The Tamesis
Under Grand Central Terminal’s shimmering Constellation ceiling, Andrea Lieberman kicked off New York Fashion Week by inviting friends to the station’s beloved oyster bar. As the ALC founder and creative director celebrated spring 2026 and her brand’s penchant for dressing 9-to-5 and 5-to-9 women, the evening felt like a love letter to a city that’s always in motion (and a chance to slow down).
“A very core part of what we do is workwear. We thought what better way to celebrate workwear than to celebrate the art of commuting,” Lieberman told Fashion. “To me, there’s nothing more iconic than the Oyster Bar and Grand Central Station.”
The choice of venue underscores the brand’s enduring focus on modern, elevated essentials designed for real life—pieces that transition seamlessly from morning meetings to evening plans, just like the city itself. “I care about real life, and I care that our clothes are for real women in real life,” Lieberman noted.
The terminal’s oldest restaurant buzzed with the flow of passengers in and out, and guests enjoyed an array of hors d’oeuvres, including crab cakes, fried calamari and crispy French fries served in custom ALC bags. A particularly dirty martini tower took the place of the traditional champagne and became the centerpiece of the evening, served with plenty of olives. The cocktail menu also pays homage to the brand’s 15-year history, including The Express, a blend of bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters and orange peel, and The California Grown; The ALC features a mezcal cocktail paired with orange and lime juices, topped with persimmon syrup.
Thick gold lighters, take-home party favors, custom-engraved with the brand’s initials and cheeky phrases like “Expect delays” were placed on trays around the bar. Guests including Leandra Medine, Ashley Harris, Amrit Tietz and Jennifer Fisher soaked in the buzz as they toasted to the Spring 2026 collections, then chatted about which train they’d be taking to one of the many festivities leading up to New York Fashion Week. The night was a reminder that the most compelling fashion moments often occur in the spaces where real life unfolds: chic, improvised, and unmistakably New York.
