ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Blending rock and roll with romanticism, Anna Sui taps into the timeless nostalgia of fashion’s earlier days and pairs it with her rocker aesthetic. Since premiering her first runway show in 1991, Sui has launched over 80 collections of ready-to-wear garments, accessories, cosmetics, and fragrances through her independent brand, effectively popularizing the boutique fashion look. Through head to toe looks, she has created a graphic, imaginative universe inhabited by alter-egos that draw inspiration from the worlds of cowgirls, grunge girls, hippie chicks, hula girls, Mods, pirate rock stars, Pre-Raphaelite maidens, and surfer nomads.
Spring Summer 2012 Isetan Mitsukoshi promotion featuring Frida Gustavsson. Image © Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello
Sui’s unique approach to threading narratives through her work is legendary. A self-taught historian of culture, art, and fashion, she samples music, books, exhibitions, movies, time periods, photography, and art movements in her designs. Over the years, Sui has explored wide-ranging materials and inspirations, including papier-mâché mannequin heads; linens by Vera; Claire McCardell sportswear; army surplus jackets; Japanese hankies; qipao dresses; wood-soled platforms from Goody Two-Shoes; and the styles of Jane Holzer, Zandra Rhodes, and Anita Pallenberg. She has also received numerous awards, including the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent (1992) and the CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).
The World of Anna Sui features approximately 100 ensembles from the renowned designer’s archive, presenting a roll call of 12 archetypes that are staples of the Sui aesthetic. Featuring everything from garments to accessories, hair styles to makeup, scent to sound, the exhibition explores in minute detail the materials, cultural obsessions, and global styles that have inspired Sui for decades. As a special addition to the exhibition, Phxart will present looks from Sui’s recent collection, highlighting her work with experimental paper-like fabrics. Garments from the PhxArt fashion collection will be paired alongside Sui’s body of work, demonstrating the designer’s inspiration from the delicacies and details of former fashion trends.
Anna Sui, 2011 © Anna Sui
EXHIBITION SPONSORS
The World of Anna Sui is organized by the Fashion and Textile Museum, London, and curated by Dennis Nothdruft, Head of Exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, The Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion, with Catherine Wise, the Hirabayashi Intern in Fashion. In-kind support provided by KJZZ.
The World of Anna Sui at Phoenix Art Museum is presented by Thomas Carlton Rogers II, Jacquie Dorrance/The Dorrance Family Foundation, Arizona Costume Institute, and The Kelly Ellman Fashion Endowment Fund.
Additional support provided by Tran Tran/AXIS Employment Services. In-kind support provided by KJZZ.
All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
RELATED EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
RESOURCES
PRESS INFORMATION
Media Images and Credit Lines
DOWNLOADPress Release
Phoenix Art Museum presents major exhibition of rock-and-roll inspired fashions by Anna Sui
Featuring more than 20,000 objects, the collection spans the globe, bringing the world to our city, and our city to the world.
Discover a world of programs, workshops, and more, and experience your museum in a whole new way.
EXHIBITIONS
On view for a limited time, exhibitions present art from across the centuries and the globe, from iconic fashion to Old Master paintings, contemporary photography to historical objects of Asia.
MORECOLLECTIONS
Featuring more than 20,000 objects, the collection spans the globe, bringing the world to our city, and our city to the world.
MORE