Sandy Liang's Obsessed With Backs & Bows (EXCLUSIVE)
"The [Sandy Liang Fall/Winter 2024] collection is a continuation of what I've been obsessed with forever," designer Sandy Liang told us. "I feel like the princess this season is not necessarily refined but void of detail, and it's more about tailoring."
Liang's eponymous label celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year. In the brand's decade-long run, the designer introduces a new kind of princess for FW24.
On the runway, Peter Pan collar dresses mingled with floral balloon skirt sets. Roses landed on sweatsuits. Dainty gowns and fuzzy skirts were accessorized with silver star-shaped purses inspired by Sailor Moon, a longtime inspiration for Liang.
Ballet flats and heels were aplenty, while some mysterious sneakers hid underneath wide-leg pants. More Salomon sneakers, perhaps? Please make it so.
Of course, there were plenty of bows in Sandy Liang's show (and pretty much everywhere else within the show space). 'Cause what's a Sandy Liang presentation without them?
"I feel like it's cool that people are really loving [the girlish aesthetic]. I've always seen the bow as a symbol of childhood, so that's why it means so much to me," Liang says.
"It's one of those things that I've always been drawn to, and it's cool to see it be a trend and people appreciate it. But also, as a designer, you're like, 'Well, that's not a thing that's 'trendy' to me; that's a forever thing of mine.' But honestly, people associate me with it, and I'm not mad about it."
When making the label's cult-favorite clothes and accessories, Liang has many inspirations, including a love for backs. Yes, Liang lives for a good back reveal.
"I love backs. My favorite part of a lot of dressing is when a woman turns around, and then you see something because it's not in your face. I love that," Liang tells us.
"All the beauty and the magic is in the special little details, like the tiny little bows and how we place things."
Sandy Liang's clothes are also a result of how the designer feels during the particular fashion season, her obsessions with Sailor Moon, and her New York lifestyle.
"Comfort is such an important thing. If I'm designing for myself when I live in New York and I'm walking around, it has to feel very real. It's fantastical, but it's always rooted in reality."
"I just really like making clothes for myself."
Liang often references her childhood, bringing out this sense of nostalgia and girl-ness in pieces. That girlhood still flows in the Sandy Liang DNA if you couldn't tell by the bows, pink hues, and frilly details. But the FW24 collection feels more mature and sophisticated even. The Sandy Liang princess has grown up.
The usual Sandy Liang embellishments aren't as outward as the huge bows wrapping up models in seasons past. Instead, they were much more subtle, reiterating Liang's emphasis on neat tailoring and stepping away from "decor."
Admittedly, Liang was naturally a bit nervous about the reaction to less decoration. But after turning Super Bowl Sunday into Sandy Liang Day (excellent clothes included), it's safe to say her nerves are now gone.
"I was really nervous about showing a collection that was, let's say, the least decorative. I was worried about people saying, "Is it just a matching jacket and skirt?" For me, that's what I'm excited about right now. I'm acknowledging that it looks different than before, and I'm really excited about that."
