Brandon Sun is still finding his way. This summer, he spent time meeting with clients across the country, figuring out what they liked about his work and what they needed in their own wardrobes. “I’m calling it ‘high day,'” he said of the Spring 2015 smart dresses designed for women who aren’t partial to the jeans-and-heels look for a weekday luncheon or gallery opening. Taking color inspiration from De Stijl masters Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg—green and teal with shots of red and pink—and visual ideas from the Cubists, Sun presented a cohesive collection of color-blocked, mostly structured numbers that will appeal to his desired customer.

A strapless midi column, for instance, was pieced together with intersecting bands of satin crepe, and a little “blasted floral” jacquard jacket was cut sharply at the waist and paired with a matching bandeau and faux-wrap skirt. While Sun is not focused on eveningwear, there were some relaxed gowns in the mix, including a silk georgette number with color-blocked knife pleating coming down one shoulder. The rest of the piece was flat to minimize bulk and, therefore, flatter more figures. “Not every customer is 26, tall, and perfectly skinny,” Sun said. “There are only, like, five of those girls. And they get everything for free.”

Sun also worked hard to show off technical skills honed at J. Mendel and Oscar de la Renta. For instance, white leather strips and organza were hand-sewn together to create a graphic dress using a paper guide, which was then delicately removed from the garment using tweezers. The finished product offered just the look the designer was after. In fact, most of them did. If Sun keeps going in this direction, his clients will respond enthusiastically.