The designer has found her comfort zone. Spring ’12 marks the second season Anna Sui has collaborated with Hush Puppies on a women’s shoe collection, Hush Puppies by Anna Sui, which combines her love of vintage dressing with the comfort brand’s casual heritage. Reflecting Sui’s signature rock ’n’ roll vibe, the spring assortment, priced from $95 to $165, ranges from menswear-inspired wingtip wedges to patent leather sandals with embroidered cherries. Sui’s personal favorites include a fringed bootie and gladiator sandal, both glammed up with studs and stones. “There’s always a very sweet, feminine, girly aspect — a touch of nostalgia,” Sui said of the collection. “There’s also the aspect of trendiness, the hipness I try to create by always adding a rock ’n’ roll coolness.” Already, the line has caught the eye of celebrities such as Taylor Swift, who wore a pair in a recent Teen Vogue video. Here, Sui shares her most memorable fashion find and why she loves being home for the holidays.
Most memorable fashion deal:
“I used to collect Miriam Haskell jewelry [at right]. I bought it from an elderly lady, who looked like Gloria Swanson, at the Canal Street flea market in New York.”
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Holiday I most cherish:
Christmas. “I always look forward to spending time with my family in Detroit. Especially now, when a lot of the kids are away at school, it’s [the best time] for catching up.”
Best film for fashion:
“I always thought Anita Pallenberg had the coolest rock style. My favorite memory is how beautiful she looked in the movie ‘Performance’ [above, also starring Mick Jagger].”
Favorite getaway:
“Il San Pietro in Positano, Italy. This architectural wonder appears to have been carved out of the cliffs of the Amalfi coastline.”
Best vintage store find:
“I love finding Ossie Clark dresses [at left] in shops, auctions and on eBay. I’m always trying to find a signature crepe checkerboard-and-apple-print dress. I recently found one at an auction.”
