For Anna Sui and Chase Sui Wonders Fashion Is a Family Affair

Summary

The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: For Anna Sui and Chase Sui Wonders, Fashion Is a Family Affair
Date: October 16, 2025
Guests: Anna Sui (legendary fashion designer), Chase Sui Wonders (actress, writer, Anna’s niece)
Host: Nicole Phelps (Director, Vogue Runway)
With contributions from: Chloe Malle, Chioma Nnadi, Arden Fanning Andrews

---

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the intertwined worlds of fashion and family with Anna Sui and her niece, actress Chase Sui Wonders. Together, they unpack 90s nostalgia, Anna’s freshly released book Anna: The 90s, the enduring influence of vintage style, and how generational wisdom shapes creativity. The conversation is rich with tales of family gatherings at runway shows, the origins of Anna’s most iconic looks, the vibrant backstage culture of New York fashion in the 90s, and the ways family inspires and propels their creative journeys.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Fashion Week & The Vibe Shift

• Fashion’s Sense of Anticipation
  • Anna reflects on post-pandemic runway seasons and the industry's openness to change, signaling a shift not yet fully realized.
    “I think that there's just a big change coming, and I don't think we've even seen where it's going yet.” (Anna Sui, 17:04)
• Both Anna and Chase highlight Chanel as a standout show for its blend of tradition and innovation, with Dries Van Noten also getting praise for its boldness and dynamic use of color (17:04–19:07).

Anna: The 90s—The Book & The Era

• Genesis of the Book:
  • Anna was urged by her nieces, who rediscovered her 90s pieces at family holidays, to explore her archive. Celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande have fueled renewed demand for her grunge-era classics (19:20–20:18).
• The Material Archive:
  • Anna describes her habit of boxing up every season’s memos, polaroids, and clippings—a treasure trove for the book.
    “I just would take everything after the season, put it in a box, and slide it underneath the rack in my closet.” (20:40)
  • The emphasis on physical memories—“I like to have it in my hand and think about it in my hand rather than on a screen.” (Anna Sui, 21:38)

Fashion as Family—Traditions & Influence

• Handing Down Style:
  • Chase routinely wears her mom’s 90s Anna Sui jackets and details how vintage shopping with Anna inspired her appreciation for clothing that outlives trends (22:12–23:25).
• Runway as Family Reunion:
  • Anna’s shows were major family events, doubling as extended-family reunions and celebratory dinners:
    “More and more every season, there'd be more relatives coming… Grandma and Grandpa would come, and there'd always be a big dinner after.” (Anna Sui, 24:57)

The Intimate 90s Backstage

• Organic Beginnings:
  • Anna reminisces about a tight-knit backstage, often just herself, her model friends (Linda, Christy, Naomi), and the core creative team.
    “In the beginning, there wasn't a lot of people. It was just us.” (Anna Sui, 25:48–27:09)
• Nostalgia for Rawness:
  • Fewer cameras and more authenticity; as NYFW grew, so did the chaos and commercialization, but Anna strives to keep her backstage “as chill as possible.” (27:55–28:15)

Aesthetic Origins & Changing Tastes

• Suburban Inspiration:
  • Anna’s first collection was inspired by growing up in Detroit—Seventeen magazine, back-to-school issues, and her first vinyl outfit.
    “My first show was really kind of a tribute to my love for Seventeen magazine.” (Anna Sui, 28:57–29:57)
• Chase’s Journey:
  • Early tomboy years gave way to style exploration via family shopping trips and TV/film (think: Gossip Girl), demonstrating how pop culture and family merge (30:19–32:07).

Fashion on Film—Chase’s Perspective

• Costume as Armor:
  • For her role as Quinn on The Studio, Chase worked closely with the costume designer, blending elements of 1930s tailoring and masculine touches (“clothes are her armor”) and incorporating vintage YSL and Anna Sui pieces.
    “She’s going into battle, and her clothes are her armor. So she’s always wearing pants...it’s all, like, vintage, like YSL. And all the pieces are so special. And we had a lot of Anna Sui in there…” (Chase Sui Wonders, 33:09–34:42)

Mentorship, Independence & Creative Integrity

• Mutual Influence:
  • Anna guides Chase’s fashion choices, but also feels inspired by Chase’s generation.
    “I love going shopping with you...showing her other things…” (Anna Sui, 35:12–36:06)
• Archival Treasures:
  • Chase’s picks from Anna’s archives have even influenced new collections, showcasing real-time intergenerational creative exchange (52:11–53:35).

The 90s Grunge Shift—Changing Culture

• Anna recalls how 90s grunge was sparked by both music scenes and models moving away from head-to-toe designer looks in favor of vintage finds and individuality—mirroring today’s hunger for authenticity.
  “Suddenly we were hearing about bands coming out of Seattle instead of LA or New York...I thought, well, maybe there's a chance for me now. There's something changing.” (Anna Sui, 41:16)

Today’s Style Climate—Shorter Cycles, Chaotic Mashups

• Chase points out that trends now recycle rapidly, with youth adopting chaotic, undefinable aesthetics as a response to algorithm-driven sameness:
  “It’s a very chaotic sense of style...doesn’t quite make sense and it can’t quite be defined.” (Chase Sui Wonders, 43:43–44:54)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Opening Reflection on Change

• Anna Sui:
  “I think that there's just a big change coming, and I don't think we've even seen where it's going yet.” (17:04)

The Power of Tangible History

• Anna Sui:
  “I like to have it in my hand rather than on a screen...It's just having that material thing.” (21:38)

Family, Clothing, and Memory

• Chase Sui Wonders:
  “I feel like it’s kind of the way to keep originality and ensure that clothes are made well and that they’ll last and they will persevere through trend cycles.” (22:16)

The Original 90s Backstage

• Anna Sui:
  “We would just be sitting around gossiping, watching Francois doing the makeup and Garren doing the hair...the models fighting over who would get their makeup done first…” (25:48–26:56)

Anna’s Philosophy on Creative Integrity

• Anna Sui:
  “You can't be everything to everyone...that's when you get lost...there’s always a solution if you keep exploring, keep trying, keep going around a different way.” (54:07)

