Born In New York City to a French father and Norwegian-Lao mother, I grew up in America, Japan, and France.

After an international career as a classical ballet dancer, I studied jewelry making in Zurich, Switzerland and received a recognition from the Academy of Art in Munich, Germany.

In 1994 I launched a successful jewelry label, „SUZETTE“ where I design, produce, and sell ’one of a kind’ pieces from my studio in Munich.  I also create collections for gallery exhibitions and fashion shows. My designs are influenced by the esthetics acquired from years on the stage, my love of nature, as well as from my mixed cultural background. My initial experience with jewelry work in Asia was in India, where I have been buying stones and working on my designs for many years.

My great grandfather Peter Hauff was one of the first foreigners to travel up the Mekong in the late 19th century. This is where he met and married my great grandmother, Sao Boun Ma. He was an explorer and entrepreneur, bringing his own ship full of goods from Europe to trade. His diary and my family’s saga have been published in the book, „Lao Roots“. Discovering his love for Laos has been an inspiration to all my family.

In 1967 with help of the Lao Embassy in Tokyo, my parents first found our relatives living outside of Vientiane. From this time onward I have always wanted to connect with and explore my Lao heritage. In 1994 an idea was born and has become this unique line of jewelry, “HOI SANG“.