Michelle Ochs
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Michelle Ochs | |
|---|---|
 Ochs's Portrait | |
| Born | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Alma mater | Parsons School of Design |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Title |
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| Awards | Ecco Domani Award |
Michelle Ochs is an American fashion designer and Creative Director.[1] She rose to prominence as co-founder of Cushnie et Ochs,[2] founder of Et Ochs[3] in 2021 and since 2023 is the Creative Director of Hervé Léger.[4] Since then, Ochs has made an impact on the fashion scene with her signature sleek aesthetic and daring silhouettes.[5]
She is the winner of the 2009 Ecco Domani Award, a finalist for the 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, a nominee for the 2012 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear and 2010 Fashion Group International Rising Star Award, and Forbes 30 under 30.[6] and received multiple nominations for the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award.[7]
She has been an active member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 2012.[8]
She is also the Founder and Creative Director of ET OCHS, which was launched in 2021.[9]
She was born in Calgary, Alberta[10] and raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and completed a military high school education in Washington, DC.[11] Her early interest in fashion and design led her to pursue formal education in the field.[12] She is of mixed German and Filipino heritage.[13]
Ochs attended Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design.[14] She received the Designer of the Year award in 2007.[15]
During her time at Parsons, she worked as a design intern for Marc Jacobs before moving on to Isaac Mizrahi's Made to Order.[14] She also interned at Chado Ralph Rucci's workshop, where she learned firsthand about the couture processes.[16]
Career
Ochs, along with her business partner, established their fashion brand Cushnie et Ochs in 2008 following their graduation from Parsons New School for Design.[17] The brand's debut collection for Spring 2009 was exclusively retailed at Bergdorf Goodman in New York.[18]
In 2018, she announced her departure from Cushnie et Ochs.[19][20] As Creative Director, Ochs played a role in shaping the brand's aesthetic and vision.[21] Her designs were celebrated for their sophistication, and attention to detail.[22] During her tenure, the line became synonymous with modern femininity, attracting fashion enthusiasts and celebrities alike.[19]
In 2012, at just 27 years old, Ochs experienced a pivotal moment when a stylist from Michelle Obama's office reached out to their brand to design a dress for the First Lady.[23]
Her designs have become red carpet staples, she designed for Karlie Kloss,[24] Beyoncé,[25] Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Michelle Obama, Reese Witherspoon, and Diane Kruger.[26] She has also designed for Zoe Saldana,[27] Margot Robbie[28] and Kate Hudson.[22]
In 2021, Ochs relaunched her eponymous label, ET OCHS.[29] She partnered with JS Group, a Canadian family-run business which owns and operates several womenswear brands.[3] Ochs debuted her first Spring 2022 collection as a part of New York Fashion Week.[30][3]
In 2023, she was appointed as the Creative Director of Hervé Léger in a bid to revitalize the brand.[31] Her debut Spring 2024 collection[32] for the brand focused on adding dimension, movement, and fluidity to the brand's signature bandage dresses, expanding into streamlined separates like pants, jumpsuits, and tops.[33] Ochs has infused modern touches into classic designs, and takes inspiration from Hervé Léger's extensive archives.[34] Since taking the reins, she has breathed new life the label known for its signature bandage dress and expanding its offerings beyond the signature bandage silhouette.[35]