The Lesson of Staying True

• Chase Sui Wonders:
  “Jealousy is the thief of joy...It’s very easy to get caught up in that jealousy spiral, but that’s gonna distract from your natural path.” (55:54)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–03:00: Podcast host banter, recent Vogue cover stories, and season recaps.
• 16:32—Interview starts: Nicole Phelps introduces Anna Sui & Chase Sui Wonders
• 17:04–19:07: Debate on the shifting mood of fashion; highlights from Paris Fashion Week.
• 19:12–20:18: The genesis of Anna’s book and the 90s revival.
• 20:40–21:49: Anna’s process for archiving + love for physical fashion history.
• 22:12–24:35: Family legacy, Chase wearing/vintage 90s pieces, early runway show memories.
• 25:48–27:53: Descriptions of intimate, family-like backstages in the early Anna Sui shows.
• 28:57–29:57: Anna’s Detroit/Seventeen magazine inspirations.
• 30:19–32:27: Chase’s journey from tomboy to fashion enthusiast.
• 33:09–34:42: How costume design shapes Chase’s character on The Studio and the inclusion of Anna’s vintage pieces.
• 40:37–41:16: Anna’s start in New York; being fired sparked her business launch.
• 41:16–42:45: The cultural “vibe shift” of the 90s grunge era.
• 43:04–44:54: Shorter trend cycles and today’s chaotic fashion mashups.
• 49:43–51:58: How the 90s were more intimate and less corporate; Anna’s independent business model.
• 52:11–53:53: Mutual generational inspiration and Chase’s influence on new Anna Sui collections.
• 54:07–55:34: Anna’s advice to young creatives: find your own way, stay true, solve obstacles creatively.
• 55:40–56:50: Chase’s biggest lessons from Anna—avoid comparison, follow your path.

---

Takeaways for Listeners

• Fashion and family are deeply intertwined—from Sunday dinners to runway shows, Anna and Chase’s bond reveals how creativity is nurtured generationally.
• 90s nostalgia and vintage shopping are not only trends, but vehicles for self-expression, individuality, and sustainability.
• Authenticity, independence, and openness to inspiration—whether through music, archives, or each other—are integral to lasting creative success.
• “You have to really believe in what it is that you’re trying to do...there’s always a solution if you keep exploring, keep trying, keep going around a different way and taking a different angle.” (Anna Sui, 54:07)

---

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the legacy of women in fashion, the meaning behind the 90s revival, and how creative family ties can shape—and reshape—the culture.

Transcript

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Hi, I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. My husband and I talk a lot of ebay strategy together because it is something that we have bonded over since the beginning of our relationship. We've known each other for 20 years, and we've been using ebay for even longer than that, both of us. He's very proud of his five star review, which I have the same. We're pretty popular. We have a really good reputation on ebay.

[Chloe Mao]

This is the run through. I'm Chloe Mao.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

And I'm Chaminadi.

[Chloe Mao]

And today, our beloved Nicole Phelps spoke with the legendary designer Anna Sweeb and her niece Chase Three Wonders. I have to say, I really love this power family dynamic. I've been a fan of Chase since a show she did that was based on the novel City on Fire. And she's obviously on the studio. She's a great actor, but also just seems like a very smart, fun young woman. And we maybe know why, because her aunt is just that. Also, Anna has The book the 90s, which was recently released and was placed on every seat at her Runway show, which was held at the Chelsea Hotel. And it was so much fun to go through those images of all of her baby doll dresses and Sofia Coppola looking like a young ingenue and great Anna Sui lace and prints. So that's a real time capsule that I think everyone will enjoy paging through. And it also has Anna's fashion drawings and a lot of great stories from the 90s. Anna, Chase and Nicole discussed 90s fashion, Anna's career, and what Chase has learned from her aunt. But yes, I think everyone's gonna love this. And before we get to that, choma, we need to talk about your bonkers cover. It is Gwyneth at sort of at her most delightfully unhing.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

This is my favorite version of my favorite version of Gwyneth. Cause I think people tend to forget that she actually has a really great sense of humor and doesn't take herself too seriously. And we really wanted to encapsulate that sort of wink, wink nature of her personality in the COVID And I, you know, I love a giggle. I love a sense of humor. I knew that Venetia Scott would totally get that from her.

[Chloe Mao]

Yes.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

And my dear friends Stella Greenspan styled it, and they had a blast. I mean, it was like, where was that shot? It was actually shot in an apartment. It was shot in an apartment in New York. It wasn't at her home, which I think at this point is super recognizable. Like People. Yeah. She hosts parties at her home in her New York home in the Hamptons.

[Chloe Mao]

Yeah.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Which is where Giles Hattersley interviewed her.

[Nicole Phelps]

I read. Oh, my God.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yes.

[Chloe Mao]

He really had fun with that.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

My colleague Giles is like, I always love it when he gets. Usually he doesn't get the opportunity to write these in depth features, but I love it when he does because he's mostly editing most of the magazine. So it was a. It was a real treat to have him on it. And he was. Their conversation just completely fizzled off the page. It was. It's really, it's really fun and it's just. Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

No, they clearly had a really good time together.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yeah. And she has, she has the new film out, which I haven't. I'm dying to go to a screening of. I think it's going to be.

[Chase Tsui]

I don't know.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It sounds. I love the idea that she didn't. She. It was funny because she didn't know much about Timothy before she was starring opposite him. And one of my favorite parts in the interviews where basically he's talking about his girlfriend and she doesn't know that his girlfriend is Kylie Jenner.

[Chloe Mao]

I know. That made me laugh out loud where she was like, oh, your girlfriend has kids, that's so impressive.

[Nicole Phelps]

Blah, blah, blah.

[Chloe Mao]

And then she was like. I assumed it was like a 45 year old woman.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

We won't give it all away, but I encourage everyone, everybody to read it. It's a really fun read.

[Chloe Mao]

No, but Marty supreme is. I feel like gonna be the movie of, of the season. So I'm very excited to see that.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yeah, me too. Me too.

[Chloe Mao]

Choma, we need to catch up post Paris. It's such a treat when I get to see Choma in the flesh these days.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It was really fun. It was a really fun season, right?

[Chase Tsui]

It was incredible.

[Chloe Mao]

I mean, never. People keep asking me about it and I'm like, well, I feel like I have to enjoy it because it will never be like that.

[Chase Tsui]

I know.

[Chloe Mao]

In the near future.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

I mean, perfectly timed for your new role. I feel like fashion just got exciting just for you.

[Anna Sui]

That's exactly right.

[Chloe Mao]

Choma Choma, who are you sitting with at the Chanel show? Like set the scene for you there because I do feel like it was a seismic moment for all of us.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It was. I was sitting next to Mario Sorrenti and there were so many amazing photographers in the, in the, in the audience. We were trying to guess who's shooting the campaign. It was, it was so. I mean, walking into the space first of all, I was completely spellbound because literally, I've always been obsessed with the galaxy and the planets. So it was like a childhood dream to walk into that room. Because I don't know if you. I bought one of those little kind of light machines that you can project the galaxy on your ceiling for my nephew, because I love the miser.

[Chloe Mao]

I was like, trum. I like this for your sleep hygiene.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

I mean, yeah, I vicariously threw my nephew because he also really, you know, I was obsessed with the, you know, going to the planetarium and this. So it was just literally like a childhood dream come true to walk onto that set. And, you know, we were so used to Carl imagining these otherworldly landscapes and sets, but I think he did it in his own way. A set that really made you dream, that felt like, totally like him. So, first of all, just walking into that space was incredible. How. Where were you sat and what was your feeling just walking into that show?

