Interview by Brian James
New York based jewellery designer Samantha Siu launched her SS 22 jewellery collection “A Love Affair” at London Fashion Week in September 2021. It was a beautiful and uplifting collection. One which was appropriately attuned to the zeitgeist as we cautiously re-emerged as a society from lockdowns and hoped for a better future.
To this assemblage of stunning jewellery Samantha has now added a line of the most breath-taking bracelets for A/W 23 which she showcased in February at London Fashion Week.
They are pieces which perfectly complement the necklaces and earrings which featured in the original iteration of “A Love Affair”. Pieces made with the meticulous attention to craftsmanship and underpinned by the ethical intentionality which lies at the core of everything Samantha does.
I spoke to Samantha after London Fashion Week to ask about this most welcome addition to “A Love Affair”, the artisanal alchemy which is integral to the creation of all her pieces, and her plans and aspirations for the future.
Congratulations on your beautiful bracelet line which you officially unveiled during LFW and which adds a new chapter to the 2021 “A Love Affair” collection that featured necklaces and earrings. How satisfying has it been to add the additional element of bracelets to that hugely well received original collection?
Thank you so much! It does feels surreal to be able to create in another category of jewelry within the collection. It also shows you a bit more about the story of the brand; where we are headed and what we are trying to convey by means of design and message. I hope it exemplifies the importance of creating slow fashion.
What can you tell us about the versatility of these stunning bracelets and how they complement the necklaces and earrings?
I wanted to expand the concept of why opening links from a visibly strong chain can be functional. To once again shine a light on how important it is to impact consumer habits through design. We want our clientele to be able to personalize jewelry within the jewelry that they already own. With the necklace, it was creating a 360-degree necklace that can be worn on all facets of the necklace. For the earrings it was being able to create different styles of earrings within the earrings. And in the bracelets, it was manipulating the length of the chain based on your personal fit. All the chapters in the “A Love Affair” collection is connected through links.
The pieces which comprise the “A Love Affair” collection were made using a wax carving technique which I understand originates from before 4000 BC. Was the same process used to create the bracelets and for those new to the brand perhaps you could explain how that technique works, how long it takes to make a piece of Samantha Siu jewellery and what level of artisanal excellence is required?
All our products and concepts from our products are usually ideas that are not widely used in the jewelry market. So, design and time is a crucial part of finalizing a piece. With the necklace, it was about artisanal sculptural work; but in the earrings and the bracelet, we concentrated more on innovative technical design. For the necklace, it takes about 5-6 months to create a necklace because of all the hands the necklace goes through. Though the earrings and bracelets are designed by CAD, they still go through a 3-month production lead.
Your hand-made jewellery transcends fashion, and the pieces are unique and individual works of art. How important is it to provide a platform for the artisans you work with to showcase their expertise and to preserve and promote wax carving which I understand is a dying skill?
It’s so important to provide a platform and have the space for wax artisans to have the opportunity to get work. It’s also very important to create interest for wax artisans to want to continue to put the time into working on a piece by hand. Jewelry has a long-standing history, so it’s important that we mustn’t forget the workmanship that are handed down from generation to generation. As a newer and smaller brand that has lived and breathed jewelry for a very long time, I am trying to capture the new and old ways of jewelry making.
The Samantha Siu ethos is one that concentrates on quality over quantity and places sustainability at the core of everything you do. What steps do you take to ensure the brands ethical intentionality and the integrity of your supply chains?
I focus on why I began the company and the intentions in my ongoing decisions. To create something that can change how we view and use jewelry while doing good when using/owning it. When creating jewelry, I try to design something that is not on the market but can solve a (usually unthinkable) need. There’s also always a message in each collection for us to learn. And for the bracelets, it was size inclusivity and versatility. I also believe in slow fashion. I don’t have to make a lot; I just need to make sure I make something great.
Is there any dichotomy between creating pieces designed for longevity that maximise the jewellery’s wearability and the perceived commercial business model that seeks to maximise sales?
I really think the term, “you get what you pay for”, is a genuine thought. Purchasing pieces that are made to last are usually more expensive at first, but commercial items usually fall apart faster. I think consumers are also more educated now and are starting to look for new and fresh concepts.
