How Diamonds Help a New Entrepreneur Step into Her Power

Almost a year ago, fashion content creator Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth opened a Sichuan-inspired market and café in Larchmont Village called Suá Superette—a second act that even she could not have predicted. The seeds of it were sown years before when her parents, who owned and operated a Sichuan restaurant in Orange County for 15 years, announced their plans to retire. “That lit a fire in me,” says Hjelmeseth. “Hearing that this chapter of our family’s life would close made me realize that I wanted to extend their legacy.” She turned to her entrepreneurial friend, Jing Gao—chef and founder of the überpopular chili crisp line Fly By Jing—who suggested that the pair forge their way into LA’s fast-casual landscape together. And so Suá was born.

Pop in any day of the week and you’ll find Hjelmeseth making drinks behind the counter or restocking the refrigerated display cases with healthy grab-and-go dishes like spicy Sichuan glass noodles and kung pao salmon wraps. She still makes fashion content, of course, but she now considers Suá her full-time gig. When I ask whether running this business has influenced the way she dresses, Hjelmeseth pauses to think. “I’ve definitely shifted toward more functional clothing—things that I can work all day in,” she says. “But you know what? I’ll still pull up some days in my high heels because I think that’s what works with my outfit. It’s just about what I feel confident in.”

Q:

Wearing diamonds on an everyday basis: Yea or nay?

A:

I love wearing jewelry to the store. I’ve been working a lot more with my hands lately, and there’s nothing more fun than wearing diamonds to do something mundane, like making matcha or ringing up the register.

Q:

What are the pieces that make you feel most empowered?

A:

I’ve always loved wearing G. Label. The clothes are comfortable but tailored well and always flattering. Because I have somewhat of a minimalist aesthetic, I can be very bold with my jewelry, and Ben Bridge is great for that. I’ll often put on a combination of pieces, finishing off with a pair of statement earrings, like the diamond-studded hoops I’m wearing here. I love these—they take any outfit to a new level.

Q:

How do you approach styling a wrist stack?

A:

I like to grab bracelets with various textures and sizes. Here, I chose a slim diamond bangle and a chunkier chain-link bracelet. I love the contrast when they’re side by side on my wrist.