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We’re all familiar with the brand—and for good reason. Cara Cara has been a runaway success since its launch, which happened mere months before the onset of the Covid pandemic. Thankfully, neither the global disruption it caused, nor the uncertainty, has slowed the brand’s remarkable upward growth. Nor has it dimmed the drive of its elegant co-founders: Julia Brown, Katie Hobbs, and Sasha Martin. The Daily had the pleasure of sitting down with these inspiring women—whom I’m also proud to call friends—to learn more about the journey that led them to launch Cara Cara, and to discuss their exciting new retail chapter: a pop-up boutique on the Upper East Side. Just in time to refresh our wardrobes for summer, read on to discover what continues to fuel their ambitions.
Elizabeth Kurpis: Tell us a bit about how and why you started the brand?
Julia Brown: I have been a fashion designer my entire career and had always dreamed of doing something smaller and more special. After thinking about it long and hard, printed dresses were what I was really good at and decided it was a great starting point. It’s still the bread and butter of our brand! But it really took meeting Sasha and Katie to bring the dream to life. They both brought the magic factor with their respective skill sets to launch Cara Cara. It’s been a wild ride with these girls!
EK: Where did the name Cara Cara come from?
Sasha Martin: We named the company after the first print we bought for the line, which featured a Cara Cara orange as the central motif. It had the look and feel of what we wanted our brand to represent–pure joy and beauty.
EK: How do you distinguish yourselves from other contemporary clothing brands?
Katie Hobbs: I think we stand out by designing for emotion rather than fleeting trends. Our collections evoke joy, romance, and escapism, resonating with a diverse clientele—from high school students selecting floral cotton poplin gowns for prom to new mothers embracing chic lounge sets for effortless holiday travel, and mothers of the bride seeking elegant reception dresses. We love evoking feelings through fashion. Julia also has such an impeccable eye for prints and color and can bring them to life on silhouettes that are both stunning and figure flattering.
EK: Who are the fashion icons from whom the brand draws inspiration?
JB: Inspiration lives everywhere. During Covid we did a print based on the birds living outside my window. It’s still one of my favorites. Tiles, nature, art. They all live in the Cara Cara prints. They are designed with much love!
Katie and her team do beautiful mood boards with tons of vintage inspo. I am drawn to vintage more than the the contemporary influencers that dominate fashion these days. I don’t really look at trends, because the idea is for these garments to live in your closet forever. The older I get, the more I want my clothes to live longer. It’s a lot of fun to wear clothes from the Cara Cara “archive.”
EK: What is your favorite fashion trend right now?
KH: We love to look back to golden fashion eras for brand inspiration, and one that I’m loving in the new collection nods to the glamour of an NYC ’70s summer. Think floaty leopard-print pieces that capture the disco spirit—there’s a bold maxi-dress that Bianca Jagger could have glided into Studio 54 wearing.
EK: What is your favorite fashion moment?
SM: Rihanna in that yellow Guo Pei robe at the Met Gala for craftsmanship, but honorable mention to Miley Cyrus walking last year’s Grammy’s red carpet in vintage Bob Mackie – rock and roll glamour to die for. A red beaded Bob Mackie dress is my brass ring! I’ve got a big birthday coming up, so I’m on the hunt for my own personal favorite fashion moment.
EK: What’s this we hear about a little Upper East Side pop-up moment…
KH: This is such a massive milestone for our brand. When the charming space at 1265 Madison Avenue became available, it felt serendipitous—especially since the brand was launched at Julia’s Upper East Side dining table five years ago. Julia and Sasha also still reside in the neighborhood with their families. The warm welcome from longtime and new clients–both local and visiting–has been heart-warming, and we hope this toe-dip leads to a permanent store soon!
EK: What was the inspiration behind the store design?
JB: The store is a temporary pop up, so the challenge was to make it beautiful and brand appropriate, but within a budget that made sense. Luckily we work with a lot of creative people! My friend and decorator, Darren Henault, and his talented assistant, Calvin, really came to the rescue. Everyone was floored with what they were able to do with a pretty basic space. Darren owns a design store called tent. He kitted it out with some of his best pieces! We were beyond thrilled with how his vision showcased our collection.
EK: I think many women dream of starting their own brand or company. What’s the best advice another female fashion executive or mentor has ever given you?
SM: For an independently owned and operated business like ours, product margin is the lifeblood of future growth. The best advice I ever got was to analyze it at every stage –development, sampling, and definitely before placing that production order. Make sure you are producing both beautiful product while also giving yourself the financial runway for your next dream collection.
EK: What milestones are you most proud of achieving since launching in 2020?
KH: The present moment feels like the most exciting chapter yet for Cara Cara. Our NYC office now houses nearly 20 incredible women—and one fabulous man—whose talent and energy inspire us daily. It’s a true “pinch me” moment to collaborate with such a dynamic team, and we’re constantly amazed by what we’re developing together.
EK: How would you spend your dream New York day?
JB:Walk in the park with my dogs, museum, shopping, lunch with friends, and dinner downtown. Since we work so much that would actually be a real treat!
Open through mid-June, the pop-up is located at 1265 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side.
All Images: Courtesy