Jacob Cohën appoints Matthew Adams Dolan as head of women's collections

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Cassidy STEPHENS

Published
Feb 2, 2023

Jacob Cohën has entrusted its women's collections to Matthew Adams Dolan. The Italian premium denim specialist, which has been investing in its women's line for two years to give it a more fashionable positioning, is strengthening its team with the arrival of the American designer. Starting with the spring-summer 2024 season, he will work on the main collection and the more upmarket Jacob Cohën Couture line, under the creative direction of Jennifer Tommasi Bardelle, who has been at the helm of the house since the death in 2012 of her husband Nicola Bardelle, founder of Jacob Cohën in 2002.

Born in Massachusetts, Matthew Adams Dolan, aged 36 grew up in Australia, then Japan and Switzerland before returning to the US, where he graduated from the MFA Fashion Design and Society Program at Parsons School for Design in New York in 2014. The following year, he launched his brand inspired by the history of American clothing, focusing on traditional sportswear and denim. In the following years, he was selected to participate in major fashion competitions such as the LVMH Prize, CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and International Woolmark Prize. Since 2020, he has suspended his brand, focusing on collaborations such as the one with Rihanna for her Fenty x Puma and Fenty collections.
 
Matthew Adams Dolan arrived at Jacob Cohën last July to design a capsule collection centred on denim total looks. On that occasion, Jennifer Tommasi Bardelle declared that she had rediscovered in him the creative impetus of her husband Nicola. "Matthew Adams Dolan's style and creativity are perfect for telling the story of Jacob Cohen's evolution in the fashion world. Matthew has embraced the style codes that define the brand, without altering its DNA," she says in a statement.

"I am delighted to be able to work on all aspects of Jacob Cohën's women's collections, and I am certain that I will continue to bring my know-how and stylistic flair to the brand, while fully respecting its codes," added the designer.
 
In 2020, Jacob Cohën took over its production and distribution internally through the creation of the joint venture JC Industry, in partnership with the group specialising in Sinv licences, and has since been accelerating on all fronts (digital, distribution, international, etc.), with the aim of achieving a turnover of 100 million euros by 2025.