Anna Sui

Infobox Fashion Designer|
image_size=180px
caption=
name=Anna Sui
nationality=American
birth_date=1964
birth_place= Detroit, Michigan
education=Parsons School of Design
label_name=Anna Sui
significant_design=
awards=Time Magazine- Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade, Bravo A-List Award|

Anna Sui (Chinese: 蕭志美, pinyin: Xiao Zhimei) (born in 1964, in Detroit, Michigan USA) is an American fashion designer. She hashttp://www.annasui.co.jp/ Anna Sui Japan] boutiques in many world countries, especially Japan. [http://www.fashionvue.com/directory/anna-sui.htm ANNA SUI | Fashion Vue Magazine ] ]

Early life

Sui was born to immigrant parents; her father Paul was an engineer who graduated from The Sorbonne in Paris, at which her mother, Grace, also studied painting. [http://www.fashionvue.com/directory/anna-sui.htm ANNA SUI | Fashion Vue Magazine ] ] At a young age, Sui dressed her dolls and her neighbor's toy soldiers, and pretended they were at the Oscars. [http://www.annasuibeauty.com/site/about_anna_child.htm] Anna Sui's history, from "Anna Sui Beauty".] According to photographer Taka Kawachi, as Sui was growing up, she "began clipping fashion-magazine pages and filing in now what she calls her "Genius Files", which have been an inspiration to her throughout her career." [http://www.fashionvue.com/directory/anna-sui.htm ANNA SUI | Fashion Vue Magazine ] ] During her senior year of high school, Anna Sui received a scholarship to attend Parson's School of Design in New York.asd] While there, she became close friends with photographer Steven Meiselasd] who is today widely recognized as the industry's leading photographer.

Career in Fashion

After leaving Parson's, she worked for a variety of junior sportswear companies. Sui's business continued to expand in the 1980s. In 1991, she launched her first runway show. [http://www.fashionvue.com/directory/anna-sui.htm ANNA SUI | Fashion Vue Magazine ] ] It was in 1992 that she took a chance with a personal clothing line and opened her first boutique shop at 113 Greene Street in New York City's Soho District. This shop, with its purple walls and red floors, reflects her taste for pairing flea market furniture and dolly head mannequins. According to relative Grant Sui, "The stores have come to emphasize the epitome of culture in a continually shifting fashion world."

The first of Sui's freestanding boutiques in Asia opened in May 1997 in Tokyo. The second opened in Osaka in the fall of that same year. In following years, the popular stores soon expanded to independent locations all over Japan. Isetan Company Limited has attained the main license for the Japanese distribution of the women's collection and Mammina, a subsidiary of Isetan, is the distributor to department and specialty stores there. Through this partner, Anna Sui Corp has grown into one of Japan's top luxury fashion brands.

Anna Sui opened her Los Angeles boutique in 1998 in Sunset Plaza, in West Hollywood. Sui also made headway with the international markets as boutiques sprang up in countries like China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Internationally the brand has also grown primarily in the Asian market. Recent contracts over the last decade have helped to develop the brand in conjunction with partner stores. In addition, rampant sales growth has allowed the corporation the construction of independent boutiques, with dozens of locations in the planing stage across East Asia and Western Europe.

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. Sui also appeared in a special CNN Talk Asia interview which was welcomed with top-monthly ratings by the region. Anna Sui continues to design and manufacture her signature collection in her New York City headquarters. There she has ardently fought to keep the fashion industry alive in New York City's fading Garment District. She has also provided the costume designs for the anime series, "". Sui's designs attract many famous clients such as Patricia Arquette,Mischa Barton,Christina Ricci, Cher, Naomi Campbell, Sofia Coppola, Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, Maria Sharapova, Nicole Richie,Liv Tyler, Courtney Love of Hole, and James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. In early 2007, Anna Sui, Twinkle by Wenlan and Betsey Johnson dresses were big sellers in the Macy's department's new spring fashion line. Additionally, Sui was contracted by Samsung Electronics Co. to design cellular telephones.

Cosmetics

In 1999, Sui launched her signature fragrance and cosmetic line after signing with Wella, of Germany to develop it. In a three-sided arrangement, Wella shares the Anna Sui beauty business with Japanese cosmetics maker Albion, who holds the Anna Sui color cosmetics and skin care license. Under the agreements, Wella will produce and market Anna Sui fragrances while Albion introduces the Anna Sui color collection to Japan and the broader Asian market. Wella will sell the fragrances to Albion, which will distribute them inside Japan, while Albion will sell the color cosmetics to Wella for distribution outside Japan. For Fall 2000, Sui Dreams, the second Anna Sui fragrance, launched worldwide. Since its beginning, the fragrance line has expanded to include, Sui Love, Sui Dreams, Dolly Girl, and most recently, in association with Victoria's Secret, the fragrance Secret Wish.

hoe Line

In 1997, Anna Sui Shoes premiered on her runway for the fall collection. Manufactured by Ballin in Venice, Italy, the shoe collection includes both day and evening styles, in velvet, silk, patent leather, snake and lizard skin, shearling and suede.

Perfumes

* Night of Fancy
* Dolly Girl Lil' Starlet
* Flight of Fancy
* Magic Romance
* Dolly Girl Bonjour L'Amour!
* Secret Wish
* Dolly Girl on the Beach
* Dolly Girl Ooh La love
* Dolly Girl
* Sui Love
* Sui Dreams
* Anna Sui Classic

References

External links

* [http://www.annasui.com Official Site]
* [http://www.fashionvue.com/directory/anna-sui.htm Anna Sui Bio]
* [http://www.annasui-cosmetics.com/ Anna Sui Cosmetics]
* [http://www.gankutsuou.com/ GanKutSuou Homepage]
* [http://www.fortune.com/fashion/392883/annasui.html Fortune Fashion]
* [http://www.shopzane.com/Anna_Sui_s/27.htm Anna Sui Dress]
*style.com|ANNASUI
* [http://www.jcreport.com/intelligence/lifestyle/061202/sporting-style Anna Sui's Spring 2003 casual inspiration, JCReport]