[Chloe Mao]

Well, I had gone to a preview of the collection with Anna, and he had told us about the set. But never would I have imagined that it would actually translate in such a magical way. I have a three and a five year old, so I have spent a lot of time in the planetarium at the Natural History Museum, but nothing could compare me for this. It really was to me that the experience of walking into the Grand Palais and seeing the planets and also the way that you. It was. Some of the plants were suspended, but some were sliced in half and coming out of the ground, but then reflected in the floor, so they looked whole. It just was magic and reminded you why fashion is transporting and powerful and exciting. And then when the actual show started, that was underscored even more.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

The anticipation was so. It was so high. And yet he didn't seem to be burdened by it at all. Cause the clothes had this levity and joy and sense of ease and cool, while being incredibly chic, which I thought was really special. And then you had that moment at the end where, like, AWA completely had her viral moment dance across the Runway. And it was just so joyful in a moment like, you know, the world is a crazy, insane, dark place. But I think it reminded me, like, why we do what we do. And then, of course, there's a wonderful Chanel profile of Matthew Blase, who was photographed by Annie Leibovitz. An insane image of him kind of.

[Chloe Mao]

Hanging out of a window. I was like, we need to contextualize this in the caption so it doesn't look like he's Going to jump.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It looks insane. I wonder, you know. Love an Annie picture. It was so great. And him in obviously on that iconic studio, which is so recognizable.

[Chloe Mao]

That mirror running upstairs, it's so good.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yeah, it's really fab. And then obviously our favorite model of the moment, awa, is in the, in the accompanying portfolio, which was styled by Amanda Harlech.

[Chloe Mao]

I love that portfolio.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

I know, right?

[Chloe Mao]

Raf Pavarotti and Amanda Harlick worked on that together. And it is such a joyful, beautiful way to encapsulate clothes that we're all so excited about. Joma, tell me what you did after Fashion Week.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

So my feet have barely touched the ground, to be honest, because I, I quickly made a pit stop back in London and then I turned around and went to Berlin for our colleague Kirsten Weng's amazing Forces of Fashion in Berlin. She's the head of editorial content of Vogue Germany. And it was, it was their annual conference and it was so much fun. I was on a panel with Claire, who heads up Vogue France, who's recently been on the pod, and we were just talking about what it means to make a magazine in these different, to make Vogue in these different territories. And every six months we all meet as a group, which is something I think we've discussed on the pod, and we talk about all of the things that we care about and what's happening in fashion. And it's kind of great because we've all become such great friends, honestly, like all these different heads of editorial content from all over the world. And so it was fun to keep that conversation going for an audience, but I almost felt like I forgot that people were listening to us.

[Chloe Mao]

Well, that means it was a good conversation.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It was, it was. I, I, I'm sad I missed Jean Paul Gaultier's conversation because I flew in that morning. He was also there, as was Jeremy Scott, who's always amazing on the panel. It's always fantastic to hear him speak. So it was a, it was a really fun, packed day. Came back and, and it's been four full steam ahead here because it's freeze. And also the London Film Festival. And I went to see my friend Khalil Joseph and Onye's. He's an incredible director and artist and he has this film called Black Terms and Conditions. He's worked with the likes of Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar and this was his first feature and it was such an amazing feat of honestly cinema.

[Chloe Mao]

I have to say, this week in New York has been like book party central. On Monday night. I Went to the financial journalist powerhouse Aaron Ross. Sorkin has a new book out on the story of the crash of 1929. But it was very funny because the party was in a grand room at the new Waldorf Astoria with like all of the city's biggest business mockers. So it was very not 1929 crash feeling, but that was sort of a fun room to be in and to people watch. And then last night they were. I went to two book parties. Caroline Palmer, who used to work with us and was the.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Oh, yeah, I have her book.

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, it's so fun. Choma, you are gonna love it. She wrote a novel that is inspired by working at Vogue in the early aughts. And it's so witty and sharp and I love the way that she describes Four Times Square and the social dynamics. And it's called Workhorse and it's really a fun read. And so she had her book party, which was also like a Vogue reunion of colleagues past and present, which is always a delight. And then I went uptown to Christine o' Neill and Laura Brown had a book party for their great new book, all the Cool Girls Get Fired, which is a really fun concept where both of them lost their jobs. And they then discovered that a lot of very impressive women had been fired from jobs throughout their careers. And so they have incredible people interviewed for their book. And that was a very starry room. A lot of cool girls at the. All the cool girls get fired. And then tonight there is. Anna and Marg Guiducci are co hosting a cocktail event and screening and conversation with Victoria Beckham about her new documentary, which I watched the first episode of. And it's really fun. I also love seeing Mark Holgate interviewed. So that's a delight.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yes, I've heard. I've heard he's quite the star in these. In the.

[Chloe Mao]

Exactly. In the documentary too. But. But yes, that's as far as I've gotten. But people are very excited about that. Choma. I want to know what you think about Skim's new Bush.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

I. I'm here for it. I'm here for it. I do think this kind of trump bloy around the body has been percolating a little bit. Obviously, Jean Paul Gaultier, the original Jean Paul Gaultier was very much about using the naked body as part of his work with those trompe l', oeil, those original trompe l' oeil prints that he had that were mostly taken from Grecian sculptures. So it was funny to see it popping up on Paul Gaultier under Duran Lantic's creative directorship. And then, you know, we had the news this week of the return of the bush on skims, where I think it really made some noise. So I don't know. I'm always here for the bush. I always. I'm into a 70s vibe.

[Chloe Mao]

Can you describe what we're talking about? For the uninitiated, it's basically underwear that.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Makes is. Is kind of a cheeky nod to you. You know, push.

[Chloe Mao]

It's a thong merkin.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It's a thon merkin. That's right. Oh, yeah. And of course, we had.

[Chloe Mao]

The merkin is the new merkins.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

We had the merkins on the mar. On. On the mar.

[Chloe Mao]

The Margiela merkin really brought the bush back, and this is bringing the bush to the mainstream.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

I don't know. I think skims are really good at doing stun. The face taping thing, what was that? That face wrap was such a. It was such a genius idea. And this is another one. And I'm sure somebody will wear it and wear it for Halloween outside their clothing, and maybe you can actually get a little bit closer to reinterpreting those amazing. I mean, you could still do that Margiela couture show for Halloween if you wanted to, because I think it was so iconic.

[Chloe Mao]

It stands the test of time.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

It stands the test of time, even though now it's like, literally two years old. But. But I don't know. I don't know where these merkins are going to end up. What do you think?

[Chloe Mao]

I mean, people have lived their lives. Whatever they need to do. Choma, we are. You're going to be here next week, which I'm so excited about. Choma and I are having a intimate lunch on Monday, which I couldn't be happier about. But then we all set sail for Vogue World on the American Airlines Vogue World Express on Thursday morning. This is a big deal. We are have a whole plane for our.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

So wait, are you on that plane?

