Anna Sui facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna Sui
|
|
|---|---|
Sui in 2009
|
|
| Born | August 4, 1964 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
|
| Education | Parsons School of Design |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
|
Label(s)
|
|
| Awards | CFDA Perry Ellis New Talent Award Time – Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award Bravo A-List Award Classic Icon of Fashion and Design Identities – Leadership in the Arts Award 2017 Honorary Doctorate Recipient, The New School |
| Anna Sui | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 蕭志美 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 萧志美 | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Japanese name | |||||||||
| Kana | アナスイ | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
Anna Sui (born August 4, 1964) is a famous American fashion designer. She creates many different things. Her brand includes clothing, shoes, makeup, perfumes, glasses, jewelry, and items for the home.
Sui was once called one of the "Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade." In 2009, she won a special award. It was the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. This award came from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). She joined other big names like Yves Saint Laurent and Ralph Lauren.
Contents
Anna Sui's Early Life
Anna Sui grew up in Detroit, Michigan, in the U.S. Her parents were both Chinese-American. They met in Paris while studying there. Her father studied engineering, and her mother studied painting. Anna's niece is the actress and model Chase Sui Wonders.
Anna knew she wanted to be a fashion designer by age four. Her mother taught her how to choose clothes. She also took Anna shopping for fabrics. Anna watched her mother sew for hours. She used fabric scraps to dress her dolls. This helped her learn how to make clothes. Soon, she was creating her own outfits.
When she was a teenager, Anna read an article. It was about a designer who went to Parsons School of Design. This article inspired Anna greatly. It showed her a clear path for her future. Anna then moved to New York City. She went to Parsons to study fashion.
Starting Her Fashion Career
After two years at Parsons, Anna Sui got a job. She worked for a clothing company called Charlie's Girls. There, she learned a lot about designing clothes. She also helped style photo shoots for her friend, Steven Meisel. Her styling work was very popular.
After Charlie's Girls closed, Anna worked for other designers. But she also started making clothes from her apartment. She wanted to design for rock stars and their fans. Most of her early sales were to music stores.
One day, she took five of her designs to a trade show. Big department stores like Bloomingdale's and Macy's noticed her work. A few weeks later, Macy's featured her clothes in a newspaper ad. Her boss at her current job was very angry. He fired her on the spot.
Without a job, Anna used her savings to start her own business. She worked from a small corner of her living room. For many years, she put all her earnings back into her company.
The Anna Sui Fashion Line
The 1980s were a time of "power-dressing." Big brands like Chanel were very popular. Anna Sui was different. She explored the "grunge" fashion style. Other designers like Marc Jacobs also did this.
Around 1987, Anna moved her line to a showroom. This helped her become more known in the fashion world. By the late 1980s, Anna Sui had many fans worldwide. Japanese fashion companies also started to notice her. She expanded her business in Japan in the mid-1990s.
A big moment happened in 1991. Anna was going to a fashion show with her friend Steven Meisel. They picked up Madonna, who was Meisel's friend. Madonna surprised Anna by wearing her clothes to the event. Madonna even wore the same outfit for a Vogue photoshoot.
Later that year, Anna Sui had her first runway show. Her supermodel friends, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, helped her. They encouraged her to do the show. Anna rented a small space and paid the models with clothes. The show was a huge success. The New York Times said that having famous models helped her a lot.
From her first show, Anna Sui was known for her fun and creative style. Her shows often felt like a party. They had a special atmosphere. Starting in 1995, her designs were often shown in Vogue Patterns.
Anna Sui Stores
Anna Sui opened her first store in 1992. It was in New York City's SoHo area. The store was famous for its red floors and purple walls. Anna painted the walls herself. It also had antique black furniture and special "dolly head" mannequins.
In 1993, the Anna Sui company opened a store in Hollywood. This helped her reach more customers in North America. She also started including menswear in her shows. The famous singer Mick Jagger even wore one of her suits on TV. In 2015, her main New York store moved to a new location.
Growing Around the World
1997 was a big year for Anna Sui. Her first standalone stores opened in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. She also started a shoe line with an Italian company. For her Spring/Summer 1997 fashion show, Dave Navarro appeared on the runway in underwear. This got a lot of attention.
In 1999, Anna Sui launched her first perfume, Anna Sui Classic. She also started a makeup line. In 2000, she launched a skincare line. Her collections were also shown at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
In 2003, she launched her Dolly Girl perfume. She also started working with Peruvian designer Ali Rapp. They created clothes, handbags, and dolls together.
Fun Collaborations
Anna Sui has worked with many different companies. In 2004, she designed costumes for comic book characters. She also designed outfits for a Japanese TV series.
In 2005, she designed a special cell phone for Samsung. It was a limited edition and sold out quickly. She also designed a lingerie line for Victoria's Secret.
In 2006, Anna Sui created a special Anna Sui Boho Barbie doll. For Hello Kitty's 30th Anniversary in 2007, Sui made a limited edition collection. These items are now very valuable. In 2008, she even designed a custom Nissan 350z car.
In 2011, she worked with Google. She helped create a special Google Chrome web browser extension. In 2012, she partnered with Disney for a cosmetics line.
In 2014, Anna Sui returned to her hometown, Detroit. She worked with the Ford Motor Company to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang. She also partnered with a Hong Kong ice cream shop. They created an Anna Sui-themed pop-up store and a purple ice cream flavor.
In 2015, Sui partnered with Sailor Moon for a collection. She also worked with French dessert maker Ladurée. In November 2015, the Starbucks × Anna Sui collection was announced. This was a holiday collaboration.
