James Beard Award winner
Anna Polonsky
- Discipline
- James Beard Award winner
i. Biography
Anna Polonsky has built Polonsky & Friends in New York City around brand therapy, a method that treats uncertainty as useful material rather than noise. The work starts with clients’ ambition, but it does not stop there: doubt, hesitation, and personal detail are brought into the room and worked through with the same attention as the brief. That approach gives the finished identity a blunt kind of clarity. As Polonsky says, “We really try to extract personal stories from everyone we work with,” and that directness sits at the center of the practice.
Coming Up
New York shaped the early framework for Anna Polonsky’s practice through editorial and cultural work at Le Fooding, where she served as partner and U.S. Director from 2009–2014. That role placed her at the intersection of taste, ideas, and culture, building the habits of editing and positioning that later carried into brand work. From 2014–2019, she co-founded The MP Shift, extending that range into a broader studio model. Taken together, those years show a steady move from cultural direction toward brand-building, with each step widening the scope of what the work could hold. Since 2019, Anna Polonsky has led Polonsky & Friends as founder and creative director. The role brings structure to her interest in the human side of a project, translating personal material into a formal system without sanding it down. It is a practice built on keeping personality legible and making sure the expression stays precise.
Where They Are Now
At Polonsky & Friends in New York City, the method remains brand therapy, and the process begins with what clients actually have to say about the project: what they want, what they admire, and what feels unresolved. Instead of flattening those tensions, Polonsky uses them to shape the brief. The logic is straightforward: a brand gets stronger when its specifics are kept intact. In that sense, the work is less about adding style than about organizing what is already there into a clearer form.
Career - founder and creative director — Polonsky & Friends, New York City (2019–present) - partner and U.S. Director — Le Fooding, New York (2009–2014) - co-founder — The MP Shift (2014–2019)
Signature
Anna's signature dishes include brand therapy.
In Their Words “I was really interested in the making side of things, the artisanal part, but not so much in the industry.” “We really try to extract personal stories from everyone we work with.”
Honors
Anna's honors include James Beard Foundation accolade and Forbes Magazine 30under30.
FAQ What is Anna Polonsky's current role? As of 2026, Anna Polonsky is Founder and Creative Director. Where did Anna Polonsky work before? Anna Polonsky's earlier career included Le Fooding and The MP Shift. What recognition has Anna Polonsky received? James Beard Foundation accolade.
