J. Mendel returned to the runway on Wednesday afternoon with its Spring 2027 collection, marking the debut of newly appointed resident designer Jonathan Cohen. The show took place at the top of One World Observatory in New York, introducing a fresh direction for the historic fashion house while maintaining its longstanding emphasis on craftsmanship.

Cohen had little time to prepare for the presentation. He said the brand contacted him shortly before he planned to take August off, and after an interview, he returned to New York with his dog, Layla, to begin work on the collection. The entire process took approximately two months.

Honoring a Heritage of Craftsmanship

J. Mendel traces its origins to imperial Russia in the 1870s before relocating to New York in the 1980s under Gilles Mendel, a fifth-generation member of the founding family. Following a series of ownership changes and financial difficulties, the business became part of Dennis Basso’s company after filing for bankruptcy in 2018.

For Cohen, the challenge was to move the house forward without imposing the aesthetic of his own label on it. Instead, he focused on understanding J. Mendel’s identity and building on its heritage.

“I’ve always loved the house and the craft that goes behind it,” Cohen said, highlighting the brand’s more than 150-year history and its established techniques. He also praised the atelier’s experienced artisans, some of whom have worked there for three decades.

His approach centered on preserving the house’s exceptional tailoring and craftsmanship while introducing contemporary ideas that could appeal to both longtime customers and a younger audience.

Music and the Atelier Inspire the Collection

Music played an important role in Cohen’s creative process. His inspirations included classical compositions by Claude Debussy, which he discovered through a patternmaker at the J. Mendel atelier, alongside music by Adéla that he listened to through his AirPods. The contrasting sounds provided what the show notes described as overlapping sources of inspiration.

Cohen also looked inside the house’s historic garments for ideas, drawing inspiration from their construction and interiors. This exploration led to fluid designs made from strips of chiffon cut by hand, draped over the body and sewn together by hand.

The technique appeared in several forms throughout the collection. Red chiffon details featured in an asymmetric top paired with tailored baby-pink trousers, while ivory fabric was incorporated into the sides of a classic trenchcoat. Long and short dresses in sand and baby blue added further movement and softness.

The collection balanced these fluid designs with more structured pieces, including sculptural leather outerwear, a bold-shouldered tuxedo and cascading evening gowns.

Reworking Luxury for Day and Evening

Beyond eveningwear, Cohen sought to expand J. Mendel’s offering of elevated daywear, reinterpreting the house’s signature techniques for a more modern wardrobe.

Leather was a prominent feature. Although some jackets and a paperbag skirt appeared substantial, they were designed to feel soft and lightweight. Cohen used the house’s fur machine to fuse the leather pieces together, creating seamless garments without conventional seam allowances.

He also incorporated the brand’s fur heritage into a more unexpected design: luxurious basketball shorts. Other looks included twisted leather T-shirts, orange printed dresses with draping and pleating, and statement eveningwear featuring colorful, shimmering embroidery, sheer panels, cutouts and bias-cut fabric.

While some looks leaned toward heavier styling or deliberately undone finishes, the collection’s strongest chiffon designs emphasized lightness, ease and modernity.

Connecting Established Clients With a New Generation

Cohen said it was important for the collection to serve J. Mendel’s existing clientele while attracting younger customers, rather than treating the two groups as separate audiences.

The goal, he explained, was to introduce something new to established clients while making the house relevant to a younger generation. That meant retaining the craftsmanship and sophistication associated with J. Mendel while broadening its appeal beyond traditional eveningwear.

“She needs to be in Mendel all the time,” Cohen said, describing his vision for a wardrobe that would allow women to wear the brand more frequently.

Following the runway presentation, the collection was set to become available through private-order appointments at the J. Mendel store. The brand was also in discussions with select buyers, with Cohen hinting at larger plans for the future.