Cushnie: Weathering Covid-19

Perhaps one of the most resilient women in fashion, Carly Cushnie cannot be kept down. As a mother, designer, creative and powerhouse designer, this woman has nothing but greatness in her past, present and future.

In October, 2020, the New York Times reported the closing of one of the most prominent namesake brands in their city and the world: CUSHNIE, due to Covid-19. By October 2020, the Jamaican fashion designer had bid farewell to her twelve years of operation.

“While my brand has persevered through unending headwinds, the effects of COVID-19 have hurt my business beyond repair, and it is with great sadness that I share Cushnie will be closing its doors,” read an open letter to Women’s Wear Daily.

Transitioning inside due to the pandemic, she celebrated the birth of her second child while quarantining as the world shut down life as well as businesses globally.

Even before her start as super-mom, Cushnie was a little bit of a master of the fashion industry. She was half of the partnership, Cushnie et Ohs, founded in 2008 by Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs, upon their graduation from Parsons School of Design. Their modern, clean-cut designs developed a prominent name in New York and global fashion. In 2011, the pair made headlines when First Lady Michelle Obama chose one of their dresses to a holiday party in December.

Nothing like a little #blackgirlmagic, as Michelle Obama continues to support black designers and remain a powerful fashion icon worldwide.

From there, show after show exhibited their masterpiece designs until celebration of their 10th anniversary at New York Fashion Week, when Ochs announced that she would be leaving the company. From there, Cushnie flew solo. By May 2020, Cushnie had launched a line with Target, and made headlines as a prominently black-owned company. She continued to expand her domain to other creative outlets, from fashion design to interior design. These successes were not enough for Cushnie to remain operational as a brand. Just five months later, she would close her doors to her design brand, Cushnie, for good.

Source: Fashion News

A pandemic and the birth of beautiful new children does not mean the end of the incredible talent that is Cushnie. Trained at the Parsons School of Design and a highly decorated designer, Cushnie is innovative. She's currently working on limited edition and interior design projects that push her creativity to the next level, as well as being an incredible mom. While it is difficult to see one chapter close, many more have opened for the designer. We just need to wait and see what she will choose to do next.