Sandy Liang and the Celebration of Girlhood

Sandy Liang launched her fashion brand in 2014, one year after she graduated from Parsons School of Design. Now, her name is instantly recognizable within any fashion sphere. Influenced by her childhood growing up in Queens and frequenting New York City’s Chinatown, she established a brand that is original and distinct. Her styles fall under current trends circulating social media and influence fashion enthusiasts, most often appealing to younger women. Such styles include “croquette” and “balletcore,” which both embrace pastel colors, whimsical silhouettes, and the frequent use of ribbon. These details contribute to the femininity that Liang embraces throughout the designs in her collections.

Courtesy of The New York Times

Following cycles in fashion where feminine styles were deemed “uncool,” or looked down upon, the success of Sandy Liang’s brand is refreshing. Liang’s brand and the culture that has developed around her designs represents a celebration of girlhood. Liang herself has said that she is “just a girl designing for a girl.” From her own experiences, she understands what it means to be a girl, something that is exhausting for many people, considering long withheld gender roles and established societal rules within fashion spheres.​​ This reflects in her designs, thus resonating with many women. Liang’s designs are bold in that they are unapologetically feminine, presenting a way for women to step away from the difficulties of living in a patriarchy and appreciate their own girlhood.

Courtesy of DNAMag

Women are finding new ways to style Liang’s pieces and draw inspiration from her designs in their day-to-day outfits. Liang encourages girls to wear dresses and explore their own personal styles, without feeling like they need a special occasion to wear such items. This sentiment, along with the childhood nostalgia that Liang harnesses in her design process, inspire women to reflect on what they truly want to wear and how they want to present their true selves. Adorning Liang’s clothing is the reminiscence of playing dress up as a child, dreaming of one day being old enough to wear such elegant or sophisticated pieces. She calls women to revisit those early aspirations and satisfy their inner child with her clothing.

Courtesy of @best.dressed on Instagram

One of the most prominent motifs in Sandy Liang’s designs are bows, which adorn anything from dresses to hair pieces. While they are wildly popular, Liang has influenced people to do more than just purchase her pieces. As her designs have grown in popularity, people have taken inspiration from her to become more creative in their use of ribbon. Now, it is not uncommon to walk down the street and see girls wearing bows in their hair, on their bags, or tied through their shoelaces. There is something so sweet about this common item uniting so many people together. We can see the community that Liang facilitates among fans of her clothing, who feel a shared sense of joy in celebrating their femininity.

Courtesy of Eternal Goddess

She most recently premiered her Spring-Summer 2024 line during New York fashion week this September. Her pieces reflect her classic, delicate, and girlish styles. One dress, shown below, mixes light fabrics, those including lace and satin, to create a whimsical and flowy dress, complete with puffed sleeves and a gingham bow. The rest of her collection shares common characteristics, defined by looser silhouettes, neutral and pink tones, and blatant femininity. This collection, different from previous ones, also explores some more structured pieces, such as blazers and pleated skirts. This deviation from her classic styles expand her brand to appeal to a greater audience and explores new ways to express femininity.

Courtesy of Sandy Liang

Sandy Liang is a designer at the frontlines of a new fashion movement. The community of people following her styles creates a safe space for girls and all those wishing to delve into feminine fashion. From her enormous success and the even greater impact that she has had on communities of women, Liang is a designer that is here to stay.

Featured Image Courtesy of Harper's Bazaar