[Chloe Mao]

Oh, yeah.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Oh, my God. I kind of want you to do a podcast on the plane. Is this a yes.

[Chloe Mao]

We were talking about that. I'm gonna send. Send you voice notes.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Oh, my God. I cannot wait.

[Chloe Mao]

Poor Virginia and Naomi and their team are packing 77.0trunks of clothes that are going for this show. Alex Harrington has. Has been a stalwart warrior styling this Runway show. It is going to be such a huge undertaking. I'm so excited to see this come to fruition.

[Chase Tsui]

Wow.

[Chloe Mao]

All right, shawma, Fly safe. I can't wait to see you snuggle.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

You can't wait to.

[Chloe Mao]

You sound funny.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Snuggles, Spidey smooches.

[Chloe Mao]

The run through will be back in a moment.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

It's 11:30pm I'm just about to fall asleep. And yet I'm still scrolling ebay looking for YSL quilted satin, transparent Moto Miss 60 deadstock, an antique Edwardian blouse I'm actively bidding and putting in best offers on ebay before my head hits the pillow. That's actually what lulls me to sleep at night and then waking up in the morning checking to see who responded to me. This is a normal day.

[Chloe Mao]

And we're back with Anna and Chase Tsui.

[Nicole Phelps]

Anna, Chase, welcome. I'm so excited to have you both on the run through.

[Chase Tsui]

Thank you.

[Anna Sui]

Thank you, Nicole. Thanks.

[Chase Tsui]

This is so fun.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

It is.

[Nicole Phelps]

It is. From the dinner table to the podcast booth. So we are at the end of a very intense fashion week. As we were saying before we started recording, Ana and I wondered if you paid any attention, if you have any feelings about the. All of the debuts we saw. What stands out to you?

[Anna Sui]

Yeah, I think it's such an exciting because we know obviously it's going to change. I don't know that it really hit on exactly where it's going yet, but I think that the fact that everyone's so open to change, everybody's, like, anticipating it. I think that this is just the beginning. I loved Chanel. I love Pierpaolo Balenciaga. I mean, I think that there's just a big change coming, and I don't think we've even seen where it's going yet.

[Nicole Phelps]

We talk about that a lot. Right. The sense of the vibes. Vibes potentially shifting or we're waiting for the vibes to shift.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. I mean, that's the best moment. And then once it becomes very obvious, it's just like it just takes off and so exciting.

[Nicole Phelps]

Chase, did you pay attention to the Runway shows at all? How closely do you watch fashion?

[Chase Tsui]

I did. I mean, this one specifically, just. Cause there was so much talk about it. I think definitely my aunt helps influence that. We got brunch a bit ago, and I was like, what's going on? What's happening? But we were looking through Chanel, and that was my favorite one. I feel like that one was so talked about. But what he did with just the codes of the house and how it's, like, true to it, but also taking it in a new direction, I thought was so cool. And so it felt very like mixing personal Style with the classic Chanel codes.

[Nicole Phelps]

Of the house felt very desirable, Right?

[Anna Sui]

Yes. Those Tweedies, like, crochet, fringy. Oh, it was, like, just exciting to see. But what about Dries, too? I thought that was exciting.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. Julian Klausner is really making very strong moves there, I think, not being timid at all in how he's interpreting Dries Van Noten.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. It was dazzling to watch and how he evolved through that quietness. And then all of a sudden, bam.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. I loved the way it went from, like, the ivories and the grays and then the color at the end. And that was very. These pantone. Werner Panton sort of prints so much.

[Chaminadi (Choma)]

Yes.

[Nicole Phelps]

I can see how you would like those.

[Anna Sui]

Really exciting. And that surfer vibe and. Yeah, I think it's like, everything we love.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yeah. All right. Well, we are here to talk about your new book, Anna the 90s. Tell me why you decided to make it.

[Anna Sui]

Well, I think that all of us have been hearing so much about the 90s. There's so much curiosity about it. And I really have to credit my nieces for dressing up every Thanksgiving, Christmas in their mom's 90s clothes and saying, auntie Anna, you've got to do this again. These cuts are so good. Oh, my God. Like, this dress fits so well. You have to do this, you have to do that. So it just started the ball rolling, and then some of the retailers started approaching me. First opening ceremony, when we did our exhibition at the Museum of Art and Design. And then Marc Jacobs bringing back his grunge collection and asking me to recreate some of my grunge collection. So it was just a natural thing that happened that everybody wanted it again. And then so many people picked up on it. Like, we got a lot of calls from all the new celebrities, Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande. And it was. It's just been really exciting to see.

[Nicole Phelps]

And the book is full of all of this, like, arcana, these beautiful old Polaroids from the time we did not have digital cameras then. So, you know, you have all of the models and your handwriting on the Polaroids, the clippings from the New York Times, from Women's Wear Daily. What was the process like of finding all of that material?

[Anna Sui]

Well, I'm such a pack rat. I just would take everything after the season, put it in a box, and slide it underneath the rack in my closet. And so I really just had to bring out those boxes. And they were just kind of all in chronological order. And, I mean, not anywhere organized. But just digging through those, we found all that, and, you know, the Polaroids were so essential because it was almost like having, like, trading cards, playing cards. Like, you would use those to figure out the lineup. You would use those to sort out, like, who was gonna wear what, what they looked best in. And so I just would shuffle those around on my desk, like, hour after hour, figuring out the collection.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. As a person who was, you know, alive and watching fashion in the 90s, I respect.

[Chase Tsui]

Of.

[Nicole Phelps]

You want the actual. The material thing. And I sometimes find it hard to do things on the computer the way the kids do today.

[Anna Sui]

It's so true. Like, I like to have it in my hand and think about it in my hand rather than on a screen. I don't know. It's just having that material thing.

[Chase Tsui]

I also think that you have a photographic memory, because I will wear something and my aunt will just be like, oh, yeah, spring 97. And it's incredible how she remembers kind of every. I do think that's true. She can kind of place it in time and then tell a story about it.

[Nicole Phelps]

Chase, what is the attraction to these old clothes? You're wearing your mom's 90s pieces?

[Chase Tsui]

I actually. I'm currently wearing my mom's 90s Anna Sweet jacket.

[Anna Sui]

That's from the second collection.

[Chase Tsui]

There you go. The photographic memory at work, I think. I mean, I just. I love vintage. I think. I mean, my aunt has always. When we go shopping, we're always going to vintage stores. And I. I feel like it's kind of the way to keep originality and also the way to ensure that clothes are, like, made well and that they'll last and they will persevere through trend cycles. And, I mean, I guess that was kind of like the formative years of when we were exposed to fashion and going to my aunt's shows as a kid, that was kind of like, it felt like the heyday. And I feel like it's not just me and my sister and my cousins. And I feel like it's like a TikTok trend. I think there are, like, Anna swee girlies on TikTok who are like, 19 years old who are, you know, referencing her 90s shows and wearing her T shirts that are like revitalizations of the 90s iconography. And, yeah, I think it's kind of a more wide swept thing that's happening. But, yeah, I just. I'm constantly wearing 90s stuff, especially in my aunt's stuff.

