Spotlight on Designer-Priestess NYC

PROOF POSITIVE Designer Cody Ross proves that fashion and finance is a winning combination In his West Village townhouse cum-atelier, creative force Cody Ross recalls his earliest fashion memory: “Dressing in punk-rock gear when I was 6 or 7 for Halloween and not taking it off till I was out of college…lots of spikes, and tons of red and orange hair dye” he laughs “Actually, I still do that today.” It's not exactly what you'd expect from someone with a BSc from the London School of Economics, but Ross is full of surprises. After working for years in Asia as a financial analyst, he decided to make a drastic career change. “The temptation to remove myself from the structures and routine became too strong.” Influenced to finally follow his passion, he studied pattern-construction and design in London and fine-tuned his skills with designer Ly Minh Khong of Denmark before returning to the states to launch his ‘directional' fashion line in late 2007. Financial analyst and designer may seem like an odd mix to some, “[but] fashion and finance actually have a lot of overlap,” the designer insists. It's no wonder Ross is a fan of quirky combinations. Within a mere two seasons, Priestess NYC has managed several glowing mentions in major fashion publications and is quietly amassing a following of actors, musicians and super-models. In a whirlwind of accomplishments, the modest designer is wary of the fickle fashion industry. “ Fashion is by definition ephemeral. I'm hesitant to say that I'm successful at it. I think success is synonymous with productive achievement and it's about the constant pursuit of goals and values, sometimes creative, sometimes monetary…and I'm still in pursuit of those things!” Heeding advice from his dad “Always be honest in your dealings with others,” Cody looks to the future. And where does this refreshingly humble designer see himself in five years? “Hopefully sitting atop a cool fashion label making creative stuff.” I for one am positive that Priestess NYC will continue to blossom into a powerhouse label with style that you can count on.–QOP

Priestess NYC can be purchased at Barney's, through direct mail order or by appointment with the designer himself at Priestess NYC's West Village headquarters. Priestess NYC select stock list:Sucre (NYC) TG-170 (NYC) Jesse James (NYC) Eva (NYC) Twist (NJ) Ad Hoc(Shanghai) D-mop (Hong Kong) WeOneYouTwo (DC) Rebel (Canada) Twist(NJ)Clothes Minded (VA) Shine (Beijing), ACE (Tokyo), Ambush (Singapore); special collaborations with GRETA CAVAZZONI www.gretacavazzoni.com (NYC/Rome), Thistle & Clover (Brooklyn, NY) Visit www.PriestessNYC.com for more information. Email Cody:mailto:cody@priestessnyc.com?subject=I%20found%20PriestessNYC%20on%20Queen%20of%20Preen.com%21