“It’s 100 percent about making real clothes,” Andrea Lieberman said on a recent call—though A.L.C.’s lineups hardly need that qualifier. It’s only apparent. Consider Pre-Fall, with its emphasis on versatile yet “soulful” pieces, affordable clothing that would suit a plentiful array of ages, lifestyles, and occasions. The designer called out ’90s hip-hop as an inspiration, but eschewed any overly literal references. That music scene lent a subtly sporty inflection that coursed through the collection, stopping short of feeling modish or young. Indeed, Lieberman’s clothes only seem to get more sophisticated; this season’s brand of lean sex appeal was particularly compelling. The back of one top was woven from wide strips that moved to expose flashes of skin, while a plunging knit tank and ankle-grazing skirt struck on a winning tension of more and less.
It was a savvy move on Lieberman’s part to bet on knitwear as much she did here. Eminently shoppable and full of the “realness” that’s at the core of the A.L.C. ethos, the styles ranged from a svelte, scoop-neck slip dress to coquettish pointelles. All would make winning off-duty ensembles for the brand’s growing list of celebrity supporters—newly minted superfan Jennifer Lawrence in particular.
