Romance, Intimacy, and Tension: Allina Liu Unveils Her NYFW Debut Collection “Who’s To Say That Love Needs To Be Soft And Gentle?”

“Who’s To Say That Love Needs To Be Soft And Gentle?” For AAPI New-York based label Allina Liu, everything is romantic. Exploring the line between intimacy and innocence, the dialogue between discipline and release — the ‘wearable romance’ brand reimagined an atmosphere where conversations became questions at the unveiling of its New York Fashion Week runway debut on September 14. 

Marking an important milestone for her eponymous label, the CFDA X Genesis House NYC Finalist is no stranger to the fashion world. From honing her design skills at notable fashion houses like The Row, Thakoon, Rebecca Taylor, and J.Crew,  Allina Liu’s craft lies deep in its innovative tailoring and pride in poetic references to art, film and culture. Edged with subversion, the brand offers a modern take on feminine power, where nods to 17th Century Dutch Portraiture and the Japanese Shibari coexist with effortlessness. 

Seeped in detail and intention, the SS26 collection, titled “Who’s To Say That Love Needs To Be Soft And Gentle?” captures the sensuality of connection as it collides with restraint and exposure, drawing inspiration from the 2002 film Secretary. Where Liu’s show notes state, “Each piece has been created to live in a space between strength and vulnerability, offering a vision that is intimate, romantic, and charged with tension,” the collection delivered a poetic lens to garments that embodied the tense duality of softness and control. 

Still reeling from the high of her NYFW debut, Allina Liu chatted with EnVi backstage on her artistry and what it means to champion AAPI voices in fashion as a CFDA X Genesis House Finalist. 

Who’s To Say That Love Needs To Be Soft And Gentle? 

Despite SS26 being Allina Liu’s first NYFW runway, the label isn’t even remotely new to carving a distinct voice within slow, independent fashion. Since its opening in 2015, the brand remains headstrong in its loyalty to quality and wearable collections, not to mention its effortless attention to detail. That ethos stays grounded through her ongoing collaboration with Brooklyn-based material lab TômTex, devoted to creating the new class of next-gen materials. Garments consisted of statement stockings, unconventional accessorizing, and an EnVi personal favorite — Peter Pan collars galore. 

The runway itself underscored the brand’s commitment to intentional storytelling and artistic references. As a live pianist filled the space with delicate notes, models moved through with their orchid appliqués glued to their lips, and yes, they were real. Where components were tied in beautifully from head toe — trailing details, flowing skirts, and juxtaposing shapes signified one thing. Opposites attract, and beauty coexists with silence. “Who’s To Say That Love Needs To Be Soft And Gentle?” featured an array of colors. Dresses in painterly watercolor patterns that remind you of a late summer evening and vibrant hues ranging from coral to fiery red were pushed back by the structured pieces covered in monochrome black. 

An Endless Number Of Influences

Finding inspiration in film and art has always been foundational for Allina Liu’s artistic touch; they guide the shape and mood of her collections. Apart from the nod to Secretary (2002), Liu was creatively charged by the emotional impact of Georgia O’Keefe’s provocative watercolor art. She explains in her show notes, “Her paintings translate the body into forms that feel at once vulnerable and commanding, inspiring silhouettes and surface treatments that heighten the sense of intimacy.” Sparked by the corporeal symbolism in O’Keefe’s work, Liu seamlessly translates this notion into the garments. Accentuated by various necklines and ruffled detailing, Georgia O’Keefe’s watercolors became an art showcase in disguise as models walked down this SS26 runway. What emerges is simply not a runway debut, but an intimate dialogue between the body and emotional (or physical as a matter of fact) restraint. 

“I think my perennial inspirations are always kind of how I approach design, so like the ties and the straps are a nod to BDSM culture and all of that kind of came from my upbringing” Allina Liu explains. “I had tiger parents, they’re lovely now and they’re very supportive now but initially it was tough, it’s a very repressed culture and like I’m a Chinese kid in America I was like ‘What is sex, what is this’ and they were like ‘We’re not talking about that’ so it really just kind of became like a deep seeded thing that I wanted to understand further and then everything has spiraled since that or like gone better since.” 

That tension between repression and curiosity ultimately materializes in the garment themselves, evidently in the harness details. Liu’s references to BDSM find their form on the runway, where patternmaker Bi (@thebielement) helps translate those ideas into harness sashes. Staying true to the Allina Liu DNA, the harnesses were decorated with ruffles, exuding the romantic flair that the brand is exceptional at executing. 

Heritage And Defining Allina Liu 

Reaching a turning point in her design career, Liu recently earned recognition from the CFDA as one of the CFDA X Genesis House NYC finalists – a program designed to uplift and empower the next generation of AAPI voices in American Fashion. As a designer challenging identity and culture through a deeply symbolic and wearable art lens, the CFDA program’s focus on AAPI voices serves as a powerful affirmation for Liu’s vision. And an honest one too. 

“If I’m being completely honest, one of the tough things about the application process for The CFDA Genesis Grant was that they asked you ‘what does your AAPI heritage mean to you?’ and how has it shaped your design career and I wanted to be like ‘oh my god it shapes like I love being Asian I loved it my whole life’ but that just wasn’t the truth so I answered honestly,” Liu shares. “I talked about how I grew up in a very homogenous community. I was often singled out for my features so to be like a voice…if I can do it anyone can do it and I’m just, I’m honored and it means everything to me to inspire the next generation if that is what I’m doing.” 

As this debut collection showcases how Allina Liu delves into the beauty of contradictions, she remains honest, unafraid, and headstrong in bringing themes of intimacy and tension to the surface. Honored by tactile design whilst championing ‘Ethically Crafted, Sustainably Driven, Small Batch, Always,’ Liu bridges the gap between nuanced storytelling and the practical wearability that defines intentional, lasting design. 

To delve into the wonderful world of Allina Liu, make sure to stay up to date on all of her work through her official Instagram and the Allina Liu website – allinaliu.com. 

Craving more Fashion Week debuts? Check out EnVi’s coverage of India’s AK|OK by Anamika Khanna at London Fashion Week here! 

Need more NYFW in general? Read our exclusive New York Fashion Week mini issue.