This article first appeared in the JNA September/ October 2021 issue.

Musical prodigy-turned jewellery designer Anna Hu talks about her inspired journey as she navigates a world that fully embraces her inimitable artistry, allowing her to rise to the upper echelons of jewellery design.

Celebrated jewellery designer Anna Hu – whose creations have adorned high-profile individuals such as Oprah Winfrey and Madonna, to name a few – had her eyes on the prize even at a young age.

“I have always dreamed of becoming a solo cellist, so I practiced hard every day when I was little. That was the sole focus of my life,” shared Hu. But destiny had other plans for the Taiwan-born cello player. At the age of 20, Hu injured her shoulder so badly she could no longer play as a soloist.

It was her father who encouraged her to channel her creative energy elsewhere and start forging a different path in life. Coming from a family of jewellers, Hu was no stranger to the world of diamonds and coloured gemstones. As a child, she helped her father sort out gemstones, inadvertently setting the foundations for a glittering career in jewellery design.

The artist within

Setting her sights on a career in the jewellery sector, Hu took up design courses from various prestigious institutions, including the Gemological Institute of America, Parsons School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology and Columbia University. She then started working for major companies and jewellery houses, including Christie’s, Van Cleef & Arpel’s and Harry Winston, where she honed her skills to perfection.

In 2007, she founded her own brand, Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie – marking a turning point in her career. She would go on to redefine the rules of jewellery design, injecting her own interpretation of an East-meets-West philosophy in her collections.

With her musical background deeply ingrained in her psyche, the designer draws inspiration from classical music, interspersed with elements from nature, her cultural background as well as several artistic movements.

“Jewellery is the best representation of its owner and wearer,” Hu tells JNA. “Jewellery has a very human element to it – soft, organic and fluid. I always keep this in mind when I design and create my collections.”

Clients who ask for customised designs essentially give Hu access to their innermost dreams and individual narratives, allowing her to create an intimate piece of jewellery that families can pass on to the next generation.

“It is precious, and it carries personal significance, emotions and warmth. That is what makes my creations stand out in the fine jewellery space,” revealed Hu.

The modern consumer

Today’s buyers are ever-more discerning, opting for jewellery pieces that represent their values and individuality. And Hu embraces this trend.

Her clients are promised a finished product that is one of a kind, endearing, ethereal. “My clients know that they will get something exceptional from the Anna Hu brand. They are either looking for bold and inventive designs that no one else has or expecting to find gemstones of the finest quality in my collection,” remarked Hu.

Customers often seek her innovative ideas when conceptualising meaningful designs that are likely to be kept as family heirlooms.

Her creative process involves spending time with buyers, getting to know their ideals and the principles that matter to them. “It is a collaboration process in which clients tell me what they like or the story that they would like the jewellery to tell. They provide the design direction and I translate it in my jewellery,” she continued.

The unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and people’s lives cannot be discounted. It has, in many significant ways, affected consumer behaviours and the way they perceive the meaning behind products and services.

Buyers, for instance, have become more pragmatic in their choice of consumer products. Beauty is no longer the primary consideration when buying jewellery; the piece must be both attractive and functional.

According to Hu, post-lockdown trends point to a growing need for jewellery pieces that can be worn on multiple occasions and in a multitude of ways. As such, versatile creations that can be donned as a necklace, brooch or ring have risen in popularity.

“Consumers would like to get their money’s worth,” noted Hu. “This is why I have always designed my pieces to be multifunctional. My creations double as a necklace or brooch, for instance. Clients also love the fact that with the same investment, they receive the value of ‘more than one’ jewellery.”

Intricate details that reside in Hu’s designs, which add a dose of versatility and fancy in her creations, are also popular among her clients and is considered her signature style.

Future of jewellery design

The award-winning jewellery designer recently donned her creative cap once again to work on a resplendent collection, Enchanted Lily, which places the finest rubies, sapphires and rubellites at the centre. The jewellery pieces embody her exquisite brand of sophistication and personalised touch.

The star of the collection is a brooch adorned with a 265-carat rubellite, inspired by the tiger lily in a painting by Giuseppe Castiglione aka Lang Shining titled “Immortal Blossoms in an Everlasting Spring.”

“Taking influence from the tiger lily in the painting, I strong-armed my interpretation of the flower by studying each curve and line, and the flower’s parts and structure. I then gave the lily creations a splash of colour by setting the piece with various shades and tones of gemstones interlaced with diamonds,” explained Hu.

Considering buyers’ ever-evolving preferences as well as new developments in many different aspects of the business world, Hu noted that a combination of elements between arts and technology is inevitable.

“I see the future of jewellery design as only becoming more versatile in terms of materials used, and the form that the jewellery is shaped in. Jewellery artists will become bolder in their creative process – there will not be any rules confining their creativity,” shared Hu.