Jonathan Cohen FW21

This collection is the culmination of a series of fundamental shifts that occurred over the past year in terms of our business model, production, personal creative perspective and the broader cultural moment. It represents a new outlook on fashion as a means of individual expression and conscientious choice.

The collection was designed in 2020, during several weeks of COVID-19’s first-wave in New York, which I chose to spend with my family in my childhood home in San Diego. Time in my mother’s garden as well as the film What Dreams May Come inspired this season’s signature floral prints. In the film, Robin Williams’ character passes and his idea of heaven is living in his wife’s paintings. When he touches the flowers in her paintings, they smudge, an effect that’s echoed in my prints this season. Reflecting on the state of the world in light of the pandemic, what it meant for the future of fashion and the act of getting dressed inspired a joyful ease to the lineup’s shapes and vivid colors.

I think everyone took this time to question what they're doing and why they're doing it. When COVID hit, we were in Paris. All of the buyers were being pulled out and orders were cancelled. While we did not produce our FW20 collection, we also choose to skip the SS21 season. It was nice not to jump into a collection right away and absorb what was going on around us.

It allowed me to hone our brand tenets. Florals have always anchored my aesthetic yet being in my mother’s garden deepened my appreciation of flowers, the importance of the comfort and beauty they provide. Likewise, the concept of fashion as personal pleasure, something that simply makes you feel good. Of this season’s prints, I include a Dalmatian dot and a stripe inspired by Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon cover. The florals feature magnolias, tulips and ranunculus in a vivid palette of marigold, magenta and violet with a new sense of space.

I wanted the silhouettes to be feminine yet unfussy, almost as if we’re reminding people how to dress up again. There are shirtdresses, both fluid and tailored, as well as A-line pleated skirts, embroidered knitwear and the tailored wrap coat style. Specialty items include a gown and chambray denim suit hand-painted with oversized floral motifs.

Responsibility remains a key initiative that we try to progress every season. With this collection, we moved our production to Italy, where we source most of our fabrics, thus saving on shipping emissions and costs. Many of the pieces, including a series of patchwork smocked dresses and shirts, are crafted from remnant fabrics from previous seasons. We also worked with local deadstocks from Carolina Herrera. A new category of layering pieces — leggings, T-shirts and dresses for daily wear and underpinnings, is made entirely from recycled polyester.

The collection is divided into three deliveries, and for the first time starting May 10th, will be available on our website as well as in retailers.