Last night, in the midst of a snowy and hectic New York fashion week, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon spoke to a packed crowd at the cozy Neuehouse space about their storied beginnings in fashion, and a plethora of exciting projects for the new year. In conversation with Business of Fashion’s Imran Amed, our founders spoke to the importance of becoming a platform for important movements both in and beyond fashion, with a focus on technology, political activism, and, of course, sartorial innovation.
Carol and Humberto’s evolution from college friends to business partners is the stuff of a fashion fairy tale, and they spent some time speaking to Imran about their story, illustrated in part by archival video footage. The takeaway? Through every stage of the pair’s life––their careers as corporate wunderkinds (Humberto at the Gap, Old Navy, and Burberry, and Carol at Bally), their opening of OC in 2002, and their subsequent rise to prominence with Opening Ceremony and Kenzo––Humberto and Carol have stayed true to their California roots. As Humberto said at the talk, “We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. We don’t come from money. We are suburban kids who grew up at the mall.”
Perhaps the most scintillating revelation of the evening was when the pair announced Opening Ceremony’s plans to feature Russia as its country of focus beginning in fall 2014. With Sochi and its attendant LBGT activism in full swing, Humberto explained, “The gay rights issue was really front and center when we were talking about the country. We thought, is there a way we can bring light to this and refocus on the arts and fashion and culture?”
While OC looks forward to a year celebrating Russian arts, fashion, and supporting its subcultures and communities, there is still a lot left to look forward to in our year of Belgium. Most notable is our upcoming collaboration with the Magritte Foundation, bringing the legendary surrealist’s artworks to a line of apparel as well as a “tryptique” of three-way shoe collaborations with the dream team of Manolo Blahnik, Birkenstock, and Vans.
As for the future of fashion, those who attended our Fall/Winter 2014 fashion show on Sunday and saw our interactive website and Intel smart bracelet giveaway will not be surprised to hear that the party line is all about technology. Having partnered with Intel to create a smart bracelet, Humberto and Carol are jumping into wearable tech headfirst, but with an emphasis on the ‘wearable.’ As Humberto said, “We want to make something that you’d want to wear on a daily basis.” And wear it we will, along with Magritte Manolos, Kenzo sweatshirts, Opening Ceremony logo beanies, and anything else the duo cooks up in the next year.
Photos courtesy of Billy Farrell Agency
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Humberto Leon, Imran Amed, and Carol Lim
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Imran, Humberto, and Carol
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Susie Bubble
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Michelle Grey, Humberto, Carol, James O’Reilly, and
Carol and Humberto’s evolution from college friends to business partners is the stuff of a fashion fairy tale, and they spent some time speaking to Imran about their story, illustrated in part by archival video footage. The takeaway? Through every stage of the pair’s life––their careers as corporate wunderkinds (Humberto at the Gap, Old Navy, and Burberry, and Carol at Bally), their opening of OC in 2002, and their subsequent rise to prominence with Opening Ceremony and Kenzo––Humberto and Carol have stayed true to their California roots. As Humberto said at the talk, “We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. We don’t come from money. We are suburban kids who grew up at the mall.”
Perhaps the most scintillating revelation of the evening was when the pair announced Opening Ceremony’s plans to feature Russia as its country of focus beginning in fall 2014. With Sochi and its attendant LBGT activism in full swing, Humberto explained, “The gay rights issue was really front and center when we were talking about the country. We thought, is there a way we can bring light to this and refocus on the arts and fashion and culture?”
While OC looks forward to a year celebrating Russian arts, fashion, and supporting its subcultures and communities, there is still a lot left to look forward to in our year of Belgium. Most notable is our upcoming collaboration with the Magritte Foundation, bringing the legendary surrealist’s artworks to a line of apparel as well as a “tryptique” of three-way shoe collaborations with the dream team of Manolo Blahnik, Birkenstock, and Vans.
As for the future of fashion, those who attended our Fall/Winter 2014 fashion show on Sunday and saw our interactive website and Intel smart bracelet giveaway will not be surprised to hear that the party line is all about technology. Having partnered with Intel to create a smart bracelet, Humberto and Carol are jumping into wearable tech headfirst, but with an emphasis on the ‘wearable.’ As Humberto said, “We want to make something that you’d want to wear on a daily basis.” And wear it we will, along with Magritte Manolos, Kenzo sweatshirts, Opening Ceremony logo beanies, and anything else the duo cooks up in the next year.
Photos courtesy of Billy Farrell Agency
Humberto Leon, Imran Amed, and Carol Lim
Imran, Humberto, and Carol
Susie Bubble
Michelle Grey, Humberto, Carol, James O’Reilly, and