“The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) presents a major retrospective of the iconic American fashion designer Anna Sui. Opening during New York Fashion Week, the exhibition features seventy-five looks from the designer’s archive—from the groundbreaking inaugural fashion show of 1991 to her Spring 2019 collection—and illuminates Sui’s creative process and influences that contribute to her signature aesthetic sensibility.

Sui is one of New York City’s most beloved and accomplished fashion designers, known for creating contemporary original clothing inspired by in-depth research into vintage styles, cultural arcana, art history, graphic design, European and Asian decorative arts, film, and more. Sui joined New York’s creative cultural underground at a rich time in the 1970s, forging important, lasting relationships in the worlds of fashion, photography, art, music, and design. Additionally, she is one of the original voices of the Save the Garment Center movement.” — MAD

Anna Sui Fashion Show. Spring 2004. Photograph by Stuart Ramson.

Anna Sui Fashion Show. Fall 2011. Photograph by Thomas Lau.

Opening Shot from Spring 2012. Photograph by Thomas Lau. Courtesy of Anna Sui.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Installation view of The World of Anna Sui at Museum of Art and Design, New York. Photo by Jenna Bascom.

Anna Sui. Photograph by Jerry Schatzberg. Courtesy of Jerry Schatzberg.

“Born and bred in Detroit, Anna Sui is a fascinating American design success story,” said Chris Scoates, MAD’s Nanette L. Laitman Director. “Season after season, Sui translates popular culture and artisanal making into collections that pulse with excitement, reflect and expand on the creative spirit of the times, and move the needle for what fashion can and should be for a diverse, global market. We are extremely excited to welcome our visitors for an unforgettable immersive experience of Anna’s design universe.”

The World of Anna Sui was curated by Dennis Nothdruft for the Fashion and Textile Museum, London. It was secured for the Museum of Arts and Design by former William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator Shannon R. Stratton and adapted for the New York audience by Assistant Curator Barbara Paris Gifford.

Images courtesy Museum of Arts and Design.