Anna Sui (born August 4, 1964) is an
American fashion designer. Her brand retails globally in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Her clothing, fragrance, cosmetic, and accessories lines sell through her stores in over 50 countries and are also widely available in leading department stores worldwide.
Early life
Sui was born on
August 4,
1964 in
Detroit,
Michigan. She took an interest in fashion at a very young age and began clipping fashion-magazine pages to fill her famous Genius Files. These have served as an inspiration for her line throughout her career. After moving to New York, she attended
Parsons School of Design.
Career in Fashion
After leaving Parsons, she worked for a variety of junior sportswear companies. During this time she began designing clothing out of her apartment which retailed at locations such as
Macy’s and
Bloomingdale's. With the encouragement of friends
Naomi Campbell and
Linda Evangelista, Sui launched her first runway show in 1991.
"That those professional beauties were then at the height of their fame helped stoke the reception Sui got from buyers and the news media," and also insured industry embrace of a talented niche designer. Following this incredible reception she opened a retail location at 113 Greene Street in New York City's Soho District. This shop, with its lavender walls, red floors, antique black furniture, and signature dolly head mannequins has become a staple of
SOHO fashion and synonymous with the Anna Sui brand. As described in a recent
Time article, "The stores have come to emphasize the epitome of culture in a continually shifting fashion world."
Over her career, the Anna Sui brand has also grown internationally in the American, European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets. Her iconic fashion shows, with their much-anticipated rock music and background designs, routinely pack the Tent at
Bryant Park during her prime time Wednesday slot at
Fashion Week.
Achievements
She was called a designer who "never panders" by
The New York Times, and named to Time Magazine's list of this decade's top five fashion icons. In 2009, Sui won the
CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award (Council of Fashion Designers of America), which serves to honor contributions made to American fashion by outstanding individuals in the industry. Sui joins the ranks of
Yves St Laurent,
Giorgio Armani,
Ralph Lauren,
Diane von Furstenberg and
Bill Blass, who are past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2008, she was profiled in
Newsweek’s Women and Leadership, and was recognized for her contribution to fashion at the
Bravo A-list Awards. Anna Sui continues to design and manufacture her signature collection in her
New York City headquarters on
Fashion Avenue. There she has ardently fought to keep the industry alive and has spearheaded a campaign to “
Save the Garment Center,” which was highlighted during Fashion Week in September, 2008.
Sui's designs attract many famous clients such as
Paris Hilton,
Blake Lively,
Patricia Arquette,
Mischa Barton,
Christina Ricci,
Cher,
Naomi Campbell,
Sofia Coppola,
Lindsay Lohan,
Hilary Duff,
Maria Sharapova,
Nicole Richie,
Liv Tyler,
Courtney Love, and
James Iha.
In 2006,
Fortune Magazine estimated the collective value of Anna Sui's fashion empire at over $400 million.
Dolly Girl by Anna Sui
Sui launched her a more youthful version of her fashion line called Dolly Girl by Anna Sui in 2007. A children’s line known as Anna Sui Mini debuted in early 2009.
Other Lines
Anna Sui Shoes premiered on her runway for the fall collection. Manufactured in
Venice,
Italy, the shoe collection includes both day and evening styles, in velvet, silk, patent leather, snake and lizard skin, shearling and suede.
In 2009, Sui partnered with
Target to produce a
Gossip Girl inspired line combining
Upper East Side style with a downtown edge. The limited edition collection was available for several weeks in September. Her design versatility was further displayed when Sui was contracted by
Samsung Electronics Co. to design cellular telephones.
Perfumes
Anna Sui introduced her signature fragrance and cosmetic line in 1999.
- Dolly Girl Bonjour L'Amour!