[Nicole Phelps]

Do you remember being a little girl at those shows that there are pictures of you at?

[Chase Tsui]

I do. I mean, I Think. Much to my aunt's dismay, I was really a tomboy. And I would wear the same outfit, like, every day, but bumblebee pants, My bumblebee pants, My velvet, really ugly bumblebee yellow black pants. And I would insist on wearing them every day. And, like. Yeah. But my aunt's show was a chance to dress up, even though I was upset about it. There are some pretty iconic photographs of me. There's one particular that maybe we can share with you guys. Of me on Naomi Campbell's lap, looking really upset in this beautiful Anna Sui dress that's like red crushed velvet and white lace. And I'm just looking like I'm about to cry. And I remember before my aunt's show, I told my mom that my forehead was really itchy and I needed a band aid. And I wouldn't go to the show unless I had a band aid on my forehead. So there's a Winnie the Pooh band aid just across my forehead. So those are kind of my early memories. I didn't really know what was going on. It just was sensory overload. And I remember I had to wear a dress, which was.

[Nicole Phelps]

But you grew up outside of Detroit, right?

[Chase Tsui]

Yes. So would you.

[Nicole Phelps]

You would make special trips to see Anna's shows.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah, yeah. That was like the big family trip and where we would, you know, see all of our extended family and see, you know, my aunts and uncles and second cousins and that. It was always like a family reunion and a chance to get together and.

[Anna Sui]

More and more every season, there'd be more relatives coming, and Grandma and Grandpa would come, and there'd always be a big dinner after.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah. And the dinner usually consisted of us kind of trying to make a family tree of how we were all related. Cause it's like second cousins twice removed, and we're trying to figure out the whole lineage. So, yeah, it was always very special.

[Nicole Phelps]

I feel like going to your shows now, there is that sense of. It's like, really a family. And I want to get to that later. But, I mean, especially looking at the images in the book, there was a really beautiful atmosphere backstage. We get to see pictures of models we all know very well, you know, in their infancy, practically in the early 90s. Will you paint a picture of what it was like in those early days after you started doing Runway shows?

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. I mean, it was very organic because I knew Linda, Christy, and Naomi from Steven Meisel as friends, and we would have dinners together, birthday parties together, and they were the ones who helped me, all the other models when I did my first show, and you can see backstage, Kevin Hatt captured that, and he was one of Stephen's assistants, and he had his camera. And it was such a family atmosphere. We would just be sitting around gossiping, watching Francois doing the makeup and Francois Nars. Francois Nars. And then Garon doing the hair. And, you know, the models, it's an age old thing, would be fighting over who was gonna get their makeup done first or they would be sitting around Goss. So it's all captured in those photos, and just the insiders that were around were just all hanging out backstage. And then eventually the backstage grew bigger and bigger as the models were starting to bring their boyfriends backstage and then more assistance. But in the beginning, there wasn't a lot of people. It was just us.

[Nicole Phelps]

And I think when we saw each other at your show in September, you talked about it having maybe it was more authentic. It was raw. There were fewer cameras backstage.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. I mean, it was intimate. It was just us. And I think Kevin was probably the only one allowed to photograph when we were sitting around there, because Steven always controlled that sort of thing. There wasn't like all the throngs of photographers and journalists coming back before the show at that point. Again, as I said, it grew and grew as the New York Fashion Week got more and more organized, as we settled on Bryant park. And suddenly it was like international press and photographers and all the fashion television shows too, covering every second. So it all grew. But you can see how it was in the very beginning, very, very intimate.

[Nicole Phelps]

Do you have nostalgia for those old days?

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. And I mean, we still try to keep my backstage as chill as possible. I think that you've been. You've been there before the shows and you've seen that it's not a big scene anymore. It's really just the essential people and maybe a few people that are allowed to come back.

[Nicole Phelps]

So the book is organized by theme. Well, first of all, you have a range of incredible contributors, including Marc Jacobs and my former Vogue Runway colleague, Steph Yatka. And they are all weighing in on different aspects of, you know, you and your career. But you've organized it by theme. The baby doll dress, the slip dress. When I think of you, I think of you less in terms of, like, a specific silhouette and more of, like a vibe or an aesthetic. You know, colors mixing together, patterns mixing together, and this incredible way of layering. Where does your aesthetic come from?

[Anna Sui]

I think if you look at my first show, it was really, really influenced by my growing up in the Suburbs of Detroit and having these glimpses into the fashion from Seventeen magazine and then eventually Mademoiselle Glamour and Vogue. And my first show was really kind of a tribute to my love for Seventeen magazine and the August back to school issue. And I remember getting a vinyl outfit. We had a store in downtown Detroit called Hudson's, and they would carry the same fashions that you would find in magazines. And my mom bought me this yellow with pinstripe, navy, and maroon stripes, vinyl peacoat and miniskirt, and I had a matching bag. And so there's that whole tribute to the vinyl in the show. Those kind of primary back to school colors. The yellow, the red, the black, the brass buttons, and then the houndstooth and plaids. That was all just like my love letter to Seventeen magazine.

[Nicole Phelps]

I, too, loved Seventeen magazine. I read it from COVID to cover, like, word by word in August when that September issue would come.

[Anna Sui]

That's so good.

[Nicole Phelps]

Chase, what was your growing up in outside of Detroit? You know, how big of an impact did your famous designer aunt have on you? Or were you looking at fashion magazines? You grew up in a completely different. Different era than we did.

[Chase Tsui]

So, yeah, I would say I was not. I think I was really, again, I was like a kind of little jock and a tomboy, and so I was wearing, like, khakis, and I was not dressing very cute, but. But I would say every time my aunt would take us on a shopping trip, it would feel like a chance for me to kind of, like, spread my wings and fly. I do think every interesting article of clothing in my closet was given to me by my aunt.

[Anna Sui]

Remember when you fell in love with, like, the romantic, lacy stuff, and we, like, wherever I found it, when I was traveling, I'd always send you, like, camisoles.

[Chase Tsui]

Yes, yes.

[Anna Sui]

Lace skirts.

