Gryphon Label Closes its Doors

Gryphon, the apparel label founded in 2006 by Aimee Cho and Andrew Rosen, will cease operations after shipping its fall merchandise to retailers.

Women’s Wear Daily reports that Cho cited slowing sales as a key factor in the decision to close the company. “There comes a time when either a line takes off or it plateaus. And I don’t think we ever reached our taking-off point, for whatever reason,” she said. “The marketplace is so crowded. It took a lot of soul-searching.”

About 50 retail accounts carried Gryphon in recent seasons, including Saks Fifth Avenue. 

Rosen gave up his half of the company a year ago. He is now global ceo of the Theory and Helmut Lang units of Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. (Yamaguchi, Japan), which also owns Uniqlo.

Cho, who sold Rosen’s shares to Los Angeles investor Armen Gregorian, said the decision to shut Gryphon down was “amicable and mutual.”

Cho told WWD she is working on a new women’s apparel venture with a group of partners that will launch in the spring, but declined to provide any other details.

Before launching Gryphon, she was a fashion writer at Vogue.