Andrea Lieberman continues to design with her most loyal customer in mind: herself. Although she maintains that she designs for multiple generations (she has a teenage daughter, who helped her expand her perspective), she acknowledges that her DNA is woven into her clothing. “I think the customer we design for some of the time is me, but also kind of her daughter and her mother, as well,” she said. “A lot of the tailoring I do design for myself—that I can definitely assure you.”
A gifted stylist, Lieberman has a knack for balancing ultra-feminine pieces with masculine ones. Resort’s rhinestone-encrusted occasionwear is her glitziest offering to date, and the crystal pieces definitely benefit from the more sophisticated tailoring as anchor pieces.
Last season, A.L.C. incorporated trendy vests into the collection. This time around, bubble hems and boho lace flared pants intermingle with timeless strapless column dresses and leather trench coats. “We’re not a brand that follows trends, but we are a brand that works very intuitively, and usually that is a result of what’s in the zeitgeist,” she said.
Zeitgeist aside, this season is governed by thoughtfulness. Inside the column dress is a corset that allows the wearer to personalize the fit, and the lace pants come lined with modesty shorts. With all of the discourse surrounding a lack of female designers leading major luxury houses, Lieberman reminds us of the value of women designing for women.