[Chase Tsui]

Yes. Which was a huge jump. It went from, like, hockey jerseys and, like, hair slicked back in a weird side ponytail to, like, romantic lace. And, like, I feel like it was kind of Gossip Girl and you did a Gossip Girl collection. I feel like that I, like, TV and movies, were kind of, like, my entry point into fashion. And then I feel like seeing Blair Waldorf and, like, all those headbands and, like, the lacy dresses kind of got me into that and helped me find my footing. But I do think, like, growing up in Detroit, like, my mom and dad were kind of very focused on, like, me getting into a good school and, like, making money and making a life. So I think the creative kind of quality of my life all kind of all the inspiration came from My aunt and seeing someone in my family kind of excel at a creative route felt like my dad would be like, you gotta get a real job. You're gonna study economics, and you're gonna go into finance. And I would kind of just, like, point to. I was like, your sister's doing pretty well on this creative track. I think I should bet on myself.

[Anna Sui]

So.

[Chase Tsui]

So she was hugely instrumental in that sense of, like. I remember we went to Third Man Records, which is a Jack White's kind of record shop in downtown Detroit, and my aunt had, like, designed the dresses, and it was. It just the way she kind of brought the culture back to the suburbs also was hugely impressionable.

[Nicole Phelps]

Did you study economics?

[Chase Tsui]

I did for the first semester. That was my minor. And then I quickly realized I was studying astrophysics and economics, and I quickly realized that was not what I was cut out for. So I switched to film.

[Nicole Phelps]

So I'm glad you brought up tv, because I. One of the delights of watching the Studio, the show that you are on is the costumes. And you're especially. Your costumes are very distinctive. I love the ties. There's a little bit of, like, a 1930s, like, working girl.

[Chase Tsui]

Yes.

[Nicole Phelps]

And I wondered if you could talk a little bit about the costumes, how involved you are in that, how you. Your style came to be.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah, I love getting involved in costumes. It's kind of now my entry point into all my jobs. And Cami Lennox, our costume designer, is a total savant and a scholar of fashion history. She was really influenced by Cher Height as, like, this woman. My character Quinn on the Studio is kind of this woman who's kind of elbowing her way through this boys club and is dressing more mature and more kind of masculine as a way to, like, fit. So that was kind of the conversation surrounding it, that she was like a little Napoleon. She has a Napoleon complex. And she's also trying to. She's, like, going into battle, and her clothes are her armor. So she's always wearing pants. She's always wearing suits that are very tailored, and it's all, like, vintage, like ysl. And all the pieces are so special. And we had a lot of Anna Sui in there that we would always try on. And I was always sending my aunt pictures of my costumes, and she's, you know, Harding it saying. And it's great because a lot of costume designers I work with know my aunt and are familiar with her stuff. I just. I also just did a project where I'm. I'm probably not able to talk about it, but I'M I'm wearing this jacket actually in the project. And so oftentimes I'm. I'm sourcing stuff, if not directly from my aunt's closet. Like, she's sending me stuff, or we've worked with her office to make costumes for me. So it's. It's always a very fun entry point for me.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, I'm very excited for the second season. How long do we have to wait for that, by the way?

[Chase Tsui]

We're starting in January, so hopefully we pump it out as quickly as possible. But I'm very excited.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Me, too.

[Nicole Phelps]

I want to talk about that relationship between the two of you, because it's. You know, I've never had an. An aunt who was giving me fashion advice and, you know, maybe even sometimes telling you what you shouldn't wear. I mean, is there. Do you guys have that kind of a dialog?

[Anna Sui]

Yeah, I mean, I'm always pushing Chase to dress more fashion. And, you know, I think there's certain designers that she really looks good in, so I'm always, like, showing her pictures of those designers. And then I love going shopping with you.

[Chase Tsui]

You know, like, it's so fun.

[Anna Sui]

We've just had so many good times going shopping and seeing what she chooses, but then also kind of showing her other things and.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah, Yeah. I feel like it's less of a don't wear that. It's more just like a little. Little guidelines that you give me that are very helpful. And also, I forget the other day, I was like, I don't really have the language that my aunt has in terms of fashion. I was like, for this project, I want to wear that sort of, like, pirate y. Sort of Victorian boot with, like, the thin heel. And then. I forget what you even said, but you're like, she knew the exact word for the type of shoe. And then she went and found the shoe in her closet, and then she.

[Anna Sui]

Gave me the shoe.

[Chase Tsui]

I was like, this is exactly what I'm looking for. So that is like, you know, what more can a girl ask for?

[Nicole Phelps]

Do you ever throw anything away?

[Anna Sui]

I try not to. I try not to. Especially my designer pieces, like, I. And I. And I've taken such good care of them. They all look like mints.

[Chase Tsui]

Brand new.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. Yeah. So I keep all my shoes in boxes so they don't get all crumpled and. And. Yeah.

[Chase Tsui]

And with Polaroids on the outside.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah, Polaroids on the outside. And I probably never wore them that often either. So, like, I always save them for special occasions and a certain outfit, so they're not beat up.

[Chase Tsui]

No, they look brand new.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mao]

The run through will be back in a moment.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Sometimes people ask me which search terms I use whenever I'm on ebay. So I search a lot of dead stock. That's a term that I throw in there a lot. Dead stock means that no one's ever worn it before, but it is like an archival piece or it's a vintage piece. And so that's a great thing to find on ebay. There's a ton of dead stock vintage, and it's just kind of like comforting to know that, like, you're the first person taking this piece on its maiden voyage, even, even if it's 50 years old. Ebay offers this departure from the everyday that ends up feeling totally you.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, take us back to the early 1980s when you moved to New York to study at Parsons.

[Anna Sui]

Well, I mean, I was already like very, very fashion focused. My first apartment was on 53rd street where Norma Kamali and Betsy Johnson and had boutiques. And I was really, really so into like the ready to wear, not the couture. And Parsons was still very focused on couture. You know, I was looking at designers like Kenzo, and then there were like Dorothy Beasts and like so many like new collections coming out of Paris at that point. So of course, my first trip to Europe, that's where I went. I stopped in Paris. I think I had a layover of about three, and I went to Dorothea Beasts and Kenzo to go shopping and then went on to Morocco to meet some friends. So it was always that, like, every penny was spent for fashion. My paychecks were all spent before I even had them. And then my first job was owned by Janesco, who also owned Henri Bendel. So I had a discount there. So of course, what's the first thing I buy is a Fendi fur coat.

[Chase Tsui]

Oh, my go.

[Anna Sui]

That lived better than I did for years. I mean, it went in cold storage in the summer. And I lived in a walk up with no ac.

[Chase Tsui]

Oh my God.

[Anna Sui]

But I had this fabulous Fendi fur coat that Carl designed. And so it was always like that. Like I'd have my eyes set on like a certain item and I would make it happen no matter what, save up all my money and, you know, not even like have lunch because I needed that money to buy that fur coat.

[Nicole Phelps]

And how long after you moved to New York did you launch your business?

