Jewelry Designer Chan Luu Debuts Home Collection at J. Landa

Designer Chan Luu is best known for her wrap bracelets and other trendy baubles. Who knew she’s had a secret love affair with home design? Over the past few years, she has created napkins, bedsheets and more for her own home, and now she’s ready to share. Luu has launched a lifestyle line on her website, Bazaar, featuring items culled from seven artisan countries. The result? An almost instant sellout. She recently hosted her first U.S. trunk show in Houston with her local bestie, Jay Landa, at his eponymous shop, J. Landa. Take a peek into my conversation with the humble humanitarian herself.

FAVORITE PIECE IN THE BAZAAR COLLECTION.
I love the wedding blankets that an artisan in the mountains created. We sold out; we don’t have any more. I’m very much into textiles.

WHY HOUSTON FOR YOUR FIRST BAZAAR TRUNK SHOW?
I always come here because of personal friends. Jay [Landa] has become like a second family to me. I have come here every year for the past [six] years, the last two to be a part of J. Landa’s Mother’s Day trunk show. We both love collaborating and giving back to causes like Dress for Success.

ONE COUNTRY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART.
I’m so mobile — I go from place to place and don’t really get too attached. I have a special place in my heart for all the artisans. [L.A.] is still my base. I like the friendliness of Houston. I think people are very real here, yet sophisticated.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE ARTISANS.
We work with a lot of poor artisans in Africa, Guatemala [etc.]. Employing them changes their lives. What’s important is making a difference in people’s lives. If you can do it, it’s very powerful. It makes you want to do more.

MOTTO YOU LIVE BY.
Live the day fully. I’m very much in the moment. Fulfill every day the best I can. I have done so much, so giving back is important to me. Live healthy, live environmentally friendly. I believe in taking good care of the earth and living organically. All the materials we use are organic materials.

WHAT’S NEXT.
We are very trend-oriented. We have a lot of requests for fringy scarfs. We did it many years back, but I’m reinventing it right now. That’s my project on the plane!