I understand that your passion for jewellery design began when, as a child, you worked with your aunts who created pieces for the mass production jewellery market. What life lessons and business lessons did that experience teach you and how have you implemented them within your own business?
One of my most valuable privileges I got to see was watching my aunts dominate in an area that is immersed with male competitors. They taught me that the cows can run alongside the bulls. I also saw first-hand how gruelling it is to start and run a successful business. That is why I am not afraid of hard work; I’ve experienced some hard days with them. I now try to give my all with every project we receive. But I have a different journey than them and I’ve experienced life differently. I want to carry the familial legacy by enhancing the product and not just commercially selling it.
Having been raised in both New York and China what influences have you drawn from both cultures and as someone who currently resides in New York how does that cities energy motivate and inspire you?
Being Chinese American, I definitely encompass bicultural habits. My Asian side can be more demure and quiet while my American side provides me confidence and self-assurance. As so demonstrated in the necklace collection: where we have classic wrapped stones on one side and an intricate, substantial clasp on the other.
Living in New York, I don’t worry about when I sleep. Something is always open, and I can always take a walk to a crowded area (such as Time Square) to remind myself of the importance in diligence and patience.
You recently collaborated with iconic New York designer Ron Dyce on his A/W 23 NYFW runway show. How did that collaboration come about and how fulfilling was it to work with someone who, like you, creates designs with a timeless quality?
Ron is a friend whom I hit it off with from the start. Right off the bat we had a mutual adoration for each other’s work. We have talked about this before, and we understand the importance of supporting minority owned, luxury brands and businesses. To be honest, it was such a privilege to be able to present with Ron during A/W 23 NYFW. He’s a generous designer that really cares about the quality in his work.
A commitment to inclusive luxury and social sustainability informs everything that you do, and this extends beyond the jewellery label to your sister company the non-profit philanthropic “Phoenix International Foundation”. What does that organisation do and how rewarding is it to be able to help communities who lack resources such as basic medical care?
The Phoenix International Foundation is without a doubt the soul of Samantha Siu New York. In a very selfish way, helping others feeds your own soul. I never forget that the more opportunities the company has, the more visibility PIF will have as well. The Phoenix International Foundation focuses on international relief including medical outreach, education enhancement, and animal preservation. We organize free pop-up clinics in villages and schools. We train teachers 21st century skill sets so they will have the most up to date techniques in their classrooms. We support non-profits that educate and do good: such as the Save Elephant Foundation and The Neon Lights Museum. We are currently at our one-year anniversary of implementing our Food Sustainable Loan Program in Cambodia.
With the launch of your bracelet line now completed, what are your professional, personal and philanthropic ambitions for the rest of 2023?
Right after fashion week, I moved! So great things are already on the horizon. The Phoenix Non-Profit Foundation is continuing Its second year of its micro loan financing program. We’re going to enroll our second round of families. The program was started when the Pandemic hit the economy hard in Cambodia. Through our sponsors and donors, we were able to create a program that allow farmers to gain access to a micro loan. They used this loan to produce crops to sell to their communities and partners. It would be wonderful to make a trip out there this year to see it all in person.
As for the brand, we are gearing for the S/S ‘24 fashion weeks and also the Coterie show in NYC. We are planning to release the whole bracelet line for next season, and it will be my first time exhibiting at the Coterie show!
With this addition of bracelets to her 2021 collection Samantha Siu’s love affair with jewellery continues and so does our love affair with Samantha Siu, a designer who is not only passionate about jewellery but also about the problems bedevilling the world around us. A designer who takes practical, philanthropic steps to make a difference through her Foundation.
Samantha is both a jewellery maker and a change maker, an example of fashion with a conscious. A consciousness that is humbly stated but hugely impactful. We look forward to seeing what incredible jewellery Samantha gifts us next and to follow her on both that professional, and philanthropic, journey.
Huge thanks to Samantha for taking the time to talk to me and to Andrea and the team at Black PR for all their help.
You can connect with the brand on their website and on Instagram