SURFER
‘Thedarkertruthsbehindallthatsunandsurfandblonde
hairandwhiteteethappealedtomytwistedside.’
Thesun-soakedsurfculture,particularlyasseeninthebeachmoviesof
the1960s,resonatedwiththeyoungSuigrowingupinMichigan.The
wildlysuccessfulgenreofbeachpartymovies,suchasHowtoStuffa
WildBikini,speakstothetongue-in-cheeksensibilitythatispartofSui’s
approachtodesign.Foradesignerwholayerseverythingwith
optimism,theescapistsunandsurfcultureisanaturalinspiration.
Returningtotheoriginalsources,Sui’sgrown-uprecognitionofthe
artificialityofthefilmsspoketoherappreciationofthingsthatare
slightlytwisted.Whendesigningsurf-inspiredcollections,shehastaken
upthechallengetoaddtheslantthatmakesthefashionscontemporary
andsoveryAnnaSui.
BoardShortsInspiredDress(Toprowleft)
Spring2004
CottonblendDresswithLycraT-shirt
Plasticsunglasses,shellearrings,bracelet,ankletbyErickson
BeamonforAnnaSui;cowhide/plasticsandalsbyJutta
NuemannforAnnaSui
ThecentralcharacterofSui’sSpring2004collectionisamodern-day
teenagesurfergirl,independentandwithastubbornstreak.Shealso
appearstohankerafterthepsychedelicera,wearingswirlingfloral
andpaisleyprintsinintensecolourcombinationssuchaslavenderand
blueorturquoiseandgreen.ThisensemblecombinesasportyLycraT-
shirtwithacottondressinspiredbyboardshortsalthoughtrimmedin
femininelace,atypicalSuitouch.TheuseofLycrainthisnostalgic
outfitunderlinesitsmodernity.Suioftenincorporatesinnovativeand
sometimesunusualfabricsinhercollections,emphasisingthefactthat
althoughsherevelsinthefashionsofthepastsheisfirstandforemosta
contemporarydesigner.Theshell-inspiredearrings,braceletandanklet
addtothebeachsidevibe,whilethefloralsandalsgivethe‘girly’
dimensiontothislook.
PartyDressBeachEnsemble(Toprowright)
Spring2004
SilkPartyDresswithLycraT-shirtandLeggings
Shellearrings,necklace,shell/cowhideankletbyEricksonBeamon
forAnnaSui;plastic/cowhidesandalsbyBallinforAnnaSui
‘Myentirecollectionwasbasedontheideaofagirlwhocouldnot
waittogetinthewater,soevenifshewaswearingapartydress,she
wouldhaveabikiniunderneath.’
SuiisabigfanoftheFrankieAvalon/AnnetteFunicellobeachparty
moviesofthe1960sandisparticularlyfascinatedbywhatshecalls
‘thebeach-bumlifestyleofSouthernCalifornia’.Although‘surfergirl’is
alwaysreadytoplungeintothesea,shealsolikestopartyandthis
ensemblecombinesthesportysurferlookwitha‘girly’partydressin
anintensefloralprint.‘Partysurfergirl’thenupstheantewithchunky
goldseashelljewellery.Theplasticsandalschannelthebeachvibe.
StuddedPsychedelicBoardShortsEnsemble(Middlerowleft)
Spring2004
CottonBarongShirtandBoxerswithStuddedcottonblendBoard
Shorts
Shell/brassnecklacesandankletbyEricksonBeamonforAnna
Sui;rubber/cottonsneakersbyConverseforAnnaSui
‘Surferboy’alsosportsaseashell-inspirednecklaceandreflectsalaid-
backholidayfeelwithhisopen‘barong’shirt,brightlypatternedshorts
andcasualConversesneakers.However,theoutliningofthepaisley
motifwithgoldstudsaddsatouchofpartyglamour,whilethe‘barong’
shirt,referencingtheembroideredformalshirtconsideredthenational
dressofthePhilippines,addsanoteoftongue-in-cheekformality.Sui’s
ensemblesoftenincludestylisticcontradictionsreflectingher
multidimensionalviewpoint.
‘Oppositesattract.Beautylovedthe
beast.AnnalovedtheBeachBoys.I
shouldqualifythatCaliforniawas
definitelyafantasywhenIwasakid.’
