Kujten Cashmere Brand Plans SoHo, Aspen and Miami Stores
Parisian cashmere label Kujten is adding three U.S. stores after opening its first American location on Madison Avenue last year. The new shops will be in SoHo, Aspen, and Miami, with SoHo opening in late October, Aspen in November, and Miami by February. Cofounder Carole Benaroya said the Madison Avenue store's strong performance encouraged the expansion, and Aspen fits the brand's existing mountain-resort presence in Europe.
Kujten was started in 2012 by Carole Benaroya and Stephanie Eriksson, friends who met as teenagers. Benaroya worked in finance at Goldman Sachs in London, while Eriksson studied fashion and later joined Joseph. They reconnected in their thirties and built a label centered on colorful cashmere, from everyday essentials to standout pieces, naming it for Mongolia’s tallest mountain.
The brand already runs 60 shops outside America, where the U.S. generates roughly a tenth of revenue via direct sales and wholesale. After its Madison Avenue debut, Kujten signed leases for SoHo, Aspen, and Bal Harbour. It is also eyeing Boston and Chicago soon, with Los Angeles a longer-term possibility.
Kujten’s U.S. expansion may reinforce luxury cashmere’s presence in affluent shopping districts, potentially drawing fashion-focused tourists and local high-income shoppers. It could increase competition for nearby boutiques and create retail jobs, while also raising questions about whether resort and city markets can sustain more high-end stores. The brand’s growth may signal continued appetite for European niche labels among American consumers.