Anna Hu
Anna Hu grew up around gems; her father was a diamond dealer. She studied cello and aspired to become a performer, but an injury prevented her from pursuing a music career, and she turned to gemology and art history. Hu found the History of Decorative Arts and Design program (now the History of Design and Curatorial Studies) offered by Parsons and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, and began exploring jewelry as an art form.
Researching jewelry awakened an interest in designing it, and Hu learned the basics of making pieces. After stints at Christie’s, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Harry Winston, she founded Anna Hu Joaillerie in 2008. Today her colorful pieces are worn by celebrities and sold worldwide.
Hu’s jewelry unites a variety of influences, including art nouveau, art deco, and traditional Chinese motifs. A ring and bracelet set she made in collaboration with artist Cindy Sherman reflects themes frequently explored in her work: nature, balance, duality. But her first love, music, continues to inspire her creative process. “I am a composer of jewelry,” she says, “creating my own harmonies with precious stones.”