Whether it’s fashion, retail real estate or food, Carol Lim has been ahead of multiple curves. You’d be wise to follow her. As half of Opening Ceremony, the downtown NYC boutique that became a global brand, Lim and her business partner, Humberto Leon, not only put countless designers and Howard Street on the fashion map, they also helped put Kenzo back on top as creative directors from 2011 to 2019.
Lim and Leon met as students at Berkeley, reconnecting while working corporate fashion jobs. They envisioned Opening Ceremony as the intersection between clothing and travel, naming it after the Olympic tradition of bringing cultures together. Featuring two collaborations per year with big brands such as the North Face or Pendleton (a.k.a. “visits”), alongside clothing by the likes of Raf Simons and Rodarte and unknown designers from places like Brazil and Hong Kong, they eventually began designing their own clothes to fill the gaps. Thanks to their focus on inclusion and positivity, which were in scarce supply at the time, as well as a cool staff that was generous with its knowledge, the New York store was also an essential hangout for a certain tribe. As Chlöe Sevigny, who designed a collection with them, told New York in 2010, it felt “like your favorite indie record store, but a clothing store.” It made news when it (presciently) closed its stores in New York, L.A., Tokyo and London in January of 2020 to focus on online while they regrouped.
It’s not the only big move Lim had in store: This summer, she and her family will return to California, where she grew up. It changes her summer travel plans — and her mood, which she calls “incredibly optimistic.” Read on to learn more about Lim’s summer schemes and style staples, her packing genius and the fashion purchase that perhaps shouldn’t have made it into her suitcase from Hong Kong.
Christine Muhlke: What are your summer plans?
Carol Lim: This summer feels incredibly optimistic as we begin to navigate travel and life in a more connected way again. And the big plans for our family this summer is we are moving from New York to Los Angeles!
How are they different from your typical summer?
Our typical summers have always included travel – to somewhere known (usually visiting one of the grandparents in either LA, London or Prague) and to somewhere new. This summer is different because of our relocation. So we will take advantage of being in California and explore the areas around us.
How has your summer style changed this year?
