New York Designers Launch The Collective Shopping Experience

Forbes

19-05-2025

From left: Lena Baranovsky of Hunting Season, Marina Larroudé, Batsheva Hay, Abrima Erwiah, Maxwell ... More Osborne of anOnlyChild, Jonathan Cohen, Sarah Leff, Edvin Thompson, Christopher John Rogers, Presley Oldham, Gigi Burris and Ryan Lobo of Emote
When it comes to luxury retail in today's climate, the name of the game is experience. Shoppers seek excitement and connection beyond the typical client and sales professional interaction. For young brands and designers, exposure via their own stores is often cost-prohibitive, and wholesale accounts are crucial, but not always the best acting partners. (To wit, when Saks Global began the acquisition process of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, it halted vendor payments, seemingly indefinitely. Its recent announcement to drop 600 vendors is likely due to attrition from vendors who stopped shipping.) Recent excessive tariffs, thanks to outdated manufacturing ideas, have spurred shrinking consumer confidence amid fears of a global recession.
This leaves smaller, independent American brands and designers already dealing with a luxury downturn in a tight spot. With the spirit of 'if you want something done right, do it yourself," 15 New York labels—Alejandra Alonso Rojas, anOnlyChild, Batsheva, Christopher John Rogers, Emote, Gigi Burris, Hunting Season, Larroudé, Presley Oldham, Ronny Kobo, Rosie Assoulin, Selima Optique, Studio 189, Theophilio, led by Jonathan Cohen—have come together for a three day pop up at the Freeman's | Hindman gallery on East 67thStreet to sell their Spring Summer 2025 offerings in a close-knit, often one-on-one shopping session with the designers themselves. Underlying the effort is a deep sense of community and a 'together we're better' attitude.
Shoppers perusing Christopher John Rogers styles at The Collective
Spearheaded by designer Jonathan Cohen and his business partner Sarah Leff, the initiative was built to foster change to the wholesale and retail system, allowing them to directly engage with customers, share their stories, and build a more connected, resilient future for American fashion.
"We didn't want to wait for a solution—we wanted to create one," said Jonathan Cohen and Sarah Leff. 'The Collective is about taking control of our work, strengthening community, and turning an industry challenge into an opportunity to grow together.'
The giving spirit was also in full force for the concept space, which the Freeman's | Hindman gallery donated. 'At Freeman's | Hindman, promoting art, design, fashion, and culture is at the heart of what we do. As America's oldest auction house and one of the only major auction firms with a full-time specialist team devoted to couture and the fashion arts in the secondary market, the opportunity to partner with the innovative designers represented by The Collective was an unmissable opportunity and offers a unique chance to engage with our shared audience of clients and creative community on the Upper East Side,' said Tanner C. Branson, Associate Vice President, Head of Department Luxury Handbags & Couture
Helping to produce the three-day event were The Hinton Group, Ruffino, and Christina Neault, a veteran show and event producer based in New York, who donated services.
Marina Larroudé helps a shopper with a shoe style selection at The Collective
Spanning two floors and four studios, designers grouped in roughly sets of four to a room, arranged with styles and brands that both complemented and contrasted one another. The brands also represent RTW and accessories, making it possible to create head-to-toe summer looks. With Memorial Day just around the corner, presumably summer month outfitting is in high gear. While many styles were aimed at women's customers, men's apparel was also for sale.
On the first floor, one room housed Christopher John Rogers' colorful stripe offerings, including a popular wrap halter style and swimwear, Batsheva's feminine polka dots, gender-inclusive EMOTE and Studio 189, the Ghana-textile-inspired, artisan-created collection by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah. Across the hall, Cohen's colorful floral and denim dressing offerings sidled up to Larroudé shoes and sandals. (Its founder, Marina Larroudé, has collaborated with Cohen and the two are close friends.) On opposite walls, Rose Assoulin's crisp and colorful stripe cotton options juxtaposed with Edvin Thompson's Theophilio collection, inspired by his Caribbean roots, infused with a downtown vibe.
Upstairs on the landing, guests encountered some of the host's offerings in the fine jewelry. On display and coming to a live auction on June 18th were 1980s Angela Cumming for Steuban crystal and 18K gold drop earrings, an exceptional Bulgari Spiga wrap bracelet, a Cartier Trinity bangle, and a Temple St. Clair crystal and 18K gold amulet pendant necklace. Each item would pair with a myriad of clothing styles for sale. To the right was a room that featured Alejandro Alonso Rojas' Spanish-infused slinky silk charmeuses and chiffon dresses with Ronny Kobo's accessible-luxury cotton and knit sundresses. Selima Optique's sunglass counter between them made the room a one-stop garden party outfit destination.
Gigi Burris helps customers with hat selections at The Collective.
The gallery on the other side also hit the 'fit search. To pair with Maxwell Osbornes' anOnlyChild's self-blouson Tees and pleated khaki miniskirts, one needs look across the room to Presley Oldham's fresh take on pearl jewelry, Hunting Season's chic raffia bags, and Gigi Burris' straw hats, a de rigueur crowd pleaser in hot weather. Burris, the sole designer with a flagship store in Chinatown, surmised that an UES customer would respond well to her summer millinery collection.
On opening day, the mood was buoyant, with most designers attending to their customers at the event, which also featured direct payments to the sellers. "The spirit of the first day was genuinely energizing—there was a real sense of community among both the designers and the guests. The space felt intimate but elevated, and the energy was warm, welcoming, and refreshingly personal. Customers responded not only to the curation and craftsmanship of the work, but to the fact that they were engaging directly with the people behind the brands. It felt like a true breath of fresh air compared to traditional retail environments," said Cohen.
Many thought the concept could also travel across the country, especially to secondary and tertiary markets in mid-sized cities. "As for the idea of a traveling group trunk show—we love that thought. We've definitely imagined it as a next step, even if still loosely at this stage. The response so far has made it clear that there's a real appetite for something like this, and the portability of the concept feels exciting," Cohen added.
The experience is continues May 19th from 11 AM to 6 PM and May 20th from 11 AM to 4 PM.