An Ren: Wearable Art with a Soul

An Ren is a Chinese-born American designer based in New York City whose creations are frequently described as wearable art. Since 1991, she has developed a unique, imaginative line renowned for its charm, playful whimsy, boldness, and quality. At the heart of her work is a spirit of play. Just as she once collected scraps of fabric as a child to make dolls, she now takes fabric samples and, often with a glass of chardonnay by her side, “plays” with them, experimenting with combinations until they transform into her signature artistic designs.

An’s journey was anything but easy. Growing up in post-revolution Shanghai, hunger was a daily reality. Her sister recalls a young An once begging their mother not to send her away to live with another family just to save food. Their father, Ren Weiyin, a respected artist and educator, was forced into work as a shoe repairman, a sacrifice that left a deep imprint on An’s sense of resilience and artistry.

In 1987, she arrived in New York on a student visa and enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Dissatisfied with the instruction, she dropped out after one semester, supporting herself through sewing and restaurant delivery jobs while falling in love with the city’s eclectic small shops and global imagination.

After years of various jobs, An finally opened her own workshop, her lifelong goal. Early on, several large chain stores recognized her skill and business sense, offering her opportunities as an agent and broker in the textile trade with China. The work promised financial success, but the generic, uninspired garments left her cold. Though she knew she could become wealthy, An chose to remain independent, creating her own unique, artistic designs instead. “Making money has never been my primary motivation; making beautiful things is,” she has said.

Even during the pandemic, when many urged her to retire, An refused. For her, fashion is not just a career but a way of giving back. In that sense, she still has much more to do, in contributing her art to the great city and nation that had changed her life.