veteran runway stars Sasha Pivovarova and Jessica Stam in two sensational cocktails. Pivovarova smoking hot in a sequined snakeskin dress with lace inserts worn with matching tights; and Stam owning the club in a pink sequin sheath with outer lace bra.

“I wanted little dance dresses,” said Sui, who recalled in her program note the adolescent joy of wearing her mother’s black lace petticoat with a faux leopard coat to capture Elizabeth Taylor’s mood when she won. his first Oscar in Butterfield 8.

The result was a memorable fashion moment, titled Heaven Can Wait, blessed with a fantastic soundtrack, courtesy of granddaughter Isabelle Sui, a mashup of songs from the likes of Patty & The Emblems, The Cramps and The Ramones.

Filled with a score of relatives and friends like Marc Jacobs, Sofia Coppola, Michelle Hicks and Karen Elson, the place went into an uproar when Anna took her bow. It’s great to see Sui back doing what she does best: creating rock star glamor with an effortless, effortless edge.