In 2024, there is no doubt that jeans have become a true status symbol. It is thanks in large part to her one company that this once humble garment has achieved such a rare place in the style hierarchy. I’m Jacob Cohen. The continued focus on comfort, quality, and craftsmanship has made the brand the ultimate luxury denim brand.
Despite what you might think, Jacob Cohen is Italian through and through, and continues to produce his denim in a specialized workshop in the Veneto region. He was founded in 1985 with the mission of elevating jeans to the level of other Italian luxury goods. The late denim visionary Nicolas Balder relaunched his brand in 2003, imprinting his own infectious creativity and bold ideas on what 21st century luxury is on his garments. It was crowded. That vision continues to be carried forward by his wife, Jennifer Tommasi Balder, at the company today.
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The true vessel of Nicola’s legacy is the jeans themselves. It takes at least 100 hours to make one pair. First, we source the finest denim from renowned factories in Italy and Japan. The denim is then cut using state-of-the-art machinery, first projecting a precise laser pattern onto the fabric before making the cuts to ensure measurements are accurate down to the last millimeter.
Sewing jeans requires at least 10 separate steps. The jeans are made with a slightly curved belt for superior comfort and a wide range of fits. The lining and front and back pockets are also hand-sewn. Jacob Cohen maintains a library of 50 different brand labels. For limited editions, they are made from premium materials such as leather, pony skin, and crocodile, and may even boast unique designs that evoke honeycomb patterns or traditional Japanese art. Kintsugi.
Limited edition pairs feature customized patches, treatments and embroidery, and may even feature hand-painted buttons made from diamond dust or semi-precious stones. Equally precious was Nicola’s personal motto, which is still embroidered on each shoe. “Sleep with a dream and wake up with a purpose.”
After the jeans are sewn and rigorously inspected for dimensional accuracy, they are finished by hand to achieve effects such as fading, distressing, or “beards” depending on the style design. All this is done while the sewn pair is “worn” on the mannequin’s legs, ensuring that the effect is in the right proportions on the human body.
Following this step, Jacob Cohen jeans are machine washed using pumice stones, giving the denim a vintage effect. Using specialized machinery, the denim is colored, dyed and sandblasted using a secret formula that creates the brand’s signature blue. Depending on the design, the jeans may be laser treated to apply a specific logo or pattern.
The final touch of pure luxury is given to the jeans when they are hand ironed and fitted with the collection’s Jacob Cohen logo. Each pair is finished by hand spraying Jacob Cohen’s signature perfume, a blend of patchouli and sandalwood, directly onto the inside of the jeans.
Touches like this prove Nicola’s beliefs. His dream of jeans made to the highest standards of Italian luxury, without compromising quality at any stage, continues to be realized with each completed Jacob Cohen denim.
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