Gypsy Warriors of Fashion Now Call Ridgewood Home

Two young ladies with an eye for fashion are realizing real-world success with bricks and mortar in Ridgewood after hitting it big in e-commerce.

Gypsy Warrior co-founders Nicla DiCosmo and Michel Bezoza are Bergen natives who have made Hudson Street in downtown Ridgewood their home for business. And residents of the town seem to have taken a charm to their unique sense of style.

The fledging clothing business originally started as an online operation a year-and-a-half ago. With the success in e-retail, DiCosmo and Bezoza decided to expand to a physical location. “We wanted to bring the online store to life by opening a retail space,” Bezoza said.

Since the opening of the store in the fall, the co-founders have enjoyed the experience of partaking in the shopping experience with the shoppers, noting there is a big difference in attending a customer person-to-person versus one that is shopping online.

“Teaching or showing how to put together an outfit is always really fun,” said Bezoza said.

DiCosmo, from Fair Lawn, and Bezoza, who attended Northern Highlands, met at Rutgers University during their junior year as art students and often spoke of owning a clothing business.

DiCosmo stated that prior to launching the website their experience in the fashion industry was crucial to their success. DiCosmo worked as an assistant art director at Ford Models, while Bezoza started and operated small indie clothing brands. The combined knowledge of fashion and business helped bring Gypsy Warrior to life.

“It was now or never. We figured, ‘Let’s start it and see what happens,’” DiCosmo remarked.

Gypsy Warrior offers fashion that is unique and accessible. While the co-founders of the clothing boutique differ in their preference of style, they believe they’ve done a good job of blending their personal tastes together that appeal to the audience. Gypsy Warrior’s style of clothing is a mix of high-fashion and rock and roll, with the vintage bohemian look of the 60s and 70s.

“The goal was to make Gypsy Warrior like nothing you’ll find [elsewhere],” Bezosa smiled.

Among the bigger challenges in making the business a success is incorporating a line of clothing that was affordable to the consumer while not sacrificing artistic quality and stocking items that would appeal to women of all ages, the pair said.

“People have said our look stands out. It takes things from mainstream while staying on-trend and not trendy,” Bezoza continued, “We try to keep our eye on making it something that’s accessible to anyone without breaking the bank. It was a tough task.”

As a result, shoppers in Ridgewood have a new location that showcases clothing that is unlikely to be found in other areas while still maintaining a decent price. 

With the holiday season in swing, the store will be offering periodic sales throughout December. DiCosmo and Bezoza recommend signing up to their on-line newsletter on their website to be informed of the holiday sales and extended shopping hours.

Gypsy Warrior is open Tuesday through Saturday and is located at 43 Hudson Street.