Boston is About to Get A Lot Cooler: Opening Ceremony to Open Shop
Humberto Leon and Carol Lim’s cooler-than-cool retailer Opening Ceremony has set its sights on a Boston outpost.
The New York-based duo is working with Boston private equity firm Berkshire Partners to expand its locations to other major U.S. cities. A recent interview with the Los Angeles Times confirmed that Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago are “first priority’’ for Leon and Lim, setting up locations that “will likely showcase the Opening Ceremony collection rather than being multi-brand stores.’’
Opening Ceremony already has storefronts in New York, London, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, and recently made waves during New York Fashion Week when their in-house label was shown via a Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill-written satirical play rather than a traditional runway show. The retailer’s namesake label is also sold at numerous retailers, including locally at the Tannery and Barneys New York.
Leon and Lim, who met as students UC Berkley, are known throughout the fashion world for their cool-hunting and curation skills. Since its conception in 2002, Opening Ceremony has developed numerous exclusive collaborations with a range of hip and heritage brands, including local label Pendleton, as well as industry insiders — think Chloë Sevigny and fashion-favored florist Thierry Boutemy.
The founders appear to have a full plate, simultaneously serving as co-creative directors of French fashion house Kenzo, but told the Los Angeles Times their product and storefront expansion plans for Opening Ceremony will continue to push the boundaries.
They mused:
“We think about doing groceries with Trader Joe’s all the time,’’ Lim said.
“Don’t think we haven’t put in a call,’’ Leon added. “They are like Ft. Knox.’’
No further details regarding the Boston location are currently available, but we have reached out to Berkshire Partners and Opening Ceremony for comment.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com