Annie was raised in California with a Chinese-American background. At a very early age, Annie began to adopt an interest in design and fashion. Her passion for the arts grew steadily in her adolescent years and by high school, she was certain of her destiny to become a fashion designer. During her sophomore year of high school, Annie visited Paris to learn patternmaking techniques and began designing her own life through fashion. Under the training of world-renowed professors, Annie won first place in her Pattern Making curriculum in Paris. After graduating high school, Annie moved to New York City to begin schooling at the prestigious Parsons School of Design.
As early as her freshman year at Parsons, Annie already began to achieve recognition in the school. In the acclaimed Fusion Fashion Show vs FIT, she won first place with her STAR collection, featuring chic, clean-cut fashion with an urban/street look of confidence. This collection was inspired and dedicated to her most influential professor. During her later years at Parsons, Annie also delved in a variety of internships, including at Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta.
After graduating Parsons, Annie joined LVMH Group, Louis Vuitton New York, as an assistant designer. This position eventually led to Dior commissioning her to work on their fashion campaign for their collection and obsession jewelry. While continuing to do campaigns for Dior over the following two years, Annie also worked for CFDA as a PR coordinator, leading fashion houses and magazine clients such as Marc Jacobs and Harper's Bazzar USA.
Continue of her journey as an creative artist and seeking for expansion, Annie was selected as the top 3 finalist of Design Entrepreneurship NYC Award MBA Program and starts her other talents in performing arts at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London.
Annie was then promoted and relocated to Louis Vuitton, Shanghai where she worked briefly as Globe Manager. Within the years, Annie officially started her self-titled label, 'ANNIE WU' in New York. Annie's new clothing line is rich with New York flair. Slick leather, superhero-esque outfits, and glistening silver tops only begin to describe the unique, urban elements that define the ANNIE WU collection. While eye-catching in style, Annie's latest line also provides practical and contemporary clothing for the confident professional woman who seeks a free-spirited fashion style.
Annie currently has design studios and buying offices in New York, California, London, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo and spends the majority of her time in these areas of the world.
"Being raised in California and moving to New York,
I did a lot of traveling and research before I decided to start my
career—going to Italy, going to China, going to Paris—and where
I felt most comfortable, where I felt at home, was New York. I felt
really inspired here, and going to Parsons, I knew I’d start my
brand here. I think it’s a city that isn’t so much defined by a culture,
which I like. You can make it anything you want it to be.
There’s so much support here, no matter what kind of designer
you want to be. Whether you want to be the extreme
or focus on sportswear—there’s an audience for it.
As an individual, I’m inspired by the city, and it filters into how
I approach my work. It’s not so much the city or the neighborhood
I live in that inspires me, but more the sense that an American
brand is a melding of creativity and something that’s commercially
viable, and that’s something that’s always been important to me."
