About Us
Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, & Philanthropist Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss
For 27 years, Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss has revolutionized how women dress, pioneering inclusive sizing in swimwear and creating celebration-worthy fashion made in New York.
Shoshanna: The Fashion Designer Revolutionizing How Women Dress
Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss is the founder and creative director of Shoshanna, her eponymous fashion brand and collection, which debuted in stores in November 1998. Gruss revolutionized dress departments nationwide with the launch of her first women's dress collection.
Her dedication to fitting and flattering the female body while indulging in whimsical details was a refreshing change from the contemporary offerings of the moment. Gruss continued to make waves in the fashion industry and marketplace with the launch of her Shoshanna swimwear collection in the Spring of 2001.
She was the first to pioneer a change in the swimwear industry by selling swimsuit tops and bottoms as separates with lingerie-inspired sizing, taking a revolutionary approach to inclusive sizing that prioritized fit and comfort.
From UCLA History Major to Fashion Entrepreneur
Shoshanna was born and raised in Manhattan where she honed her personal aesthetic and developed her eye for the distinctive details that epitomize her collection. After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles with degrees in History and Art History, She eschewed the prescribed career path and chose to explore her interests in fashion at the ground level, working at a New York City lingerie factory.
This experience provided an invaluable education in fashion design, fabric sourcing, and garment construction. Armed with her newly acquired knowledge, Gruss created a collection of dresses that spoke to her personal fashion frustrations.
Designing for Every Milestone: Shoshanna Dresses, Swimwear & Mother-Daughter Moments
The Shoshanna brand continues to speak to women’s fashion needs and aspirations. The Shoshanna aesthetic has always been feminine and distinctive, utilizing bold colors and unique details. With the arrival of her first child in 2005, Gruss introduced a line of children’s swimwear, Shoshanna Baby Girl, featuring matching mother-daughter swimsuits. The collection expanded into boys’ swimwear shortly after her son was born. In 2015, Gruss felt there was a void in the eveningwear market and launched Shoshanna Midnight, a separate evening gown and formal dress line with all pieces retailing under $800, making luxury evening wear accessible to more women.
Made in New York: Why Shoshanna Keeps Fashion Local
In the Fall of 2013, Elizabeth Arden named Shoshanna the brand’s first-ever Style Director. In this role, Shoshanna served as a spokesperson, content curator, and style ambassador, collaborating closely with the iconic beauty brand on everything from trend forecasting and design to innovation. As a Manhattan-born, New York City native and business owner, Gruss is passionate about producing clothing and dresses locally and supporting the NYC Garment District. In 2016, Shoshanna received the Made in NY mark of distinction. Today, several pieces of her ready-to-wear fashion collection of evening dresses, and swimwear designs are made in the USA, Headquartered in New York City.
27 Years of Innovation: From Saks Collaborations to Inclusive Sizing
In celebration of her 20th anniversary, Shoshanna partnered with luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue to design an anniversary capsule collection for the retailer. The collection, exclusive to Saks, featured six pieces in both ready-to-wear and swimwear categories. In 2018, Shoshanna collaborated with New York-based accessory company, Hat Attack, to create a vacation collection featuring accessories. The pieces incorporated prints from the Shoshanna Swim 2019 collection and were sold on Anthropologie, ShopBop, and Zappos. In 2019, Gruss partnered with Gwynnie Bee to launch an exclusive line, C’est Nous, featuring extended sizing, furthering her commitment to inclusive fashion and size diversity that began with her revolutionary swimwear separates. Shoshanna's continued success is a testament to her passion for both women and the fashion industry.
From Meghan Markle's Closet to Designer Boutiques Worldwide
After 27 years of dedication and innovation, the Shoshanna clothing brand collection has developed a legion of fans, including actress Mindy Kaling, actress Isla Fisher, television host Kelly Ripa, and The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who wore a Shoshanna dress to high-profile events. The Shoshanna brand has also been spotted on Lupita Nyong'o, Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon, and Sasha Obama. The collection can be found in luxury retailers like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, ShopBop, and Anthropologie as well as over 500 specialty boutiques and stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The complete Shoshanna collection, from cocktail dresses to swimwear, is available to shop online at www.shoshanna.com worldwide.
Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss Now: Entrepreneur, Mother & Philanthropist
Today, in addition to running a successful luxury fashion business and raising her three beautiful children, Shoshanna is also involved in philanthropic endeavors. She considers service to the community she was raised in to be a privilege and a responsibility. Her philanthropic commitments include The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering where she has served as a chairwoman, The Blue Card, and several other New York City organizations.
Giving Back to Her Manhattan Roots: Supporting the Schools & Community That Raised Her
Shoshanna is also actively involved in the board of Nightingale-Bamford, an all girls' school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that provided her with an excellent primary and secondary education and where her daughter is currently enrolled. Giving back to Manhattan and providing positive role models for young women everywhere are two goals Gruss has continued to achieve since founding Shoshanna in 1998.
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