"The World of Anna Sui" at The Museum of Art and Design

Back in February, I went to check out “The World of Anna Sui” exhibit at The Museum of Art and Design. Since we can’t physically go to museums right now due to social distancing, I thought it would be worth it to share my photos and thoughts from the exhibit. Of course it’s not the same thing as going, I totally get that. But I do think that sharing and consuming various forms of art at a difficult time like this can be refreshing, therapeutic, and necessary. Which brings me to my favorite form of art: Fashion!

My Intro to Anna Sui

When I was in college at Eastern Michigan University and just starting my fashion merchandising program, I took a class where we studied designers. Pretty cool huh? For our final project we had to give a presentation on the work of any designer we wanted. I knew people would be fighting over Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, so I wanted to pick someone that wasn’t an obvious choice. I wanted to research a designer I didn’t know much about. My professor suggested Anna Sui to me. I actually didn’t know much about her. I did not grow up in a family that owned a bunch of designer — so, I was eager to learn.

While I was researching Sui, I learned that she grew up in the suburbs of Detroit (umm, hello? SAME!). At the time, I knew I wanted to move to NYC after college. So when I learned that she also left Michigan for New York I was obviously enticed. Then came her work. I watched old videos of her runway shows over and over again. Her collections were always so unique with very clear inspirations, but also so HER. Her clothes are soft, yet edgy. Vintage, yet modern. Familiar, yet completely new and unique. Sui’s designs captured me in every single dress, heel, and bag that I saw in the videos and on Pinterest.

My First Anna Sui Purchase

Not too long after that class ended, I went on a week-long trip with a group of students and that same professor to study the fashion markets of NYC. This was only my second time ever in the city (my first time was another school trip back in eighth grade). While on the trip, I was walking around Soho with some of my friends when I came across Anna Sui’s flagship store. It wasn’t planned, I just happened to see it — so of course I had to go inside! It was just as magical and fantastical as I would have imagined. I scoured the clearance rack hoping to find something that I could afford and fit.

Because of the professional shopaholic I am, I found one dress in my size that was on sale for only $80. It had a boxy silhouette and a wool-like appearance. Definitely unlike anything else in my Midwestern mall-bought wardrobe. It was a piece from her 2013 RTW collection. When I found a photo of it being worn on the runway I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I’m pretty sure that was actually the first designer piece I ever bought myself. I recently gave the dress to a friend because it doesn’t fit anymore, but I do have some photos in it in this blog post from 2014 (try not to laugh).

Kayla Boyd wearing Anna Sui — Wearing Anna Sui in 2014

“The World of Anna Sui”

Fast forward to today: I’m living in NYC, I own a few of Sui’s designs, and I get to attend really incredible fashion exhibits all the time, like this one! According to the MAD’s website, “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.”

The beautifully designed exhibit felt like you were traveling through time, destinations, and even dimensions! From rocker chicks to nomads to mermaids, nothing Sui does is boring. It’s a little campy, a little wild, and somehow still very chic and wearable. Take a scroll through the photos I took at the exhibit and you’ll at least have some idea of what I’m talking about: