The Tamesis
The new year brings a new beginning for Jonathan Cohen, who is collaborating with Marina and Ricardo Larude to consolidate the production of his finished products into a factory in Brazil. Going forward, Cohen will be showcasing his work under both the White Label and Black Label lines; the former is available in a see-now-buy-now format, while the more intricately crafted Black Label is released in off-the-shelf format. “We saw an opportunity to bring more creatives into this power machine that we could create in the form of a company and then add their layers so they could just handle the creative part,” says Marina Larroudé. “So the vision, the product, the design — all of it — is Jonathan’s, but it’s powered by us as the backend.”
While you won’t see Cohen wearing the collection’s dresses, separates, and shoes (yes, the scarves), he designed it for himself because it’s aimed at an “aspirational customer,” someone he identifies with, and someone he feels is “totally shunned and ignored.” Jonathan Cohen White Label is essentially what is sometimes called a contemporary or bridge collection, meaning well thought out designs within an affordable price range. For fifteen years, he’s known what his customers want in terms of fit and fun. Rather than focusing on conceptual design, Cohen focused on the design of solutions. Not only do these looks fit easily into existing wardrobes, but the designer anticipates the wearer’s needs, pre-tied and carefully draping cropped white button-down shirts and incorporating his on-trend corsetry into the dresses.
There are few silhouettes, shirtdresses, pants, tops, wraps and skirts. Yet the same pieces, made in denim or black satin upcycled from the Larroudé factory (sustainability remains a brand value), read very differently. Cohen loves prints, and he hand-painted the drop with black and white stripes; there’s also a small red flower. This time, the color appears in the details rather than the primary material. Zigzag stitching and custom buttons in multiple colors finish off most looks. There’s a playful feel to these effortless pieces that feel like they’re in the tradition of 7th Avenue stars like Stephen Burrows and Byron Lars.
