CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Pink dress by Shoshanna and sequined pumps by Christian Louboutin; seashell clutch by Celestina; Palm Beach Floral bikini by Shoshanna BabyGirl; bracelets by Judith Ripka (top) and Seaman Schepps; “I love shells and sea glass and ocean colors,” says Gruss of the beach-inspired decorations in her home. BELOW: White shirtdress by Shoshanna, jewelry by Judith Ripka, and gold sandals by Manolo Blahnik.
It's not hard to see why Crain’s named designer Shoshanna Gruss one of its “40 Under 40” this past spring. With a collection that consists of three lines (Shoshanna, Shoshanna Swimwear, and Shoshanna BabyGirl) totalling more than 300 pieces per season, plus a new collaboration with friend and fellow designer Charlotte Ronson, Gruss’s business continues to thrive and expand. This is thanks in part to her commitment to a singular goal: to make clothes that fit women—especially women with ample assets up top—well.
With styles ranging from swimsuits to suiting to dresses to everything resort, Gruss seeks to instill confidence in every woman she dresses. “When someone chooses my stuff, even when they don’t have fit issues, that’s always great,” Gruss says. “But there’s a whole area of the market that’s totally ignored.”
The New York native, who lives in a tranquil Upper East Side townhouse with her husband, Josh, and their three-year-old daughter, Sienna, spent a recent afternoon with Gotham and talked about her successful beginnings, design inspiration, and no-fail relaxation strategy.
GOTHAM: You started your business in 1998 with a loan from your father, and your first line sold out at Bloomingdale’s in just days.
SHOSHANNA GRUSS: It was pretty amazing. We did a trunk show the day after Thanksgiving [1998], Black Friday, and we sold something like 70 pieces that day…. I think it really hit a nerve with people—one of the things I tried to do [with my designs] was be more inclusive of all different body types. And there’s definitely a misconception that it’s meant for just my body shape, or someone who’s got a smaller body with a big bust. Especially with swimwear, you can see that. The tops and bottoms are sold as separates—and we were certainly the first people in department stores to do that…. I was fortunate that people liked my designs, too, and it went from there.
G: And now, 10 years later, your sales have reached $12 million. Did you ever think you’d see that kind of success?
SG: My goal was always to grow the company organically, never do anything forced or unnatural, and see where it went…. I’ve always been careful with the company. I don’t do runway shows, so I don’t have to worry about cutting those costs. The designing is the fun part; the production and everything else is the nightmare.
G: What do you love most about designing?
SG: That the sky’s the limit. There’s nothing that holds you back. Of course, you have to make things that buyers and customers want. But I’m so much the consumer—when I’m not seeing something out there in the market, I can just make it, which is a dream. It’s this great creative outlet. I wake up happy and excited about it every day, and know that I’m so lucky—that I get to have my beautiful family, and have people in my office who let me be the kind of mom I want to be, and that I still have this outlet. I was fortunate also to start when I was so young—the first seven years I was here all the time, killing myself. Now I still get to be a young mom. [Laughs] I’m the class mom. I do the [parties] and come to work right after.
