Designer Bio
Anndra Neen was founded in April 2009 by sisters Phoebe and Annette Stephens. As an expression of their shared vision for jewelry and accessories, their design evokes their personal histories and inspirations. Born and raised in Mexico City, they attended college in the United States. They then moved to New York City where Phoebe became a fashion specialist for Phillips de Pury and Annette pursued a career in theatre. During a trip to Japan, the sisters decided to start their own jewelry line. Their inspirations are as diverse as they are and begin with a childhood surrounded by artists. Their grandmother, Annette Nancarrow, who married the avant-garde composer, Conlon Nancarrow, was a painter, sculptor and jewelry designer and collaborated with the Muralist Movement in Mexico. Nancarrow’s jewelry designs fuse pre-Columbian stones and shells with mixed metals. Her pieces were collected by Frida Kahlo, Anaïs Nin, Helena Rubinstein, Peggy Guggenheim, Elizabeth Arden, Dorothy Miller, Mrs. Harry Abrams and were sold at Henri Bendel. While attracted to their grandmother’s eclecticism, the sisters have drawn on their own interpretations of antique European jewelry, ancient Egyptian motifs, Japanese design elements and Bauhaus graphics to create a vision that gives reference to its antecedents and is at the same time relevant to the moment. Each piece is unique and hand crafted of both mixed metals and silver by artisans in their workshop in Mexico City. In design and technique, Anndra Neen continuously pushes boundaries. For the windows of On Pedder Hong Kong, they enlarged their pieces to five times their size and exhibited their jewelry as sculpture. In September 2010 during fashion week, they were invited to be a part of Harper’s Bazaar’s first Accessories BAZAAR sponsored by the CFDA. They also collaborated with designer Matthew Ames for his Spring 2011 collection. In February 2011, they created metal birdcages to house their fall collection for their event at Milk Gallery. In October 2011, Anndra Neen was awarded the prestigious Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize. Their pieces have been worn by Michelle Obama, Jessica Alba, Drew Barrymore, Nicole Richie, and Anna Paquin, among others. [READ MORE]
