Anna Sui Ready To Wear Fall Collection 2020

Nocturnal glamour has never looked so good. During a Saturday morning preview of Anna Sui’s fall collection, the designer described her lineup as “optimistic vampire,” but on Monday night, a more deliciously sinister offering emerged.

Inspired by the exploitive and horror films of the Sixties and Seventies that she was introduced to at a Giallo film festival including “Blood and Black Lace,” and her personal favourite, “Daughters of Darkness”  Sui whipped up moody, texturally rich alluring attire.

The designer focused on dresses and coats over separates (a reversal from spring’s separates-packed, innocent pastel array) and reworked them into ladylike, Victorian silhouettes in exciting new fabrics.

A black patent vinyl number with lace sleeves proved a standout for the day while eveningwear played up the drama with shimmering Lurex, sequins and sheer, Hammer Film-inspired negligee-like offerings.

Sui’s positive, the bohemian spirit could still be seen throughout, via Liberty-printed or bright-bloom-covered roomy silhouettes, but the best looks embraced sultry layers of burnout velvet, faux and patent leather, lace and faux fur. As always, Sui’s family-like team added the perfect Gothic touches to her provocative show, including mile-high, chunky John Fluevog boots, intricate headwear and hats by James Coviello, darkly romantic makeup looks by Pat McGrath and the perfect vamp hair by Garren.