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Investigating Sylvie Cachay’s Tragic End at Soho House
A CBS News report first broadcast on July 16, 2016, examined whether the passing of Sylvie Cachay at New York City’s prestigious Soho House resulted from an accident or homicide. The investigation traced back to a vibrant period in her life—during a Miami summer approximately two years prior to her untimely death.
A Rising Star in Fashion
At that time, Cachay commanded attention in the swimwear industry. Designers from across America competed for recognition, yet all eyes remained fixed on her and her emerging brand, Syla. Her publicist, Lesa McHale, recalled the excitement surrounding the collection.
“You see a lot of stuff. … but it’s rare that you see wow. And that’s definitely what we felt,” McHale stated.
The media response validated her success. According to McHale, publications including Vogue, InStyle, Elle, and Lucky all covered her work extensively. The interest extended beyond mere products to Cachay herself as a distinctive fashion figure.
“It was sort of a PR dream … The coverage was across the board from InStyle, and Vogue and Lucky and Elle,” she explained. “… they were attracted not only to her product, but to her … as an individual as sort of a style-setter in her own right.”
Sports Illustrated selected her bikini designs for their swimsuit feature video. Retail success followed quickly. Ben Baker, who served as both photographer and fiancé, noted the remarkable pace of her achievements.
“She got her clothing in Barneys and all these amazing stores within the first year … which is unheard of,” Baker remarked. “I shot her look books. I was her photographer.”
Personal Life and Connections
Baker’s relationship with Cachay extended beyond professional collaboration. They became engaged in 2008. He described her captivating presence.
“She’s obviously a beautiful woman,” he said. “She’s the sort of person that, when that person walks in a room, everyone pays attention.”
Her social life centered around Soho House, an exclusive establishment. Bryan Alvarez, the venue’s former night manager, explained why she fit perfectly.
“[It] fit the criteria of what the typical member would be, someone in fashion or film,” Alvarez noted. “It’s … ah, trendy.”
Cachay enjoyed privileged membership status, granting access to the private club and pool—a destination so sought-after that “Sex in the City” dedicated an entire episode to it.
Family Background and Ambition
Friends recognized how crucial networking at the club proved for her professional advancement. McHale emphasized her fashion sensibilities.
“This is a girl who’s in fashion. She’s stylish. She’s inspired by new and fresh,” McHale observed.
Her brother, Patrick Cachay, an MIT graduate, expressed amazement at her entrepreneurial spirit. She launched her business at just twenty-nine years old.
“She really never thought she couldn’t do anything … she really believed,” Patrick said. “Starting your own fashion line might be a dream of tens of thousands of people. But actually doing it is a whole another world. And she did it.”
Cachay’s upbringing in suburban Virginia provided a foundation of privilege. Her father, Dr. Antonio Cachay, worked as a prominent surgeon, while her mother, Sylvia Cachay, pursued art. Both parents had emigrated from Peru, instilling strong work values in their daughter.
Move to New York City
When asked about concerns regarding her relocation to Manhattan, her parents remained confident.
“Did you worry about her when she moved to New York City?” Roberts asked the Cachays.
“Not really, not really from day one in New York, she started looking for jobs,” Dr. Antonio Cachay replied. “In one week she already had her job with Tommy Hilfiger,” Sylvia added.
Sylvia recalled her daughter’s bold personality even as a child.
“You could see her personality at age 3 … she wanted to walk on the streets of New York with a big ribbon like that and a bow this big. I was a little embarrassed. But she was not at all,” Sylvia continued.
Setbacks and Resilience
Success seemed inevitable, yet the 2008 financial crisis disrupted her trajectory. McHale described the challenging period for emerging designers.
“That was a terrible time for, you know, many young designers in fashion, just many designers in general,” McHale said. “Backers were pulling out.”
Cachay sought alternative funding but ultimately made the difficult choice to pause operations temporarily. Alicia Bell, a fellow designer and close friend, captured the emotional toll.
“It was definitely a death … it was her baby. It was her dream and so it was very difficult to see it go away so drastically and suddenly,” Bell said. “I would say that she was lost.”
“You know, it’s hard when you have worked your whole life and have built something and then it’s taken from you,” Bell told Roberts.
Compounding her struggles, her engagement to Baker ended during this turbulent period.
“And on the heels of that she broke off her engagement?” Roberts asked.
“Right. With Ben. That ended. It was a very troubling time for her,” Bell replied.
Bell believed Cachay ended the relationship to focus on rebuilding her career. McHale confirmed the difficulty of that phase.
“It was really tough. I mean, she was down,” McHale said.
Recovery and New Beginnings
Cheri Fogelman, Cachay’s gym trainer, noticed the physical impact of her struggles.
“She wasn’t eating right. She lost a lot of weight actually,” Fogelman explained. “She just was so sad.”
Patrick encouraged her to secure employment for financial stability. She accepted a position as lead designer for Anne Cole swimwear, though friends sensed her heart remained with her own brand.
“And I said, ‘You know, at some point, you do have to get a job because, you know, you need income to survive the crisis,'” Patrick said. “She went and actually got a very good job.”
Then, in the summer of 2010, something shifted. Nicholas Brooks entered her life, redirecting her attention toward a new chapter.
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