For her tenth collection, Spring/Summer 2018, designer Sandy Liang continues to approach her brand’s downtown roots with new, playful interpretations of nostalgic narrative, and elevated experimentation with shirting and all-year transitional outerwear. Liang also introduces color-blocked oversize knit polos, floaty eyelet and lace paired with her hallmark statement leather jackets and neck-cozying shearling. Piece by piece and collection by collection, Liang builds strong through lines in her clothes that reveal a consistent understanding of her girl, as well as the riffs and subversions that make her girl reminisce and smirk.

The SS18 collection plays with tensions in material and embellishment: The Bayside Fleece updates the classic layer-able outerwear with an elegant, luxury jacquard pocket, while dress cuts in the collection reference both strappy garter belts and updated school uniforms. Denim in the collection is embellished with clustered Swarovski crystals, as well as metal loops that originated as nipple jewelry offering a clever nod to punk aesthetics. Work and play combine artfully in the Corbin Belt, which is part garter, part hardware tool belt.

Tailoring is central to the collection: exciting shirting has gaps with girly peeks of skin, a leather apron is closely fitted as a kind of spare outerwear designed with a kangaroo pocket. The Wells Denim Jacket is artfully designed to hang via a long halter from the shoulders, achieving a kind of enviable forever-slouch.

Liang’s subtly wry references are woven through the collection with inventive humor. For Spring, she customized the Lit Print, which features polka dots mixed with tiny rainbow lighters. Gel-filled floral decals grace the bib of lace dresses, a touchable element balanced by the movement of ruffles and black sheer ribbons. Oversize denim is designed with deep pockets marked with a subtle “xx”– referring to the way so many women sign off their e-mails.

Bye girl xx