Sherry Cassin brings a unique and diverse background to her role as President and Creative Director of CASSIN. The daughter of established Philadelphia Main Line and Princeton families, Sherry spent much of her childhood in Los Angeles, where she was exposed to glitzy Hollywood culture through several family members involved in the television and film industry. This alternating immersion in elite society and Hollywood glamour developed Sherry’s keen sensitivity to style, which led her in 1970 to Beverly Hills and the fashion industry. Taking a summer job at Judy’s, one of the foremost creative junior retailers in the United States, Sherry was instantly bitten by the retail bug. She quickly worked her way up through the ranks, holding various operational and merchandising positions with Capezio, Ups and Downs, and Charivari in Los Angeles and later in New York.
It was after accepting a position with the Mickey Duchon buying office that Sherry discovered her niche in the industry. Her innate entrepreneurial spirit quickly took hold and in four short years she ventured on her own, founding Sherry Cassin and Company Ltd., a boutique buying office catering to the needs of contemporary, bridge, and designer specialty stores in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Her clients, the most prestigious names in retail, included Selfridges in London, Glamourette in Singapore, Charivari in New York, Mario’s in Portland and Seattle, The 24 Collection in Miami, and Amen Wardy in Los Angeles. After fifteen years of successful business, Sherry sold her company to The Doneger Group in 1995 and assumed the position of Executive Fashion Director.
Always the creative merchant with a sense of fashion’s direction, Sherry saw a new role for herself in 1999. Feeling that fur and other luxurious organic materials were going to return as fashion must-haves after the 90s were driven by microfiber and stretch, she joined forces with Bennett Model, president of Joseph Model Associates, which specialized in fur and luxury outerwear. Together they created CASSIN, a collection of effortlessly sophisticated pieces for today’s modern and affluent customer.
Sherry’s approach to design shies away from the radical and outlandish that is the de rigueur of fashion industry, instead relying on the subtle juxtapositions of textures, colors, patterns, and materials to create a classically feminine and chic look that has broad appeal. Her belief that being fashionable should not be difficult is embodied in every style of the CASSIN line. Each piece can be dressed up for formal occasions yet seamlessly dress down for everyday use. Sherry’s understated styling also gives a wearer the freedom to adapt the garment to her own personal style, instead of being tethered to a particular stylistic look. “I don’t design furs just for Saturday nights—they have to work as well with a pair of jeans as they do with a gown,” says Sherry, referring to her design mantra.
While designers often become carried away with opulence and lose sight of value, common to every item in the CASSIN line is Sherry’s commitment to an exceptional level of craftsmanship and quality. She also recognizes the real needs of women today and through her experience as a merchant, understands the type of clothing that women feel are missing from their wardrobes. While she keeps her pulse on the present and future of fashion, Sherry never loses sight of her retailers’ and customers’ desires and needs.
With that thought in mind, Sherry continuously generates new concepts to evolve the CASSIN collection. From its origins as a collection of small fur pieces and accessories, CASSIN has expanded to include fur coats, fur-lined rainwear, and a lifestyle collection of fur pillows and throws. Most recently, Sherry launched a pręt-ŕ-porter collection of dressed-up daywear including occasion-oriented sportswear and dresses. She also continues to design furs and faux furs under the Sherry Cassin label for the contemporary market.
Jocelyn Inc. was created by noted accessories designer Jocelyn Gordon in 2001. After years of devoting her considerable talents and unique point of view to other designers, Jocelyn launched her own collection. Since then, her line has expanded to include some of the most sought after pieces in the luxury, contemporary and accessories markets.
Armed with a fabulous sense of style and an NYU degree in retailing and business, Jocelyn began her career in 1982 as a buyer. After spending two years working in the wholesale, merchandising and public relations departments at Norma Kamali, her career fast-forwarded to include designing. Hired to revamp Elizabeth Gillett, Ltd.’s scarf collection, Jocelyn tripled the company’s earnings within three years. Top buyers and editors recognized her talent and in 2001, with support from key buyers at Henri Bendel, Bloomingdales and Scoop Jocelyn Inc.’s first accessories collection was enthusiastically received.
By staying constantly ahead of the trends, Jocelyn designs each collection to include the perfect, must-have “it” items of the season. Jocelyn uses vibrant colors and luxurious embellishments to create her feminine and sexy accessories and ready to wear attracting fashion conscious women of all ages. With her rich ruffle scarves, perfectly fitted vests and lavish wraps Jocelyn has established herself as one of the most innovative contemporary accessory designers in the fur market.
Jocelyn has recently expanded her collection to include, cutting edge leather outerwear, luxury knitwear and sophisticated ready to wear.
To Jocelyn, the most inspiring part of designing accessories is the ability to make a woman feel special. “I love taking people and changing their fashion image. “I can dress anyone over from head to toe and make them feel like a million dollars.”
Jocelyn’s collection is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, NM Direct, Saks.com, and at renowned specialty retailers as Henri Bendel, Kitson, and INTERMIX, The collection is also available at Holt Renfrew and Harvey Nichols. Her designs have been featured in The New York Times, Elle Magazine, In Style , Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Lucky, WWD, New York Magazine, Us Weekly, Sex and the City and Extra.
Bennett Model’s career in fashion began with his father, who started Joseph Model Associates, Inc. in 1946. Joseph Model Associates has been a multi-functional company since the beginning, involving itself in every aspect of the luxury outerwear business from buying raw furs, leather skins, shearling, and cashmere, to merchandising collections for specialty stores and department stores throughout the world.
Bennett joined the company in 1971, working as a buyer and consultant to major department and specialty stores. After becoming president of Joseph Model Associates in 1987, Bennett began traveling the world’s many markets for buying, sourcing, and manufacturing. Through these travels Bennett became acutely aware that the fur and outerwear market was not evolving as fast as he thought it should have: it lacked a contemporary focus and didn’t seem to coincide with emerging fashion.
While consulting for The Doneger Group on luxury outerwear, Bennett met Sherry Cassin, the Executive Fashion Director, who saw the same void in the luxury outerwear market and had the creative drive to fill it. Teaming up with Sherry, CASSIN was borne out of Joseph Model Associates in 1999, applying a fresh outlook to a wonderful old industry that was badly in need of a new direction.
While Sherry’s main focus with CASSIN is its design direction, Bennett upholds CASSIN’s commitment to buying, designing, and manufacturing from the ground up to assure the level of quality and pricing needed to stay at the forefront of the industry at all times. Through highly selective positioning, CASSIN is carried in the finest department and specialty stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia, where the line has been lauded for its simple appeal and ability to be integrated into a diverse range of personal styles.
“We sell to stores that cater to the 20 year old affluent consumer, as well as the traditional salons that have been known to carry fine luxury product for decades. Our fur, leather, and cashmere combinations are being worn all year-round not just winter, and our innovative fur techniques continue to amaze those who have been buying for years and those who are just beginning their love affair with luxury materials,” says Bennett Model.
