Gruss started the line in New York with a loan from her father, founding and serving as creative director of a brand known for flattering, feminine ready-to-wear. In 2013, Elizabeth Arden named her the company's first-ever Style Director, a role in which she served as spokeswoman and design adviser.
Shoshanna
New York femininity by design — dresses cut to flatter every body type.
The Shoshanna pieces worth knowing
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Shoshanna shopping FAQ
Is Shoshanna swimwear worth it?+
If fit is your priority, Shoshanna is one of the more thoughtful options. The label was built around women's fashions for different body types, and loyal customers most often praise how its swim and dresses flatter a range of shapes. You are paying a contemporary price, so it tends to be worth it when a piece sits right on you rather than bought purely on the print.
Are Shoshanna dresses or its swimwear the better buy?+
Both have devoted followings, but the dresses tend to draw the most consistent praise for flattering a curvier figure, while the swim is loved for its prints and supportive fit. Since the whole brand is grounded in dressing different body types, the right answer really comes down to which silhouette suits you. Many fans own both and rate the fit across the board.
Does Shoshanna fit busty or curvy figures well?+
That is much of the brand's reputation. Shoshanna was founded on the idea of women's fashions for different body types, and shoppers frequently single it out for flattering fuller busts and curves without looking boxy. If standard cuts often fail you, it is a label worth trying on first rather than dismissing on size alone.
Who founded Shoshanna and when?+
The label was launched in 1998 by American designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, who remains its founder and creative director. She started it with a loan from her father, Zach Lonstein, building an eponymous line from the ground up.
Is Shoshanna an American brand?+
Yes. Shoshanna is an American fashion label founded by Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, an American writer and designer, when it launched in 1998. Its identity is rooted in US contemporary womenswear rather than a European fashion house.
What is Shoshanna known for?+
Designing for real women's shapes. From the start the brand focused on women's fashions for different body types, and that fit-first philosophy is what has carried its reputation through dresses and swimwear alike. It is a name shoppers reach for when flattering cut matters as much as the look.
What does the name Shoshanna mean for the brand?+
It is the founder's own name. The label is the eponymous line of Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, so the brand and the designer are one and the same. That personal connection is part of why the collections feel guided by a single, consistent point of view on fit.
Did Shoshanna's founder hold any notable industry role?+
Yes. In 2013, Elizabeth Arden, Inc. named Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss the brand's first-ever Style Director, a role in which she served as a spokeswoman and adviser for the design label. It was a notable mark of recognition for the designer beyond her own fashion line.
Which Shoshanna piece should I buy first?+
Start with whichever category fits your need most, but a flattering dress is the easiest entry point given how reliably the brand is praised for cut. Because the line is built around dressing different body types, the first piece that fits you well is the one most likely to make you a repeat buyer. Try a couple of silhouettes on before committing.
How should I think about sizing in Shoshanna?+
Treat fit as the whole point and let it guide your choice rather than defaulting to your usual number. The brand's roots are in serving different body types, so trying pieces on, or buying from retailers with easy returns, is the smart approach. Getting the right size is what separates a piece that delights from one that disappoints.