[Anna Sui]

I started my business in 81. So I came to New York in the 70s to go to Parsons, but I was hired before I graduated My second year, I started working for some small companies, and then gradually the companies became bigger. But I always wanted to do boutique type of clothes. And so I had these friends during the punk rock days, and they were selling jewelry to all the. Like, every major city had, like, a punk rock fashion store. And they were making this great jewelry, like dice and skeletons and things. And they said, well, why don't you make some clothes to go along with it? We'll share a booth at the boutique show. Which we did. But then it kind of didn't really work that way for me. I ended up getting big orders from Macy's and Bloomingdale's, and I was still working at the time. And I ended up getting a New York Times ad from it. And I got called into the office by the owner of the company, who I'd never met before, and he said, why do you have your own New York Times ad? And I was like, I don't know, it just happened. He said, well, it's gotta stop. You can't continue. And I said, I have to. I have to ship my orders. So I got fired, and that's how I started my own business.

[Nicole Phelps]

What a great story. I don't think I've ever heard that before.

[Chase Tsui]

So crazy.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yeah. And so the 90s come around. And you mentioned this earlier. You and Marc Jacobs, at the very same season, both did a grunge collection.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah.

[Nicole Phelps]

I remember hearing Smells Like Teen Spirit for the first time and having that moment of like, that is the vibe shift. There was a feeling that you. You got when you saw that video. It just felt like something brand new. I mean, what. What made you decide to. To do that collection?

[Anna Sui]

Well, there was a sense of it going on already, because I remember in the early 90s, all the models showing up for fittings, head to toe, Versace or Chanel. And then that one, Naomi said, will you bring me vintage shopping? I want these, like, little lingerie tops. And there was a model making chokers. And then Naomi was wearing jeans and she had clogs. And it was just kind of a different thing than this head to toe designer. And then that's when I did do my first show. And I thought, well, maybe there's a chance for me now. There's something changing. And at the same time, there was a seismic change in the art, in music, in film. Suddenly we were hearing about bands coming out of Seattle instead of LA or New York. And there were suddenly all these independent filmmakers and really interesting films being made. So I think the same thing was happening Hand in hand with fashion. I remember Stephen and I talking about Nirvana and some of the bands, and then he did that great issue in December that kind of debuted the punk, the great pictures of McMenamy and Nadia Auerman and Naomi and she Wore My Cheongsam. And it was just kind of like, yes, this is it. And that was it, you know, like it really just flipped and changed over.

[Nicole Phelps]

So in fashion we often talk about cycles, right? The 80s look like the 40s, the 90s look like the 70s. When you think about that, would you say that we're in a 90s moment or is it more complicated than that?

[Anna Sui]

I think it is, but there's different elements behind it now. I think that the originality of the 90s was more, as I said, alternative. I don't think there's that sort of movement going on right now. But I think, I think this younger generation is searching for that, trying to find some originality, trying to find some realness. Because everything is so corporate, so dominated by algorithm, that they're trying to break out of that and come up with something of their own and more individual.

[Nicole Phelps]

Does that resonate with you, Chase?

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah, it does. I also feel like the cycles are getting a lot shorter. And I almost feel like now in the 2000 and 20s, we're like, we're dressing like it's 2012 and it's even shorter. And I mean, we were just on the way here in a cab and we pass by a group of girls and they're wearing so many different accessories and they have on like ugg boots and like lace leg warmers and then like a cut hoodie with their bra showing and then they have like a Labubu and a bag that's like, you know, looks like blend. And I feel like people are experimenting and are taking. It's a very chaotic sense of style that I feel like young people are wearing nowadays where it doesn't quite make sense and it can't quite be defined. And yeah, I do think it comes from one kind of just like this influx of seeing so many different trends and not knowing kind of where to rest your head and then also just, yeah, it's like this impatient kind of chaotic energy.

[Chloe Mao]

And.

[Chase Tsui]

And yeah, I think it's a real like soul searching moment for fellowship.

[Anna Sui]

And I think this whole interest in vintage, it kind of reminds me of in the 70s when people were looking back at the 40s and I remember asking all the people that I knew that I've met from that period that were dressing in those vintage clothes and wearing the old velvets and the 40s dresses. And they said, well, that was the stuff. That was the stuff you could find. You'd go to the flea market and it costs nothing. And you could. Like, one of the Orms Begor sisters told me you could go to an auction and buy old costumes from the Ballets Russes for nothing. You know, it wasn't the principal costumes, but, like the extras. And so that's where all the velvets and things came from. So I think that that's the stuff now that you can get in the vintage stores that so many people are collecting.

[Chase Tsui]

Like, I'm. I know every day my everyday shoe is the Isabel Marant wedged sneaker heels that are from, what, 2013 or something? Or 20. And I'm like, these are so vintage.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, I wanna go back to the 90s. Something that your 90s shows are famous for is the musicians that were. And other celebrities that often walked. And I was reminded, going through the book of James IHA of the Smashing Pumpkins walking, one sees since I have. I still have. I mean, I had a very, very big Crush on James Iha in the 90s. And I still think he's great. And that music is so timeless to me. Tell us how he wound up on your Runway.

[Anna Sui]

He wrote me a fan letter and said, oh, it'd be great if you would do something for us. And so then maybe my brother saw him in concert or something, and he got my phone number and then he called me and asked me to make something. And then he said, oh, I'm coming to New York. So then we started hanging out. And then eventually I asked him, would you walk in the show? And yeah, so, I mean, he was such a clothes horse then. He just loved fashion, and so that was kind of a fun person to dress because he was so into it. Plus, he loved all the models.

[Nicole Phelps]

So it was just like, as you do. Who else stands out?

[Anna Sui]

Well, there's special cameos.

[Nicole Phelps]

Oh, my God.

[Anna Sui]

Which, again, was kind of an accident. There was a big concert in San Francisco that the Beastie Boys put on, and we were all staying at the same hotel. It was a big festival concert. And I came down in the elevator, and the elevator doors opened and I went, Dave Navarro. And he went. And then I ran away. And then I thought that was stupid. And so that night there was a big party in the basement of the Fairmount where they have that tiki bar. And all the bands were, like, on the dance floor dancing, break dancing. And. And I saw Dave across The room. And I thought, okay, gotta go talk to him. So I said, would you ever want to walk in my show? And he said, I would love to, you know? And so then he came to New York, and we did a fitting, and he came into the office, took off all his clothes in front of all of us, and said, I'm your clay. Mold me.

[Chase Tsui]

Oh, my.

[Anna Sui]

Wow.

[Chase Tsui]

And that's a women's lace top.

[Anna Sui]

That's what his answer was. I will if there's lingerie.

[Chase Tsui]

Oh, my God.

[Anna Sui]

So it was his idea for the lunchroom.

[Nicole Phelps]

Oh, my God. Chase, have you ever been tempted to walk in, Anna Suisha?

[Chase Tsui]

Oh, God, no. I don't think that's my calling. But there was one show that my little sister Grace and my little brother Chance walked in, and it was right the show, and it was sort of like this.

