Cushnie et Ochs takes over CFDA and Cadillac Retail Lab

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Oct 19, 2016

New York City-based fashion label Cushnie et Ochs this week opened their first-ever brick-and-mortar store at the Retail Lab at Cadillac House on 330 Hudson Street in New York City.
 

The retail location features floor-to-ceiling windows, blush pink walls and white linen curtains for an intimate and feminine feel. A seating area is positioned in the center of the store and a gold-trimmed drink cart sits between two racks of clothes. In addition to offering the full Cushnie et Ochs collection, the temporary store is offering accessories like fur clutches and scarves exclusively in store.
 
CFDA and Cadillac launched the Retail Lab concept in 2016 to give designers their own retail shop for three months. Six designers will participate in the concept including Cushnie et Ochs and Timo Weiland who was the inaugural designer at the space.

Co-founders Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs said to the CFDA in an interview, “It’s really exciting. This is our first experience having our own retail space and it’s really a great way for us to interact with our customer, as well as curate the space the way we want in terms of design. It’s a whole vision. It’s like watching our woman come to life.”
 
The duo founded Cushnie et Ochs in 2008 and had a rapid ascent as one of the premier women’s ready-to-wear brands from New York City. In 2011, the brand was named one of the finalists for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and in 2013 was a nominee for the CFDA Swarovski Award. In 2016, Cushnie et Ochs launched a jewelry capsule with Pamela Love and its first activewear collection with Bandier further expanding its product offering.
 
The new store at the Retail Lab is a learning experience for the co-founders. When asked about the goal of the Retail Lab store, Cushnie told the CFDA, “For us, it’s really just to learn as much as possible, to learn more about our customer, learn about the whole process of retail. Just get to know our customer better.”
 
The Cushnie et Ochs store at the Cadillac House Retail Lab will remain for three months.