Business Spotlight: Susanna Chow NYC
Susanna and Sai Chow of Susanna Chow NYC
Susanna Chow NYC
Susanna Chow NYC
Welcome to Chinatown spoke to Susanna and Sai Chow, the mother-daughter co-founders behind Susanna Chow, an online boutique featuring handcrafted fashion accessories made using vibrant and colorful beads. Their resilience in weathering through the COVID pandemic has been noted on sites like Forbes and Cheddar News.
Who are you, and what can you tell us about your business?
We are a Chinese mother and daughter duo that specializes in luxury handcrafted beaded accessories. Everything is done is Chinatown, from conception to final production. Our line ranges from handbags, evening bags, children’s bags, necklaces, mask chains, earrings, hair barrettes, and now, homeware! We have an incredible team of eight female artisans whom we take the time to train our beading technique.
What do customers love most about your products?
Our customers appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into making each piece. People tell us that our pieces are like family heirlooms - each piece is made by hand with the most extraordinary attention to detail. One of our purses can take more than 12 hours to make.
“My mum, Sai, learned how to bead as a young girl in Hong Kong from her mother, so we’re three generations of beadstresses.”
How did you get the idea to use beads as a medium to express your art?
My mum, Sai, learned how to bead as a young girl in Hong Kong from her mother, so we’re three generations of beadstresses. They beaded to make ends meet. My mum cultivated her creative passion while enrolling in graphic design school in Hong Kong.
What did her career path change from graphic design to beading?
After she immigrated to the U.S., she graduated with an MBA and retired from a successful career in finance at Citigroup. My mum spent her time volunteering at a senior citizen center in Chinatown and taught elderly people how to bead in 2012. Around that same time, my mum’s parents had suddenly passed away in a tragic accident and from there, she channeled her pain into her passion. She used beading as a form of healing.
“It’s so inspiring to see the community come together in times of crisis and help one another and take care of each other, of our children and our elders.”
What changes have you seen in the neighborhood in the past year?
We’ve lived in this community for decades now and in the past year, what’s more transparent than ever, is the resiliency of the Chinatown community. It’s so inspiring to see the community come together in times of crisis and help one another and take care of each other, of our children and our elders.
Susanna Chow NYC released the brand new Lulu Beaded Flower Pot just in time for Mother’s Day. The pot is inspired by the lanterns of Chinatown and will elevate any room. A portion of the proceeds will go to Welcome to Chinatown. Purchase the flower pot here.
If you’re looking for new plant and flower friends, you can view our Instagram guide on where to purchase them in Chinatown.
Photo Credit: Jessica Xie
