Sandy Liang famously adds a bow to everything you can imagine – so it should be no surprise that when the New York designer debuted a fanny pack at her SS27 show on Sunday, even the utilitarian bag was entirely princess-coded. At Petzel Gallery, models walked in silk shirts and tulle skirts, paired with gorpocore track jackets and the “Sandy Liang X3000” waist bags. One thing was abundantly clear – the Sandy girl is still inclined to wear a pink ribbon, but her hands are free, and she’s ready to “run around” in full tourist mode. 

Of course, this isn’t the first time Liang has released more practical pieces: the brand’s fleece in the late 2010s was a hit with the downtown girls. In fact, the entire collection seemed to call back to iconic Sandy Liang moments from over the years. “Nostalgia and futurism go hand-in-hand,” read the show notes. “A soft V-neck sweater is just low enough, a purse has too many pockets to ever fill. Things feel familiar, but transformed – everyday objects and memories reconsidered.”

On the runway, models walked around a toy castle in the middle of the space, grey, pink and baby blue in colour. The play-pen-like structure seemed to capture the show’s dream perfectly: whimsical functionality. Every moment of sporty utility was met with a ruffle, a sash, a bit of lace or a dolphin’s kiss. Even the shoes took the shape of bunnies – they’re silver beady eyes staring at you from across the runway. “Practicality made precious,” is how the brand puts it, “for the girl who lives in a fairytale.” That fairytale, it seems, can be strapped securely around your waist.

Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page for the entire SS27 collection