In 2017, Sui worked with Kenner/Takara to create Blythe Adores Anna dolls. In 2019, she designed outfits for special Barbie dolls.
More Retail Partnerships
In 2009, Anna Sui worked with Target. They created a clothing line inspired by the TV show Gossip Girl. This collection was more affordable. It sold in over 800 stores.
In 2011, she partnered with Hush Puppies for a shoe collection. She also worked with Tumi to create luggage and travel items. In 2012, Sui collaborated with Coach on a handbag line.
In 2014, she launched the Anna Sui for Fila collection in Asia. In 2015, she partnered with O'Neill for a beach-inspired collection. She also worked with The Frye Company on a boot collection. This collection was inspired by Vikings.
In 2016, Sui reissued pieces from her 1993 and 1994 collections. This was for a collaboration with Opening Ceremony. In 2017, she teamed up with Macy's again. They created a collection with new versions of her runway pieces. PBTeen also launched an Anna Sui collection for home decor.
In 2018, Sui worked with Modcloth. They created a collection of dresses in different sizes.
Awards and Recognition
In 1992, Anna Sui won the CFDA Perry Ellis award. This was for new talent.
In 2009, she received the Classic Icon of Fashion Design award in Beijing. She also got the CFDA's Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award in New York City.
In 2010, Anna Sui published a book about her 20-year career. Later that year, she launched her Forbidden Affair perfume.
In 2011, she spoke to students at Harvard College. She received the Leadership of the Arts Award.
From 2013 to 2016, her designs were shown in various exhibitions. These included the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Beijing SKP department store.
In May 2017, London's Fashion and Textile Museum opened an exhibition. It was called The World of Anna Sui. This was the first time an American designer had a solo museum show in the UK.
In 2018, Sui received the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Award. This was for her achievements in fashion.
Giving Back to the Community
Anna Sui cares about helping others. In 1996, she designed a special car. It was sold to raise money for breast cancer research.
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Sui designed an outfit. It helped raise money for firefighters.
Anna Sui designs and makes her main collection in New York City. She believes in keeping manufacturing in the USA. She has also led a campaign to "Save the Garment Center." This helps keep fashion jobs in New York.
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Sui auctioned some designs. The money went to a civil-rights group in Mumbai. In 2010, she helped raise money for the World Wildlife Foundation.
In 2011, after a big earthquake in Japan, Sui designed shirts. The money from these shirts went to the Japan Disaster Relief Fund.
In 2012, Sui designed uniforms for Jack White's record store. She also gives talks to students. She wants to inspire future generations to follow their dreams. In 2015, she spoke at the University of Michigan. She told students not to be scared by the fashion industry.
In 2017, Sui designed shoes for a Vans competition. This competition raises money for high school art programs.
Anna Sui's Product Lines
Anna Sui has many different product lines. Her shoes, made in Italy, first appeared in 1994. She also created "Sui by Anna Sui" and "Anna Sui Jeans."
Accessories
In 1997, Anna Sui started a fashion accessories line. These items are sold in Japan, the United States, and other Asian countries.
Cosmetics
The Anna Sui Cosmetics line launched in 1999. It works with a Japanese company called Albion. An Anna Sui Skincare line followed in 2000. The cosmetics line releases new collections twice a year. It includes makeup for face, eyes, lips, and nails. It also has skincare and hair products.
In 2016, Anna Sui Cosmetics and Nylon Japan had a Halloween collaboration.
Fashion
Anna Sui has had two fashion shows every year since 1991. The only exception was in 2001, after the September 11 attacks. Her designs are made in New York City. She also creates special collections with other brands. These include Hush Puppies, Target Corporation, Ford Motor Company, Tumi, Isetan, Fila, O'Neill, Samsung, Mattel, Coach, T-Mobile, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, and Vogue.
In 2016, the Anna Sui Japan Spring/Summer show premiered in Tokyo. This celebrated her 20th anniversary in Japan.
Footwear
Anna Sui Footwear launched in 1994. It is made in Italy. She also customized shoes for Candie's in the 1990s.
Since 2009, Sui has worked with FitFlop. They make comfortable shoes together. The Anna Sui Loves FitFlop collection launched in 2016. It was inspired by Sui's Tahitian background.
Fragrance
Anna Sui introduced her first perfume in 1999. She has launched many perfumes and cosmetic items since then. Her current perfume partner is a French company called Inter Parfums. They usually release two new perfumes each year.
Vision
In 2009, Anna Sui launched Anna Sui Vision. This line includes spectacles (glasses) and sunglasses. She also has a contact lens line. It is sold in Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea.
Other Fashion Lines
Anna Sui has several other fashion lines:
- Anna Sui Jeans: This line launched in 1994. It was a collaboration with an Italian fashion company.
- Anna Sui Mini: This line started in 2009 in Japan. It offers clothes for babies, toddlers, and children.
- Dolly Girl by Anna Sui: The "dolly heads" from Sui's fashion inspired this line. In 2003, a Dolly Girl perfume was released. In 2008, the Dolly Girl clothing line launched in Japan. It focuses on fashion and accessories.
- Sui by Anna Sui: This was another line launched in 1994. It focused on sportswear for men and women. Sui relaunched this line in 2019.
- The Souvenir Shop Anna Sui: This line launched in 2016. It offers travel items and fashion accessories. These products are sold in airports and online in Japan.
See Also
In Spanish: Anna Sui para niños
- Mudd Club
- Parsons The New School for Design
- Steven Meisel
- Naomi Campbell
- Linda Evangelista
- Sofia Coppola
