Anna Sui Knew She’d Be A Designer At Age Four

Today, Anna Sui’s designs are synonymous with dreamy wonderlands befitting of fairy tales. But when she was starting out in the ’80s, she had a slightly different dream clientele in mind.

“My intention was to design for rock stars and people that went to rock concerts,” the Detroit-raised designer tells Bustle. And she did. “I was really lucky. The first guy that bought from me was Mick Jagger.”

Sui’s knack for accomplishing big goals began in early childhood — when she first announced her career ambitions.

“I came to New York to be a flower girl at my aunt and uncle’s wedding. And when I went back to Michigan, I told my parents, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a fashion designer and move to New York,’” she recalls. That resolve stuck through her teenage years, fashion school (Parsons), and the following decades.

“This is what I was born to do. It wasn’t like I had a choice,” she says. But even Sui couldn’t have predicted her long list of successes, which include helming multiple fusion and bridge lines, a collection of awards — including the CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award — and dressing countless it girls, from Madonna to Olivia Rodrigo.

On Sept. 9, Sui returns to the NYFW runway. “It’s very, very dreamy and feminine,” she teases, adding, “there’s something very fairytale about it, but today’s fairytale.”

Below, Sui discusses New York in the ’70s, the best piece of advice she’s ever received, and tips for dealing with a tough boss.

What’s your most powerful accomplishment since launching the brand?

The fact that I’m still in business after all these years, and still independent.

After your shows, is it your practice to read the reviews?

I don’t read them. I learned really early on. I wait to hear what everybody says about them, because especially when I was younger and new at this, every word took on a different meaning to the point where it just made you crazy. As long as I hear favorable comments from everyone in the office, especially sales, then I’m OK.

And then, if somebody tells me [there] was a particularly good review, then maybe I’ll go back and read it in a week or two.

Thanks to TikTok and Twitter, these days everybody is a critic. What’s your advice to women whose work is judged so publicly and so freely?

That’s where we’re at right now. Everybody’s a specialist. Everybody is a critic. You have to rely on people’s opinions that you trust. You can’t please everyone. I learned early on that my collection is very niche. It’s not for everyone. It’s never going to be that drop-dead minimalism that everybody loves. I’m never going to be that. You have to be realistic about your own style and your own way of presenting and your own cup of tea.

How did you stay disciplined early on in your career?

I just tried to learn as much as I could, absorb as much as I could, read as many fashion magazines as I could, all those things to gain as much knowledge. It was what I was interested in and what I really focused my whole life around.

There’s a lot of talk about keeping your passions separate from your career. Is there any regret that you have about going into fashion at such an early age?

Yes, because everybody has the grass is greener [philosophy]. When I went to visit my nieces and nephews on their campuses, I thought, “Oh, it must’ve been nice to have this period of time to be on campus.”

But then, I was in New York at the most exciting time in the ’70s, seeing all the punk rock fans and going to the Mudd Club. I would’ve missed out on all that. I had such an incredible experience coming to New York when I did. I don’t think I would trade that for anything. I saw the best of New York and the best of nightlife and the best of music. That whole period was so incredible.

Do you have a dream client now?

I love Olivia Rodrigo. She’s so cute and has such great style. She did actually wear one of our dresses during the summer, so that was really exciting. I love Eva Green.

When did you first feel like a boss?

Very early on, because you have that responsibility [to] meet payroll every week, pay the rent, make sure that everyone has [materials] they need. So when I had to get a line of credit with the bank, or when I had to do freelance, all of those things were my responsibility, because I had to keep the whole thing going.

So I think that very early on, those really weighed heavy on me, even to the point where I might not have even had enough money to take the subway, but I would walk to the Garment Center and look for fabric or go pick up zippers. It’s just you had to do what you had to do.

What advice would you give to people who have tough bosses?

It’s not personal, it’s work. That’s why you get paid. You have to be able to separate that. It’s not all about you. It’s what you’re trying to accomplish [and] what you’re trying to create. Those things have to take precedence over how you feel.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received from somebody in the industry?

When I got fired the first time [my boss] told me, “This is not for you. You don’t know how to make these kinds of clothes.” And it was true. It was a nice paying job but it was just not how I envisioned clothing.

That was very hurtful, but also I realized, “He’s right.” I had to make choices [based on] things that I could do and suited my tastes as opposed to trying to do just anything.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.