A look at Alex Woo’s top five sources of inspiration

When asked to name five of her favorite things that inspire or help her to make great jewelry, Alex Woo of Alex Woo Inc. in New York City shared the following:

Fine arts. From the age of six, I knew I wanted to be some type of artist. Instead of playing with toys, I would draw and sketch for hours. I first studied sculpture as a fine arts major at the High School of Music and Art. I love sculpting. Each piece from my Little Icon group is designed with a three-dimensional perspective and can sit upright on its own like a micro-sculpture.

Iconic moments. My pieces commemorate moments. I believe in lucky talismans and in sentimental objects that hold meaning. My life path number is eight, and in the Chinese culture eight is a very lucky number, so that is a number I wear often in my daily life.

Travel and food. I’m always amazed when I travel the world, eat new food, and experience new cultures. Once in Morocco, I felt like I was traveling back in time, especially when I slept in a tent and rode a camel at sunset in the Sahara Desert. Some of these personal journeys have inspired jewelry pieces, such as the Royal Lion, Panda, and Maple Leaf in my new Little Cities collection.

Giving back. Because I believe in the power of sentiment and meaning, I collaborated with actress Christina Applegate on several designs to benefit her foundation, Right Action For Women, and raise awareness for breast cancer. As one of my favorite design collaborations, it means a lot to me because when I was 16 my mother passed away from breast cancer. So far, we have raised over $50,000 toward early detection and prevention.

Family. Being a mother to my adorable son is very important to me. I love how even on the toughest days, my son can make me smile. At night I like to read him a story before bed. (Although these days he’s reading to me, as he’s four and insists on doing only “big-kid” things!) I actually hardly ever leave my house without my Little Letter “a” charm. Many people think it’s my initial, but it actually represents my son, Alexander.