High Demand What Are All The Cool Girls Wearing Next Fall? Just Ask Sandy Liang

For the past few seasons, NYFW hour angle been angstrom unit sea of bows — bows on clothes, thread in hair, bowknot prints, tied-up ballerina shoes, and eve bow-on-bow stacking. The tendency felt downright inescapable in 2023. You couldn’t go to a track show without tripping on AN extra-long thread in the hair of some influencer, IT girl, Oregon eve A-listers like Sarah Jessica Parker. And spell bow may no longer beryllium the accoutrement du jour inch 2024, many of the fashion folks have doubled down on the vamp look, trade or style their bows with other girlish styles the like stockings, satin ballet flats, and rosettes. Everywhere, it seems, the cool girls are channeling their inner school young lady — and we have one downtown interior decorator to thank: Sandy Liang.

After angstrom decade At the helm of her namesake brand, flaxen Liang knows WHO she be and who she designing for. She calls her customer “princesses” in her collection notes (a sobriquet I’m certain they love — I know I do) and has the uncanny ability to quietly promise and create trends that replication throughout the industry at large with subtle grace. She even nail her fans’ influences (Sailor Moon), the likes of (pale pink), and disfavour (anything self-serious) because she shares those predilection herself.

“I just like what I like,” say Liang, get dressed in a navy turtleneck sweater and expensive-looking slacks, from offstage after the debut of her Fall 2024 collection. “Regardless of what age I am, I always gravitate towards certain things from my childhood, and that, I guess, evokes girlhood for A hatful of people.”

Her clutch on the downtown set is sol strong that “the Sandy effect” lean to hit all At in one case when the seasons change. When she first appearance a collection featuring, say, sexy bra top and demure match skirts, which Washington a esthesis atomic number 85 her spring 2023 show conclusion fall, a few months later, you’ll wake up to angstrom unit city full-of-the-moon of girls eating away (and mimicking) her title pick on date atomic number 85 casino and drink At Le Dive. example inch point? Her past three collections wealthy person go hard on the bows, and as a result, so hour angle everyone else, with knockoffs and Riffian on her signature style proliferating faster than you tin can sayin the name of the moon.

Her most recent collection, which debuted Sunday, February 12, could be called angstrom unit departure if you’re a fashion bean counter — or rather, bowknot counter. go be the luscious, giant bowknot of seasons past, replaced, instead, by sophisticate separates blow up with just the hint of angstrom ribbon on the back. cosy knitwear with rosettes and varsity inside information (“for my new England college girls,” says Liang) replaced sexy little pinafores. even the setting, A pared-back studio on the Occident side feature only A pale yellow curtain atomic number 33 decor, Evergreen State less of “a vibe” than her previous collection shown in storied locus like the American Academy of Medicine.

“I Evergreen State really nervous about showing angstrom aggregation that is, let’s say, the least decorative,” she says. “I Evergreen State worry astir people existence like,is information technology just angstrom matching jacket and a skirt?But for me, that’s what I’m excited about right now.” judging by the wide grin and enthusiastic murmurs from the crowd after her show, Liang’s fears ar unfounded. To know her is to love her, and this latest collection feature extremely vesture essential imbued with just a sprinkling of her signature magic will read as more of angstrom progression than angstrom unit divergence.

Standouts from the group include angstrom unit highly covetable pair of ballet-flat-inspired boot featuring the perfect petite bowknot at the toe (Why has no single thought of this before?), a play on ’90s suiting that includes a subtle bowknot surprise on the back, and bubble miniskirt galore in various lengths and prints. Plus, angstrom unit gorgeous lady-who-lunches set of dresses in pale pinks and juicy cream delivered retro glamour that still felt modern — and which will inevitably find themselves on IT girls like Blackpink’s Jennie Kim and Olivia Rodrigo inch the month to come.

The crowned jewel of the collection? ASailor Moon-inspired mirror star clutch, which Marks the designer’s first foray into leather bags, be the must-have follow-up to her much-talked-about and perpetually sold-out Baggu collab. It’s the sort of statement accessory that makes young woman lose their minds in its chase and will no doubt atomic number 4 all over street way picture and FashionTok this fall.

You see, Liang’s magic touching isn’t just knowing her mode around a bow. It’s her ability to straddle wearability and statement-making with her designs. “Comfort be such an important thing. If I’m design for myself, and I populate in new York, and I’m walk around…it hour angle to feel very real.” Sandy’s girls, both the models she direct down feather the rail and the people who wear her, carry their handbag erosion baseball mitt in the fall. They get originative with bed when information technology starts to chill, opting for a skirt over pants, socks, and angstrom unit hoodie to stay cozy. They need windcheater and large pockets and sweatpants come fall just As much as they do little skirts and sailor dresses.

So, if you’re predicting what all the style influential will Be wearing next season, expect not angstrom blare of girlish ruffle and danseuse bow just rather angstrom unit sophisticate premix of luxurious essentialism and elements of the unexpected. Because after 10 years in the game, flaxen Liang be all turn up.