About Susan Foster
Exceptional craftsmanship, and exquisite, of-the-moment design imbued with forever-appeal are synonymous with New York-based fine jeweler, Susan Foster.
Residing between New York and the Hamptons, Susan Foster stands as a preeminent fine jewelry designer, masterfully synthesizing the venerable traditions of craftsmanship with contemporary innovation. Her work yields iconic, original pieces that redefine the boundaries of adornment. Raised in East Hampton amidst a milieu suffused with creative vitality, Foster was immersed from an early age in the cultural legacy of the Hamptons’ pioneering artistic community. This vibrant heritage catalyzed her fascination with the chromatic allure of fine gemstones and her unrelenting pursuit of distinctive jewelry design.
In her early twenties, Foster sought rigorous apprenticeships under the tutelage of European goldsmiths, refining her technical acumen before completing formal gemological studies at the Gemological Institute of America. Her intellectual curiosity later propelled her to Columbia University and Harvard, where she pursued a degree in English and Comparative Literature, grounding her aesthetic sensibility in the classics. This confluence of exceptional training and technological mastery underpins the impeccable artistry of her creations. Foster’s acute sartorial insight has garnered an ardent following among global editors and stylists, with her designs gracing the covers of eminent publications such as InStyle, Marie Claire, Elle, Elle Decor, Cosmopolitan, Arcadia, and Glamour, alongside features in a prodigious array of others, including The New York Times Magazine, London Financial Times, Vogue, British Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, W, Telegraph Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Hollywood Reporter, to cite a selection.
Foster’s oeuvre has precipitated transformative trends within the global jewelry sphere, notably the advent of diamond slices, the resurgence of chandelier earrings, and the heightened prominence of oversized cocktail rings—each a testament to her trailblazing vision. Her designs, imbued with poetic resonance and intellectual depth, reimagine quotidian objects—bobby pins and Alice bands encrusted with micro-diamonds—upending convention with audacious ingenuity. Commanding a substantial private clientele, her creations adorn the vitrines of prestigious retailers worldwide, from Harrods in London to Neiman Marcus in Los Angeles, Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and TSUM in Moscow. As her bespoke commissions flourish, Foster’s preeminence in the realm of designer fine jewelry remains unrivaled.
Recently, Foster has broadened her creative pursuits. She now executive produces independent films, and writes satirical essays—wielding her literary acumen to offer incisive commentary on contemporary mores. She also writes Q&As for magazines, sharing insights from her diverse career and perspective on modern culture.
Philanthropy
In 2017, Susan Foster began dedicating herself to humanitarian work. She was named a Global Ambassador for World Vision, a humanitarian aid organization operating in over 100 countries to address poverty and oppression through emergency relief—such as food, clean water, shelter, and foster care—and efforts to promote justice. World Vision has sponsored over 4 million children, provided clean water to 3.2 million people, and assisted more than 13.8 million disaster survivors and refugees. In 2018 and 2019, Foster traveled to World Vision-supported regions, delivering aid in refugee camps in Northern Uganda, near the borders of South Sudan and the Congo, and later in rural Jordan and Lebanon, supporting Syrian refugees.
In 2018, she founded her own 501(c)(3) organization, A Place To Be(ad) Me, which offers art therapy classes to children affected by domestic abuse, trauma, and the foster care system. In 2019, partnering with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, the foundation began providing jewelry-making art therapy classes to youth across the five boroughs. These classes encourage children to connect gemstone colors to their emotions, helping them to identify their thought and feelings while recognizing their own worth and appreciation for their personal strengths. Having experienced challenges from a disrupted childhood from divorce, Foster understands the lasting impact of such circumstances. She has long aimed to create a safe space where children can escape domestic stress, engage in play, and grow in a supportive environment. As she explains, “The goal is to help children feel unburdened, fostering a sense of freedom, autonomy, self-esteem, and a clear sense of their own value through creative outlets.”
In 2020, A Place To Be(ad) Me was recognized on the floor of the State Capitol in Albany with a Citation Proclamation from New York State for its work with traumatized children. Through her commitment to both artistic excellence and humanitarian service, Susan Foster demonstrates a meaningful blend of creativity and compassion.
Approach
In the span of Susan Foster’s twenty year career, the designer of the eponymous fine jewelry brand, Susan Foster Jewelry, has designed over four thousand five hundred jewels. Foster’s ethos: The woman I design for is a woman who has a total belief in herself, which is the most beautiful type of woman, and that beauty will naturally evince in her taste, style and appreciation for excellence.
Susan Foster has been at the helm of the modern fine jewelry business for twenty years. Her client is easy to identify: elegant – though never attention-seeking; a woman who knows her own mind and has innate good taste.
Susan’s meticulous work has helped reshape the landscape of fine jewelry. Her designs put the wearer first; meeting the demands of a contemporary lifestyle- whilst maintaining unrivalled quality and appearance. She sources rare and exceptional gemstones, reworking them in a way that they become effortless to wear. The resulting creations are brave but considered, and always individual.
