HOSPITALITY Medium Tray: Gold/ Crystal by ANNA New York

I founded ANNA New York in 2002, in my grandmother’s basement in Queens, New York. It was a family business and a matriarchy from the very beginning. My mother and grandmother put the little rubber feet on the bottoms of our agate gemstone coasters, our first design, at the kitchen table. Today, we continue to be a female-owned and operated company. My daughter Talia (11) now helps me to create our new designs. 

I am trained as a product designer, and studied both engineering and art in at Stanford University - a curious mix between left/right brain! As an older engineering student, I was one of the only women in my class, and in the machine shop. My research (then, and now) was on biologically-inspired design.

After school, I continued my interest in biomorphic design by designing prosthetic knees and devices for cardiac surgery. I became a Professor of Product Design at Parsons School of Design and Stanford University, for nearly 15 years. While a professor, I founded ANNA New York – which has become, for me, the ultimate vehicle for creating naturally-inspired designs.