FASHION DESIGNER - DENIM
CJ by Cookie Johnson
Cookie Johnson, accompanied by her husband, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, as well as her new partner Mitchell Quaranta of Swatfame Inc., hosted a trunk show last night at Neiman Marcus, in Beverly Hills, to celebrate the latest CJ by Cookie Johnson collection.
Designed for for the universal woman, CJ jeans are for a person with spunk, appreciates sophistication with a twist and could look and feel good in what they are wearing. CJ by Cookie Johnson offers a premium denim fit for women of all ages, shapes and sizes, making it comparable and inclusive for all women.
“I actually knew Cookie back in the late 1980s but we lost touch over the years and I happened to be in one of my showrooms and we reconnected there. At the suggestion of my showroom, she came out to talk to me. I showed her our facility and it took about three or four months to get [our partnership] finalized- but we hit off immediately. We have really similar values in terms of what we want to put into a brand,” said Quaranta.
He continued, “She was so passionate about her brand and helping women that are under served in the industry and we just thought it was a perfect opportunity. She is a delight to be a partner with and it has exceeded beyond our wildest expectations.”
All products are manufactured in Los Angeles, with fabrics coming mainly from China. The Fall 2013 pieces include its customary straight leg - “Faith,” a bootcut – “Grace” and a legging – “Joy,” all of which come in a mixture of colors like Crimson, Olive, Terracota, Bordeaux, Teal and Charcoal.
This season, Johnson wanted to offer on trend styles such as the “Harmony” - 5 pocket cargo, “Joy” - track pant, “True”- riding pant, “Inspire” - Moto Skinny, “Glory” boyfriend and “Life” - baby bootcut, including new fabrications, embellishments and leather side paneling, implementing crinkle coating, suede, snake foil, metallic coating and lace, which are offered in sizes 24-38.
For Johnson, this line was inspired by herself. “I couldn’t find a pair of premium denim that fit – they never came up high enough in the back or had room in the thighs,” she said. “It was frustrating and finally, I said I wanted to make denim for women with a real body but I wanted them to be premium and to have contemporary styling with all of the latest trends and quality - which was very important to me,” Johnson continued.
With plans to expand into a lifestyle brand, this is just the beginning for CJ. Quaranta added, "Since [our company] has extensive background in jackets, dresses and sportswear items, that is a component we are going to eventually add."
CJ is currently sold at top department stores, including Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, with a possibility of retailing at the high-end store Bergdorf Goodman. By the end of this year, the line is expected to be sold at roughly 500 to 600 specialty stores. Wholesale price points ring in at a low $60 to high $80's and retail for a basic jean is $128, while more fashion driven jeans sell at $148 to $188.
