Since its founding 19 years ago, Opening Ceremony has operated as the connective tissue between distinct American scenes. You could find Chlöe Sevigny or Solange Knowles at its Howard Street store on any given day, alongside Jonah Hill and Walt Cassidy and Sasha Velour and the owners of James Veloria, and, if you were lucky, Rihanna. When its store closed, some New Yorkers wondered: Where would they find their people again?
But as founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon reported on a video chat, they’ve never felt closer to their friends, collaborators, and communities. Last month they held an event at Chifa, Leon’s L.A. eatery, to celebrate an Herb Ritts collaboration that united the teenage punk band The Linda Lindas with Kim Gordon. Lim was beaming about having made the intro. Leon was camera-off, but he sounded like he was smiling too.
Their spring 2022 collection is a happy mash-up of all their friends and references, presented in a very “now” assortment of sweater vests, pleated skirts, pooling jeans, and fluffy Insta-friendly knits. Li Kuanzhen, the Taiwanese illustrator, created drawings of OC supergirls, from Karen O to Natasha Lyonne (and of course Sevigny and Knowles), which were lasered onto jeans and printed onto button-downs. Kuanzhen also created an entire English alphabet inspired by Chinese brush art that appeared as single letters on totes and accessories and as a devoré on silk skirts with girlish white underpinnings. The label is not only a resource for what’s cool and of the moment, but also a platform for Asian cultures and a place to celebrate their heritage. Leon said a denim cheongsam is his favorite piece this season.
Even without the OC store, the duo have managed to keep a finger on the trends. Their new lineup includes many pieces Gen Z shoppers will appreciate—oversized tees, textural knits, pastel polos. Do some pieces like a triangle pocket or an intrecciato-inspired cardigan look a little too much like what the kids are loving? Maybe, but Lim and Leon’s gift is the ability to muddle up highbrow, lowbrow, friends, and family into an eclectic new mix. This collection does it well.
