After 18-years, Opening Ceremony, the American clothing brand and retailer, has decided to close its doors. Starting off as a brick and mortar shop in Lower Manhattan in 2002, the company has gone to gain a cult following. Supporting young designers, collaborating with the likes of Chloë Sevigny, and creating collections of its own, the decision to shut up shop was announced on the label’s Instagram last night. 

“It’s incredibly emotional for us to announce today that we will be closing our Opening Ceremony retail locations sometime in 2020,” the brand’s founders, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon wrote. “We’ve made a decision to focus on growing Opening Ceremony collection and brand… (which) takes the beautiful spirit of experimentation, fun and collaboration embodied in our stores and imbues this energy into the clothing we make.”

This news follows the acquisition of Opening Ceremony by Italian fashion company New Guards Group, owned by Farfetch. Announced yesterday, the group, which also owns Off-White, went onto state its plans to relocate Opening Ceremony’s in-house production line to Milan and move the retailer’s website to Farfetch. 

Opening Ceremony has gained a legion of fans for its fresh take on the fashion retail experience, but Lim and Leon cited that the changing fashion landscape, which has affected how people shop, as part of their decision to close its four shops in LA, Japan, and New York. 

“In this time of immense change in the way that people shop, we still believe in the power of passionate unique retail. But we also believe in the necessity for change, reflection, and an opportunity to refresh,” they said. 

However, the post did allude that this decision may only be temporary, with the brand hoping to “come back with an experience that is just as inspiring, filled with love and relevant for the years ahead as Opening Ceremony has been.” 

Going on to thank their collaborators, friends, family, and employees, Lim and Leon said, “as children of immigrants who grew up in the suburbs… we feel incredibly lucky to have been able to even start this company. It is a thank you to you and to everyone who has stepped foot in our stores, offices, (and) fashion shows.”