Don't Call J. Mendel's Spring 2027 Collection 'Jonathan Cohen 2.0'

When Jonathan Cohen stepped into his role as J. Mendel’s first resident designer in September, it was crucial for him that his work not be viewed as an extension of his eponymous label. That separation couldn’t have been clearer at his debut runway show for the brand, which took place on Wednesday at the top floor of the One World Observatory in New York.

“I’m not trying to do Jonathan Cohen at J. Mendel,” he told Fashionista backstage after the show. “This is a J. Mendel collection, and my job is to really go in a new direction for both myself and the J. Mendel brand. I’m looking at who the client is, who the new clients could be and where those wardrobe-building aspects could be enhanced.”

Where Cohen’s eponymous brand is defined by its vibrant colors, floral prints and subversive design details, the designer’s debut J. Mendel collection homes in on the legacy brand’s penchant for craftsmanship. In fact, his starting point was a rack of multi-colored chiffon bias strips — typically used as a hidden finish — he spotted while walking through the J. Mendel atelier.

“I saw a hook that had all these drapes waiting to be sewn on the inside in the seams, and they were just lightly flowing,” he said. “I just found it so romantic. So I thought, ‘How do I take that and put it out on the outside of the clothing?'”

The resulting Spring 2027 lineup features pieces made from bias strips, manipulated around the body and hand-sewn together. This technique appears in tops, suiting and gowns. One look, a bias-strip black gown, took more than three weeks to hand-sew, Cohen revealed. Another standout piece is the finale dress, which features chiffon strips with an unraveling effect.

While Cohen was creating the collection, one priority he kept in consideration was honoring the J. Mendel woman. And who is that woman, exactly? “[She’s] overt,” he said. “She’s very direct and intentional. When she’s sexy, she’s sexy, when she’s cool, she’s cool and when she means business, she means business. There’s no dancing around it, and I thought that really reflected in today’s show.”

See every look from J. Mendel’s Spring 2027 collection in the gallery below.