Overview
Growing up in the suburbs of Detroit in an academically successful Chinese-American family, Anna Sui was far from destined to make her mark as a fashion designer. In fact, when Sui left for college in New York City-America's fashion capital-her mother lamented that her only daughter was wasting her brains in a career that required none. More than 30 years later, Anna Sui is one of the hottest and most-sought-after designers in the fashion world. Bringing a blend of rock and roll influences, bohemian culture, and pure "girlishness" to her designs, Sui has created a devout following for her clothes, cosmetics, and fragrances. Find out how this girl from Michigan pursued her dream, even when few others believed it could come true, and succeeded.
Asian Americans of Achievement explores the lives of notable Americans who are of Asian descent or who immigrated to the United States from Asia. Readers will learn about the lives of important artists, athletes, politicians, and entertainers and will discover how being Asian American affected the subjects and informed their work. Special boxed insets on "Being Asian American, " "The Story of My Family, " and "Between the Generations" will allow readers to experience an important part of American history.
Synopsis
Growing up in the suburbs of Detroit in an academically successful Chinese-American family, Anna Sui was far from destined to make her mark as a fashion designer. In fact, when Sui left for college in New York City-America's fashion capital-her mother lamented that her only daughter was wasting her brains in a career that required none. More than 30 years later, Anna Sui is one of the hottest and most-sought-after designers in the fashion world. Bringing a blend of rock and roll influences, bohemian culture, and pure "girlishness" to her designs, Sui has created a devout following for her clothes, cosmetics, and fragrances. Find out how this girl from Michigan pursued her dream, even when few others believed it could come true, and succeeded.
Asian Americans of Achievement explores the lives of notable Americans who are of Asian descent or who immigrated to the United States from Asia. Readers will learn about the lives of important artists, athletes, politicians, and entertainers and will discover how being Asian American affected the subjects and informed their work. Special boxed insets on "Being Asian American, " "The Story of My Family, " and "Between the Generations" will allow readers to experience an important part of American history.
School Library Journal
Gr 7–10—As a child, Ohno exhibited exceptional athletic prowess and was successful in any sport that inspired him. His trajectory to Olympic star and the youngest American to ever win a World Cup in speed skating required dedication and training, but exceptions made to train such a young person also presented challenges when Ohno wasn't ready to leave his friends or make the commitment required to excel as an international competitor. Anna Sui is known for her youthful "baby doll" designs and extravagant combinations inspired by the hippie and rock-'n'-roll fashions of the '60s and early '70s. Readers learn about the setbacks and hard work required to become successful along with details such as Sui's research and collection of images or "genius files" she began assembling as a teen and continues to rely on for ideas. Boxed insets offer information about influences and notable individuals in Ohno's and Sui's disciplines. Nineteen color photos show Ohno's competitions and Sui's designs, making these books text heavy, but the quality of research and in-depth coverage broadens their usefulness. Beyond their function as informational resources, these books are inspiring for the exceptional individuals they depict, and especially for the emphasis on the qualities Sui and Ohno exhibited when they were the same age as the intended audience for the books.—Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library