Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon have designed their avant-garde but approachable clothing line since 2002 after returning from an inspiring and life-changing trip to the open-air markets of Hong Kong. Nearly ten years later, their creations continue to excite and be relevant to the way we live and dress today. Opening Ceremony appropriates the mission statement of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern day Olympics. In 1896, de Coubertin transformed what the Ancient Greeks had created into a contemporary business venture, creatively merging sports, business, and global participation. Lim and Leon apply these elements toward their own fashion line while gathering additional inspiration from their world travels.

While their high profile collaborations with fashion powerhouses like Rodarte, Timberland, Pendleton, Keds, Levi’s Tretorn, Soludos, Robert Clergerie and actress Chloë Sevigny have generated a countless number of media headlines, their own Opening Ceremony brand has quietly gained a loyal legion of fans from New York to Tokyo; the primary reason being that the OC label reflects diversity with its wildly eclectic mix - from reserved, smartly-cut knits to ultramodern and decidedly different florals and bursts of color.

Lim and Leon’s philosophy of “occasional dressing” has trickled into their OC line. The idea behind this is that they design clothes to be worn for different types of occasions. The other pervading thought is that people dress according to mood and OC’s clothes speak to a person’s entire emotional palette. Whether it’s wicker penny loafers or a sun-bleached sweater, the design duo continues to give consumers their take on the classics by merging classical clothing pieces with unexpected elements. The result is effortless, smart casual wear that is both artful and industrial. Most recently LVMH appointed Lim and Leon as creative directors of Parisian brand, Kenzo.