DragRaceJacketEnsemble(Middlerowright)
Spring1998
Silk-screenedcottontwillJacketandCapriswithcotton/polyester
Swimsuittop
Cottonbucketcap;patentleathersandalsbyBallinforAnnaSui
SurferstyleprovidedthemaininspirationforAnnaSui’sSpring1998
collection,itsboundlessoptimismthecompleteantithesisofSui’s
previousGoth-stylecollection.Aspreviouslynoted,Suilikestochange
directionfromoneseasontothenext.Thesurferstylesitsperfectlyin
Anna’sworldwithitsemphasisonyouthandexuberance.She
conveyedthismoodthroughboldprintsandvibrantcolours.Other
printsthatfeaturedprominentlyinthecollectionasseenhereincluded
astylised‘airbrushed’flameandadesignbasedon‘pinstriping’,the
applicationofathinlineofpaintcalleda‘pinstripe’,inspiredbythe
artworkofsuchcustomcarartistsasVonDutchandEd‘BigDaddy’
Roth.BoththesemenwerekeyfiguresinSouthernCalifornia’sKustom
Kulture:atermusedtodescribethetraditionsofcustomcarandhot-
roddingsubculturesthathademergedinthe1950salongsidesurfer
culture.Sui,withherawarenessoftheconnectivityofcountercultures,
reflectedthiscouplinginhercollection.Thisthispairingisseeninthe
flameprintofthecapriscombinedwiththeboardshorts-inspired
waistband,adetailthatappearedthroughoutthecollection.The
collectionalsofeaturedHawaiianprintsandtropicalfloraldesignsina
varietyofcolourways.
HawaiianSwimEnsemble(Bottomrowleft)
Spring1995
RayonSwimsuit
Acetateheadpiece,wristletandleisbyEricksonBeamonforAnna
Sui;nylonmeshtote,nylonsocks;cowhideshoesbyEmmaHope
forAnnaSui
Sui’sSpring1995collectioncombinedelementsofthe1940sand
1970s.Oneofhermusesforthecollectionwasactressandsinger
DorothyLamour(1914–96),famousforherappearancesintheRoad
to…movies,inwhichshestarredalongsideBobHopeandBing
Crosby.ThesultryLamourwasoftentobeseenwearingasarong.
AnothermusewasthecompetitiveswimmerandactressEsther
Williams(1921–2013),wellknownforappearinginglamorous
‘aquamusicals’,whosecinematiccostumesinspiredSuitocreatea
groupoflamédressesbasedonswimwear.ThisHawaiianswim
ensembleseemstochannelbothactressesfeaturingHawaiianprint
andlamé.ThefloralheadpieceandleicourtesyofEricksonand
Beamoncomplementtheoutfitperfectly,addinganextranoteof
playfulness.TheEmmaHopeshoesgivesomeretroglamourand
polish.
SurferEnsemble(Bottomrowcentre)
NylonmeshTahitianTattooT-shirtwithcottonblendCabana
JacketandBoardShorts
Rubber/cowhidesandalsbyHushPuppiesforAnnaSui
AnnaSuihasafondnostalgiaforthesurfmoviesofherearlyyearsin
whichgolden-skinnedyouthwithsparklingwhiteteethcavortedonthe
beach.Thisensembleradiatesbeachsidecool.ThetattooprintmeshT-
shirtprovidessometongue-in-cheekstylingwornwiththeHawaiian-
inspiredprintjacketandcasualplaidboardshorts.Thesandalsby
HushPuppies,withwhomSuihascollaboratedonanumberof
occasions,finishoffthiscasualandmodernlook.
SurferGirlEnsemble(Bottomrowright)
Spring2016
Cottonblend
Jacket,TopandShorts
Plastic/glassnecklacebyEricksonBeamonforAnnaSui;
SunglassesbyMondoticcaforAnnaSui;nylonsocksbyAtsugi
forAnnaSui;vintagebarkclothcoveredcowhideshoesbyBallin
forAnnaSui
Thissurfergirlensemblecomplements‘surferboy’perfectly,reflecting
thesamestripped-backyouthfulcool.Hertartanjacketistrimmedwith
braidaddingextradetailandtheplastic/glassnecklaceprovidesa
moderninterpretationofthe‘lei’.Theplatformshoesmadewithvintage
barkclothlendanairofnostalgiaandkitsch,andunderlinetheexotic
tropicalthemeofthecollection.