Grace Ling Opens First Store in New York

Grace Ling, the New York-based designer known for sleek 3D-printed pieces and structural gowns, will open her first retail store in early February, located between Hudson Yards and Times Square in Manhattan.

The 2,000-square-foot space will serve as a showroom for Ling’s couture clients, which include the likes of Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez, as well as for online admirers hoping to try on Ling’s highly technical pieces in person.

“People would DM me and ask, ‘Hey, can I please come to your studio and try some things on?’ but it’s just my office and it’s super messy, but I’m like, ’Okay, you can come anyway,” Ling told BoF. “You can’t experience the full extent of [the brand] unless it’s in person.”

Last year, the label became profitable for the first time since its launch in 2020, she added, which made inking a lease less of a financial risk. “The economic landscape is not great but what keeps the business afloat is that I’m really on top of it with my budgeting and expenses,” said Ling, who won the inaugural AAPI Design and Innovation Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Genesis House last year.

Currently, half of the business is direct-to-consumer e-commerce and half wholesale. The brand only works with retailers that agree to pay deposits for their orders, Ling added.

Learn more:

The Stores Defining a New Era of Multi-Brand Retail

As department stores and online giants struggle, a new generation of independent boutiques are carving out their own path for success. Often that means eschewing easy online sales, investing in brick-and-mortar offerings and taking a chance on emerging labels.