Vintage-inspired denim from a heritage Italian brand
Over three decades of denim expertise lay the groundwork for Italian brand Jacob Cohën’s latest collection

The luxury denim market is booming, thanks to our circumstantial and ever-increasing need for casualwear. Fittingly, the S/S 2020 runways were awash with denim, and the wardrobe staple mined its heyday of the 60s and 70s for inspiration: high-waisted flares, vintage washes and cropped culottes. Bootcut at Celine and distressed at Givenchy, this timeless classic has yet again become the it-piece of the season.
Jacob Cohën – the 35-year-old Italian denim brand – is all about updated classics. ‘The 60s and 70s are the epitome of jeans – those were the years that made jeans iconic,' says Franco Catania, CEO of Giada spa. The parent company have been involved with every step of the brand’s journey since 2004 when designer Nicola Bardelle (son of brand founder Tato Bardelle) sought out the manufacturing prowess Giada spa to make his denim dream a reality.
Carving out a spot in the luxury fashion sector, providing high-quality jeans crafted by the artisans in Italy's ‘denim valley’ in the Veneto region, the brand has continuously innovated styles, processes and washes. In recent years the brand and moved to using less chemicals and water for their washes. With a variety of techniques and fabric treatments, its the richness and creativity of the finishes that set the brand apart. ‘Washes such as tie-dye or marble wash become the focus of the collection. While the shirts flaunt contrasting breast pockets, the jeans feature patch pockets on the back that have been moved to create a denim-on-denim colour effect,' says Catania.
RELATED STORY
Never wavering from providing a versatile wardrobe, this season Jacob Cohën draws inspiration from the muses of the golden days of denim. The Beach Boys lay the foundation for the menswear line, providing a carefree Cali-vibe, bringing us to the prime of Redondo Beach or La Jolla Shores with surfers waxing down their boards and diving into the sea. As for the womenswear, it was all about Charlie's Angels-era Farah Fawcett and 70s fashion icon Marianne Faithfull and her quintessentially cool denim jackets, reimagined in the Jacob Cohën collection by a double-breasted denim blazer.
Dressed up or down, a pair of jeans is a lasting sartorial choice. Just like the poster children of the golden denim era, we’re becoming more relient on our jeans which justifies investing in something more special than the ordinary. Cohën is a good place to start.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
This surreal new seafood restaurant in LA is the stuff of mermaid's dreams
At Cento Raw Bar, delectable fare is complemented by playful, oceanic interiors by Brandon Miradi
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented reality
Are you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria Angelina
A Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
‘He made something not merely popular, but the rage’: unpacking Elio Fiorucci’s fabulous fashion legacy
An expansive new retrospective at Triennale Milano explores the colourful life and work of Elio Fiorucci, who is synonymous with 1970s hedonism and glamour
-
‘What does a Luca Faloni jacket look like?’: this suede bomber marks the brand’s first foray into outerwear
‘Made for years to come’, this lightweight bomber marks Luca Faloni’s entry into outerwear and encapsulates the label’s provenance-focused approach
-
Rovi Lucca is the Milanese label creating ‘elevated workwear for garden lovers’
Rooted in Italian craft, Bradley Seymour and Fabrizio Taliani’s horticulturally inspired Rovi Lucca finds inspiration in the gardens of Lucca, Tuscany
-
Luca Magliano takes Wallpaper* on a tour Bologna, the home of his non-conformist fashion label
Luca Magliano gives Wallpaper* an insider’s guide to Bologna, Italy, the lifeblood of his on-the-rise label – from a museum of queer history to a mystical cemetery (and plenty of gelato)
-
Paul & Shark hits the slopes with a Cortina ski resort takeover
‘Paul & Shark takes Cortina’ sees the label take over the Italian ski resort, kitting out the town’s ski club and Scoiattoli chalet
-
Jonathan Anderson on his new store in Milan, an ode to the city’s design codes
For his second JW Anderson store – and first outside of London – Jonathan Anderson has set up shop in Milan with a space that pays homage to the city’s stylistic codes. Here, he tells Wallpaper* the story behind the opening
-
Sunnei launches its first Objects collection
Italian label Sunnei launches a range of lifestyle pieces, ranging from pillows to puzzles
-
Aitor Throup launches first Anatomyland prototypes as NFTs