Anna Sui - project summary

"Anna Sui is all about BLACK and PURPLE" was the only thing in my mind about Anna Sui. Yet, by a few months researching this brand; looking at catwalk especially the close up shots which really help in evaluating how a designer use colors; looking at lots of ads to learn how photographers take the spirit of Anna Sui, of that Rock n Roll doll!

Anna Sui is well-known as a high point of New York Fashion Week. She gonna ageless spirit, is willing to try anything! Anna launched her first runway show in 1991. In 1992, Anna opened her first boutique shop in New York City's Soho District. Anna’s constant search for new ideas and challenges keeps her ahead of times.

Anna’s fashion language, Mixing vintage styles with her current cultural obsessions, she effortlessly makes hip and exuberant original clothes. Whether Anna's inspiration is Victorian cowboys, Warhol superstars or Finnish textile prints, her depth of cultural knowledge is always apparent. Her collection always says a fairy with fantasy and luxury. By using patterned fabrication and bold textures, like geometric, floral prints etc.

Anna’ collection, by elevating a couple years of Anna’s collection, not easy to find out that, each season she is trying to tell a groundbreaking story with new colors combinations at the same time maintaining the spirit of “Anna Sui” and of course the customers! “Ethnic crossover roll n roll” never die in Anna’s collection, by mainly used of 3-4 theme colors and black as her color family in the collections. In Anna Sui collections, eg. SS09 Catwalks, the main color scheme used single split color scheme, from warm colors to contrasting cool shades Red and orange, in contrast, cool watery hues are seeing their fair share of time on the runway as well.In each of her designs, she chose one color from the color family and used the method of adjusting the value and chrome. In changes of color scheme, she use some analogous color to link with the upcoming color.

What’s next? Forecasting the colors, trends in the coming season. The theme called “Peacock fairy” which is inspired by peacock art paintings and the natural beauty of Peacock's tail, the nature world. A feeling of peacock in a delicate fairy tale. Luxury, opulence and theatricality define this story.

Two main color families was created for this trend. “Turquoise tides”, turquoise’s cool mix of blue and green. Watery tones are reflected in soft and shimmering velvets, silken linens and blue metallic’s. The other one is “Treasure Trove”, deep purple, rich, crushed, embroidery, delineating pattern, adding a dramatic and fantasy impact to the idea! Garment shapes are A-line and knee length with fringing and embroidery detailing.

After many small color sketching, now come up with A-line floral paisley dress with red-orange analogous colors with “WEIGHT” at the bottom and also high chromic pure color mix paint of peacock layered skirt and also blue-green tartan dress with black grids finish the looks. Enjoy~

Anna Sui - illustration

Anna Sui - color sketches after advice...

Anna Sui - runway show, backstage, model...

Anna Sui - close up shots at catwalk

Anna Sui - illustration

Anna Sui - Play around with colour

11) green+yellow

10) violet+blue violet

9) red+red-violet

8) red+red-orange

7) red+red-orange

6) violet+red-violet

5) violet mono-chromatic

4) blue-green

3) blue-green

2) blue-green mono-chromatic

1) yellow+yellow green+blue green

Anna Sui - colour palette

look at the colour that i pick for the theme and the corresponing colour name and pantone code.

Anna Sui - Peacock fairy

Forecasting the theme, colour, trend...
Peacock's tail were known as a display attracting a mate in animal world, but these are unconscious and not instrumental. There are painter, artists, movie marker are trying to interrupt this beautiful piece in the natural world. The fancy and impressing colour of peacock were used in this project for the coming theme and colour palette for Anna Sui.

"Peacock Fairy" is the name of this theme.

image of peacock crossover fairy peacock in a subtle way

peacock tail dress on Prada runway & peacock green color exists in the early 18th century.

Anna Sui - shapes

Details:
printed chiffon (folk pattern, painterly floral, paisley prints, birds printing)
crochet
embroideries
fringing & tassles
Key shapes:
dresses!
waistcoats
drop shoulder...

Anna Sui - Interview

8 pages of Anna Sui...in so-en japanese fashion magazine

Anna Sui - Ads

Anna Sui - Inspiration & fabrication

Class Exercise

Anna Sui catwalk

We have elevated on the nearest 3 collections of Anna Sui, and have the following conclusion as the below examples.
She mainly used of 3-4 theme colors + black as her color family in each of her collections.
In Anna Sui collections, eg. AW08/09 Catwalks, the main color scheme used the traid scheme.
In Anna Sui collections, eg. SS09 Catwalks, the main color scheme used single split color scheme, from warm colors to contrasting cool shades Red and orange, in contrast, cool watery hues are seeing their fair share of time on the runway as well.
In each of her designs, she chose one color from the color family and used the method of adjusting the value and chorma. In changes of color scheme, she use some analogous color to link with the upcoming color.


SS09 Catwalks

In SS09, the journey began south of the border, with warm colors and contrasting cool shades. Pink and orange abound and are often mixed with other sunny shades of yellow and gold. In contrast, cool watery hues are seeing their fair share of time on the runway as well. Mexican embroidery, cutwork, and lace-decorated chiffon fill the jaunty collection that happily strutted down the runway.


SS08 Catwalks

This season Anna love the 'rehearsal clothes' worn by the chorus girls in the backstage scenes from Busy Berkeley musicals. The look for Spring 2008 is all about 1930's and 40's Hollywood glamour as filtered through the nostalgic sensibility of 1970's glam. Her muses for the season are super groupies Sable Starr and Cyrinda Foxe, and Warhol superstars Jane Forth and Donna Jordan. I love Jean Harlow movies, Guy Bourdin photographs and Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. The girls at Anna Sui reminded me of anime characters: they came down the runway with big toothy grins, crazy technicolor cropped 'dos, and eye makeup so heavy it was hard to recognize them.She used all the bright colors, lively and bold, like spring itself: energetic blue.

AW08 Catwalks

The inspiration of this collection is some opulent fairy tale, Anna Sui based her fall color palette on the shades you find in pre-Raphaelite paintings. She used all the iridescent peacock hues in vibrant ombres: ultramarine, periwinkle, cobalt, cyan, purple, heliotrope, amethyst, teal.