[Anna Sui]

It was like I. I had seen at the Museum of Art and Design, they had this big exhibition, and there was this film footage of this cult, and they would, at sunrise, do this procession as the sun was rising. So I wanted to recreate that for the beginning of the show. So it started out really dark, and so we needed kids in there, too.

[Chase Tsui]

All different ages. Yeah. And it was so cute. They were all just walking down the.

[Anna Sui]

Stage together, and then gradually, the lights came up, and then you saw them all, like, dressed.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah, I think it's Grace and Chance, like, holding hands with Gigi. It's so iconic. But, no, I would be terrified to do that.

[Nicole Phelps]

So you have been out and about promoting this book. You know, Marc Jacobs had a book party, a book signing for you at his shop, Bookmark. And I know you were at the Rizzoli store over the weekend. When you're Talking about the 90s, what are people in the audience asking you? What are people most curious?

[Anna Sui]

I think that they're most curious, especially students and people that are aspiring to be fashion designers, about what it was like then, because you can really tell it was very different. And I think that the big difference is that it was so genuine and more intimate, and I think there was a more sense of camaraderie. Of course, you didn't love everybody, but most of the time, you were very supportive of each other. And I think that we also had a very strong system of the press of the retailers, and everybody seemed to be supportive and really there for you, and that was the whole thing. Right after the show, who was coming backstage? A lot of times, the retailers would try to be the first ones so that they could get dibs on whatever they wanted for the outfits, for the windows or get exclusives, you know, and there were deals being made and you try to keep it all straight in your head, but there were so many people talking. So it was a very exciting moment too. But I think that now everything is so corporate and so big business that doesn't feel the same anymore.

[Nicole Phelps]

I wonder if that's why. I don't know if you'll agree with this assessment that there is sort of like an Anna Suisance, like an Anna Sui renaissance right now, I think. And I wonder if it's because this sense of you've resisted that corporatization or you create this beautiful atmosphere at your shows where it doesn't feel like it's a corporate environment.

[Anna Sui]

Well, I think that's. It's genuinely me that I've always really wanted to stay independent, always really wanted to be able to do what it was that I loved. And I think that the way I structured my business, it gave me that possibility. The fact that I did have these very strong licenses and that support that I. That I didn't need to depend on a backer or finances from somebody else. You know, like we've always been very self sufficient.

[Nicole Phelps]

Chase, have you ever advised your aunt on anything? Obviously she's given you lots of guidance over the years. Have you ever shared any of your Gen Z wisdom back at her?

[Chase Tsui]

Oh man, I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I wouldn't go as far to say that I've given her advice, but I do think I have had the privilege of being able to go through her archives and I've gotten to where some Anna Sweet archive on the red carpet and at all my various premieres and stuff. I wore one to the premiere of the studio at south by Southwest. And now that outfit that I chose from the archives has been brought back in this latest collection. So that I can't take any credit for that. But I do think some of the stuff that I've gravitated towards. I bought a vintage top at Laura Colleggi the other day that was kind of this old Anna Sui top that we just happened to. And then now it's.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah. And she convinced me to put it back on the collection and we recreated it. But it's just fun to have this input of what people really want, what Chase's generation wants. And I really trust her eye and the fact that she's gravitating towards these pieces I think is great. And quite frankly, a lot of the pieces I never looked at again after the show. And so all that. That whole southwestern sort of feeling collection that you liked.

[Chase Tsui]

Yeah. And a lot of these cuts are back, and it's so. I mean, it's amazing for me, but, yeah, that was very fun. Getting to go through her archive was. Oh, my God, I had never even seen. She has all her clothes organized in this big room across from her office. And that was a real treat.

[Nicole Phelps]

All right, well, I think it's time for one last question. And because we have so many young listeners, we always ask for what kind of advice you would give to young people who want to be a designer or want to get into fashion.

[Anna Sui]

Yeah, I think that the most important thing is really to find your own way. It doesn't happen for anybody the same way. And you have to really believe in what it is that you're trying to do, believe in the type of product you're trying to do. And you can't be everything to everyone. I think that's when you get lost. And I always had this feeling of wanting to do young fashion, making it accessible. That's why I've always resisted making it too expensive to couture. And I love that whole boutique Y feeling. And there were many times that I'd been tempted when stores came to me and said, well, can you just make the clothes, like, a couple thousand dollars more? And then be like, no, it's not me. You know, like, I want it accessible. So I think that understanding that and understanding yourself and being true to yourself is the most important. And, you know, there's always hardships, obstacles, things that you think are impossible. You find another way. You find an alternative route. And you'd be surprised at what you find when you take that other path. Like, something else comes along. Something else opens your eyes to a different way of looking at it. And I'm just a really firm believer in that, that there's always a solution if you keep exploring, keep trying, keep going around a different way and taking a different angle.

[Nicole Phelps]

Chase, I would like to know, first of all, what you've learned from Anna.

[Chase Tsui]

Oh, my gosh. I mean, so many things. I think, echoing what she just said, I think she's one of one, and I think she's never tried to be somebody else.

[Anna Sui]

And.

[Chase Tsui]

And I think as I've gone through my career, it doesn't work to try to be somebody else. And in the fashion industry and in the film industry, comparison is everyone's comparing themselves to everyone else. And there's always, you know, the grass is always greener on the other side. And this person's career is enviable for this, this, and this reason. But I think staying in your own lane and staying true to yourself has really helped me. And I think, you know, jealousy is the thief of joy. And I do believe that my aunt really embodies that, and she's kind of like a horse with blinders on. And that is something that I have tried to emulate and just makes for a much happier life and less stressful life. It's very easy to get caught up in that jealousy spiral, but that's gonna distract from, you know, your natural path. So.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yeah, well, it's very. It makes me happy to be together with the two of you here. So thank you for coming on the Run Through.

[Anna Sui]

Thank you.

[Chase Tsui]

Thanks, Nicole, for having us. That was so fun.

[Chloe Mao]

The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Stephanie Karaoke. It's engineered by Pran Bandy and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of Global Audio.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

My first job in New York City was as a trend forecaster. I do trend forecasting still, and ebay is a part of that because I'll search for things that I'm seeing around, and it will end up directing me in places that I could have never anticipated. And one of the trends that I'm seeing these days is crafting things that are made by hand. And so playing with clothes and accessories to create something kind of distinctive for your wardrobe is a great way of doing it. And getting supplies off of ebay is my favorite thing for it. I'll get, like, maybe a pair of slippers that I'm wearing right now and then cut them in a specific way, and then they're totally my own. And I feel like it's a great resource to create your own trends because then you can both feel like you're bringing something back to life. You're already, like, pulling it out of the ebay archives. And then you're also adjusting it so that it really expresses your own style, which is something that, you know, people really want right now whenever they are feeling, like, so algorithmic about the style that's being pushed to them. That doesn't have to be perfect. Things can have rough edges, and that sometimes makes them feel more special.

[Anna Sui]

From prx.