Zero + Maria Cornejo celebrates 5-year milestone

Maria Cornejo, New York-based fashion designer, just celebrated five years at her Melrose Place location. The designer’s milestone marks five years at the location, but in actuality 17 of retail history for Cornejo.

The store, occupying 2,000 square feet, opened on Melrose Place neighboring The Row, A.P.C. and a couple of other high-end boutiques. “We moved into the area when the area was in a recession,” Cornejo told Style.com of the opening. In 2010, Marc Jacobs was the most notable fashion retailer of the street. Since then, Cornejo has carefully crafted her designs and line in order to create a timeless, edgy womenswear brand entitled Zero + Maria Cornejo. In order to further celebrate, Zero + Maria Cornejo also presented a shopping experience donating to Every Mother Counts. Every Mother Counts is an organization that assists disadvantaged pregnant women. On Friday, co-hosts such as Bibi Cornejo, Marisa Tomei, Nina Clemente and others also stopped by to honor the milestone. “I’ve been an ardent admirer since Mott Street, where she was a real beachhead, and she’s been a beachhead here [on Melrose Place], as well,” Tomei told Style.com.

The retail concept opened in 1998 by Maria Cornejo. The Chilean-born designer transformed the brand into contemporary, stylish womenswear when she moved to New York. Her transition to New York also led to the addition of the name “Zero” into the overall designer line. Seventy percent of her collections are produced in New York City’s Garment District, whereas the rest are produced in independent factories in Italy. The brand currently operates two stores: one in Los Angeles and New York. The line is also available through its website, Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, and more.