Posing as Anna Delvey from 2013 to 2017, the German-born Anna Sorokin allegedly made members of New York’s art and party circuits believe she was an heiress with dreams of starting a charitable arts foundation-cum-private club, swindling bank around the world out of $275,000 along the way. How she managed this has become a minor New York obsession, particularly following a New York Magazine expose of Sorokin’s alleged escapades.

When New York first published its story last spring, I wrote that her seemingly sloppy clothing, rather than revealing her true origins, in fact made her look more like a rich person. It was unclear how calculated this was, but Sorokin clearly had some ideas about how her appearance helped her fit into the world in which she planted herself.

Sorokin’s appearance has been no less a concern since her arrest last October. Last week, the New York Post reported that Sorokin’s legal team was “panicking” ahead of jury selection, fearing that her brown Rikers-issued uniform might make her look guilty. According to the Post, Spodek asked an associate to run to H&M “and spend $200 on something that didn’t scream ‘inmate.’” Upon the associate’s return, Delvey changed into a black blazer and capris with a taupe sweater and white sneakers—very tasteful. (The stilettos her legal team had wanted her to wear were declared too dangerous by the Department of Correction.)

Her wardrobe choices made news again as her trial began on Wednesday of this week. She appeared at Manhattan Supreme Court in a sleek black, low-cut dress, black tights, flats, and a choker necklace that gave her signature big black Celine glasses a nerdy chic. Her hair was well-styled, and in photographs, she appeared to walk confidently into the courtroom. She looked more like Jenna Lyons than a flake who skips out on her hotel bills. She looked better, in fact, than she’d looked in BFA photographs from her years as a high-flying socialite—and what’s more, her outfit looked much sharper than what’s on the racks at H&M. The New York Post reported Wednesday afternoon that the dress was Miu Miu. Which raised a serious question: Who was getting Sorokin Miu Miu at Rikers?!

Sorokin in court on Wednesday. picture alliance

As it turns out, Sorokin, having retained the services of New York criminal attorney Todd Spodek, is now being dressed by a stylist. The stylist was enlisted by Spodek, who wrote by email on Wednesday night: