Oushq, the New York-based e-tailer founded by “Real Housewives of New York City” star and former fashion publicist Jessel Taank, is relaunching in January in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
With the relaunch, Oushq will pivot from focusing its assortment on traditional South Asian occasion wear to casual, contemporary offerings by South Asian and Middle Eastern designers, like Dhruv Kapoor and Anamika Khanna. As part of its partnership with the CFDA — which marks the organisation’s first time backing a programme featuring talent in the Global South — a yet-to-be-announced member designer of the CFDA will collaborate with a South Asian designer to create a limited-edition collection that will be available to purchase exclusively on Oushq. The CFDA will also help guide the development and launch of the capsule collection, which is slated for the summer of 2026.
Taank is also bringing on board Akbar Hamid, to lead Oushq’s business development, partnerships and consumer base growth, while she will be more involved in design partnerships, merchandising and brand selection. The two realised they wanted to pivot to casual apparel after observing that contemporary South Asian and Middle Eastern brands had little footprint in the US market, while specialty retailers for South Asian heritage wear already existed.
“From a consumer standpoint, there is so much appetite for discovery and really investing in pieces that feel unique, that feel like they have a story and are grounded in something. … It would be so remiss not to tap into that at this early stage,” Taank, who is of British Indian descent, said.
That unique approach, in turn, appealed to the CFDA, with chief executive Steven Kolb writing in an email that they “saw a natural connection between their overall brand ethos and the CFDA’s mission of supporting our members on a global scale.” He added that the CFDA plans to partner with similar global initiatives in the future.
With the relaunch, the e-tailer’s contemporary Oushq Curated line will initially spotlight around 10 brands, with prices ranging from roughly $300 to $2,000. Oushq will continue to offer South Asian couture through its Oushq Black selection, which will feature about six exclusive capsule collections and labels, including Faraz Manan, with garments priced at $2,000 to upwards of $8,000.
The e-commerce platform is also planning a series of global pop-ups in the latter half of 2026 and early 2027, beginning in New York and reaching fashion hubs in South Asia and the Middle East, including Mumbai, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
South Asian heritage fashion, including silhouettes ranging from the kolhapuri sandal to the lehenga, is having a moment, and the Western brands cashing in have sparked outcries against cultural appropriation. Though Taank and Hamid are excited by the recent wave, their philosophy is to give credit where credit is due. The duo’s goal remains supporting South Asian and Middle Eastern designers whose creations are not yet widely available for international purchase.
“Europe has held the torch for so long in being that example of what fashion is today. But I really do feel like Indian fashion and talent from the Middle East, it’s going to come and penetrate that and really question what that looks like,” Taank said.
