F
or as long as she can remember, Carly Cushnie,
35, wanted to be a fashion designer. Her path was
clear: She received a degree from Parsons School
of Design in New York City and launched Cushnie et
Ochs, a luxury women’s line, almost immediately after
with her friend Michelle Ochs. Ten years later, in 2018,
the two parted ways and Cushnie became the major-
ity owner, creative director and CEO of her eponymous
outfit. Her career is an anomaly—there are so few Black
women at the helm of a luxury fashion business. Here the
London-born, New York City–based entrepreneur opens
up about her road to success.ESSENCE: What was the most challenging aspect of
launching your own company?
CARLY CUSHNIE: Everything. There are numerous aspects
of the business to juggle all at once, but I’d say that cash flow
was definitely one of the most challenging. When starting a
fashion label, you have to pay for everything up front, as no
one knows who you are yet. Then once your brand begins tomake money, you have to manage funds
appropriately to keep production mov-
ing and meet your delivery deadlines.ESSENCE: Tell us about your path in
fashion before Cushnie et Ochs.
CUSHNIE: At Parsons I gained invalu-
able experience through internships
with Donna Karan, Proenza Schouler
and Oscar de la Renta. I saw the inner
workings of three very different brands.ESSENCE: What triumphs have you
had since becoming the majority
owner of what is now Cushnie?
CUSHNIE: Rebranding the company
marked the beginning of an incredible new
chapter for me. I’ve been overwhelmed by
the positive responses to the evolution of
the collection since going out on my own.ESSENCE: What does it take to be a Black
woman running a major fashion label?
CUSHNIE: Although there are many
women working in the field, it’s still very
much a boys’ club at the executive level
of top design houses. Women designers
are often labeled as being “practical” in
their aesthetic compared with their male
counterparts, who offer the “fantasy.” As
a woman in fashion, you have to have
a strong point of view that stands out
and doesn’t waver under critique. And
as a Black designer, it’s very easy to be
pigeonholed based on what the indus-
try assumes you will do. It took a lot of
work for me to break those preconcep-
tions, especially when there are very few
examples to aspire to.Carly Cushnie has taken the reins of her namesake brand,
and she’s not turning backUNBOSSEDA Label of Her Own
As a woman
in fashion,
you have to
have a strong
point of view
that doesn’t
waver under
critique.”Carly Cushnie (left and inset),
creative director and CEO
of her eponymous company,
continues making her mark.BY MARQUITA K. HARRISEXCLUSIVE
To learn more about Carly
Cushnie’s career, check
out the UnBossed podcast,
hosted by ESSENCE Senior
Editor Marquita K. Harris.(^) W
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