About Carol Lim & Humberto Leon
Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, two friends from UC Berkeley founded Opening Ceremony in 2002 as a place to share their passions for travel, art, and fashion. Inspired by a trip to Hong Kong, the two decided to leave their jobs in corporate fashion to realize their unique dream. What began as a single store on a quiet street in downtown New York is now a global community with outposts in New York and Los Angeles, a department store in Tokyo, a wholesale showroom, an in-house clothing line, a blog, and an e-commerce site.
Taking its name and mission statement from the modern Olympic Games, founded by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, Opening Ceremony adopts a multinational approach to retail. In addition to stocking both iconic and emerging homegrown designers, every year OC showcases the spirit and merchandise of a visiting country, transforming each store into a marketplace for exotic souvenirs and international talent.
Today, OC continues to grow according to its founding principles of exploration and friendship, working with a family of contributors to forge a creative environment that reaches far beyond the fashion world. Over the years, Opening Ceremony has collaborated with brands including Rodarte, Topshop, Pendleton, and Maison Martin Margiela, and has become known for its projects with creatives like Spike Jonze, Terence Koh, and Chloë Sevigny. In 2011, Carol and Humberto embarked on a new journey as the creative directors of Kenzo, taking the storied French fashion house into a colorful new chapter.
About Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony was founded in September 2002 in New York by Carol Lim and Humberto Leon—with the idea of bringing their love of travel and fashion to a concept boutique. The company has grown to encompass retail outlets in New York, Los Angeles, Nagoya, and Tokyo; the Opening Ceremony ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear collections for men and women; a wholesale showroom in New York; and a comprehensive online platform at openingceremony.com. Opening Ceremony has also become known for its myriad innovative collaborations, including with style icon Chloë Sevigny and filmmaker Spike Jonze. For more information on Opening Ceremony, please visit www.openingceremony.com.
(Photo: Portrait of Humberto Leon & Carol Lim, photography by Inez & Vinoodh)
About Carol Lim & Humberto Leon
WEDNESDAY MAY 3
6PM COCKTAILS
8PM DINNER & DANCING
CITY POINT
445 ALBEE SQUARE WEST
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN