The Man Repeller Attracts

Summary

Podcast Summary: Fashion People – "The Man Repeller Attracts"

Episode Details:

• Title: The Man Repeller Attracts
• Release Date: June 10, 2025
• Host: Lauren Sherman
• Guest: Leandra Medine Cohen (Author, Editor, and Stylist)

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1. Introduction

In this episode of Fashion People, host Lauren Sherman welcomes Leandra Medine Cohen, a renowned author, editor, and stylist. The discussion centers around the recent shifts in the fashion industry, the culmination of designer transitions at major luxury brands, Leandra’s upcoming jewelry collaboration with Aflalo, and current street style trends on the Upper East Side.

2. Navigating Designer Transitions in the Luxury Fashion Industry

Lauren and Leandra delve into the recent appointments of Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Pierre Paolo Piccioli at Balenciaga, marking the end of a tumultuous period of designer changes within the luxury sector.

• Leandra’s Perspective:
  "I think the thing that's more meaningful is actually that it has netted out at all... the future of the industry looks a little bit clearer than it has in many years." — [10:37]

Leandra expresses optimism about the stabilization within the fashion houses, emphasizing that this clarity allows for a creative revolution. She highlights Pierre Paulo Piccioli's ability to express sensuality through his designs, suggesting a positive shift towards more innovative and enjoyable fashion.

• Lauren’s Insights:
  "I think it also inspires companies that don't have as many resources... to be more creative." — [12:12]

Lauren shares her hope that these changes encourage smaller companies to innovate, moving the industry away from becoming a mere commodity market and ensuring that fashion remains special and valued.

3. Current Street Style Trends on the Upper East Side

Leandra provides an insider’s view of the evolving street style in New York's Upper East Side, noting a blend of vintage aesthetics and contemporary pieces.

• Key Observations:

  • Vintage Graphic Tees & Low Rise Everything: Emphasis on nostalgic fashion elements.
  • Bucket Hats: Continuing popularity among trendsetters.
  • Trench Coats and Cargo Pants: Persistent staples in the local fashion scene.

• Accessory Highlights:
  "I noticed three pairs of the Bowden silver studded sandals... they look like very French sandals." — [22:03]

Leandra points out the resurgence of specific designer shoes and Hermes bags, reflecting a blend of classic luxury and modern trends.

4. Personal Reflections and Lifestyle

The conversation shifts to Leandra’s personal life, balancing motherhood with her creative endeavors.

• Leandra’s Experience:
  "I'm pretty good. I have a nine-month-old baby at home... raising new life on earth." — [08:29]

She shares insights into managing her time and creativity, highlighting the challenges and rewards of her multifaceted life.

5. Launching a Fine Jewelry Collaboration with Aflalo

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Leandra’s latest venture: a fine jewelry collaboration with Aflalo.

• Origin of the Collaboration:
  "It started as me just playing around and having fun with this jewelry... has turned into this collaboration." — [30:42]

Leandra recounts how her interest in lab-grown diamonds led to a partnership with Aflalo, resulting in a nine-piece collection named Summer Diamonds. This collaboration emphasizes classic design infused with modern, lab-grown diamonds.

• Philosophy Behind the Collection:
  "These are all really simple, classic designs. And if you love them when they're natural but not when they're lab, what does that say about how much you actually like them when they're natural?" — [35:00]

Leandra challenges traditional perceptions of diamonds, advocating for lab-grown stones by highlighting their perfection and ethical advantages.

6. Pricing and Market Strategy

The collection is positioned with transparent pricing, ranging from $3,000 to $9,500, based on production costs rather than fluctuating market standards for lab-grown diamonds.

• Leandra on Pricing:
  "Our prices are informed by cost... the lab-grown market is so all over the place." — [37:51]

This strategy ensures accessibility while maintaining the brand's reputation for quality and exclusivity.

7. Integrating Family Business and Future Plans

Leandra touches upon her family’s longstanding involvement in the jewelry industry and how her venture complements rather than competes with their traditional focus on natural gemstones.

• Family Dynamics:
  "I've spoken to my brothers... it just didn't make sense because it's lab grown stones." — [38:20]

She plans to expand future collaborations to include semi-precious stones, integrating more deeply with her family's business while maintaining her unique creative direction.

8. Conclusion and Collection Launch

The episode concludes with details about the Summer Diamonds collection launch, available for pre-order starting Thursday and appointments at the Aflalo showroom in New York.

• Leandra’s Excitement:
  "You got it. I need more time. I'VE got like kids to raise and maybe a book to write." — [28:36]

Lauren expresses her enthusiasm for the collection, anticipating its positive reception within the fashion community.

---

Notable Quotes:

• "We're on the brink or like we're actually already in motion with a sort of creative revolution." — Leandra Medine Cohen [12:12]
• "If you love them when they're natural but not when they're lab, what does that say about how much you actually like them when they're natural?" — Leandra Medine Cohen [35:00]
• "These are all really simple, classic designs... what constitutes what I find beautiful." — Leandra Medine Cohen [35:00]

---

Key Takeaways:

• The stabilization of designer roles at luxury brands marks a new era of creativity and innovation in the fashion industry.
• Street style on the Upper East Side remains a mix of vintage charm and modern trends, with significant emphasis on classic accessories.
• Leandra Medine Cohen’s collaboration with Aflalo represents a forward-thinking approach to jewelry design, emphasizing ethical and sustainable choices with lab-grown diamonds.
• The integration of family business practices with modern creative ventures showcases the evolving nature of traditional industries in contemporary fashion.

---

Next Steps: Listeners interested in Leandra Medine Cohen’s Summer Diamonds collection can visit aflalo.com for pre-orders and showroom appointments. Stay tuned to Fashion People for more insider insights and upcoming collaborations in the dynamic world of fashion.

Transcript

[Lauren Sherman]

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[Leandra Medine Cohen]

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[Lauren Sherman]

Hello and welcome to Fashion People. I'm Lauren Sherman, writer of Pucks Fashion, Fashion and Beauty Memo Line Sheet, and today with me on the show is author, editor and stylist Leandra Medine Cohen. We share some closing thoughts on the end of this round of designer musical chairs, details of Leandra's new jewelry collection with Aflalo, and an Upper east side street style report. Happy Tuesday everyone. I'm back in Los Angeles for a minute this week on Line Sheet, I've got the latest on Nike's turnaround and their efforts to win back women, plus plenty of other fun news and notes from the likes of Gap, lvmh, Kering and more. Sarah Shapiro is working on an Abercrombie and Fitch State of the Union report that will probably run Tuesday pending breaking news. But it will happen someday, so you should definitely sign up for Puck and Line Sheet to check that out. And Rachel Strujatz will be back on Wednesday with a Giant story, because what else does Rachel do with Giant stories? Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this chat with Leandra. I love to get existential with her about fashion. Also, just a Note the sort of entrance to this episode is a bit unorthodox. I wanted to lead with our conversation pre the official start because the chat was very good. So you get a bit of behind the scenes action here at the top. Just to set it up, I was complimenting Leandra's Planet Hollywood tee and sheer button up, which if you subscribe to her newsletter, serial aisle, or you look at her Instagram, it's up there. And she explained that it was from Balenciaga and then we go on from there. So I hope you enjoy it. I saw you wearing it on your Instagram and it looked really good.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

The gray one or the white one?

[Lauren Sherman]

The gray one with like a cropped. Maybe it was in your. Your spring dressing collar.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, with the little wise pants.

[Lauren Sherman]

Looks so good. I, I didn't realize. I thought it was vintage.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

There's one with three of the Kardashian sisters on it and I, I can't say I don't want it.

[Lauren Sherman]

Do I want it? I'm interested in them as a art project and a social experiment and what they say about the culture.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I. My whole. I'm interested in them spiritually. Like, I just, I think that all they're doing is living their own lives and trying to like, live to the absolute maximum capacity of it. And it's interesting to me that it. Or I guess I'm into them anthropologically, why it bugs so many people. You know, I think that they reflect a lot of people's shadow sides more than anything else.

[Lauren Sherman]

I agree. I think, Yeah. I am also interested in why it bugs people. I'm also interested in why people are attracted to them. And I don't just mean like sexually. I just mean generally, what is it about them and the image that they are creating that makes people need to look at them versus if you think of someone like a Paris Hilton or something and who is interesting and fun, but people lost interest. Even though she's very entrepreneurial and has been doing stuff for the last 20 years, she's not the person. She's not someone that people go back to naturally. She has to sort of create that. Whereas with them it's every move they make is studied. And that is interesting to me too. And also like the, the changing faces of. Or the changing social mores of what is beautiful and why.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah.

[Lauren Sherman]

And. And that augmented face, like even, I.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Mean, even preceding that, they did launch a massive deviation into a. And like archetypical perception of beauty in the United States.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yes.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

There were no Middle Eastern looking bombshells no.

[Lauren Sherman]

And also the. Just the. I mean, there are things about their beauty that are typical, like the hip to waist ratio maybe kind of. But it's all exaggerated and it's all. I remember I went when I was in Paris in 2019, and I didn't leave Europe for five months, and I went to London after being, like, in Europe, Europe. And I was reminded of, like, how people dress in American culture and in cultures other than, like, that very particular French and Italian culture where thinness is still, especially in France, like, very emphasized. And the women in London were so much more, like, emphasizing their bodies and instead of trying to minimize them. And it just made me think of, like, it was the Kardashian effect. And it was like, coming out of Paris totally sucked back into that world of. Oh, they really have changed beauty ideals for an entire generation and probably for several to come. We didn't do the intro. Can we use this or do you not want to?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Oh, sure. No.

[Lauren Sherman]

Okay, cool. Molly, we can just. We can do, like, one of the Marc Maron style things where we start talking. Okay, let's do the official start. Leandra Medine Cohen, welcome to Fashion People.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Thank you for having me.

[Lauren Sherman]

Lauren Sherman, this is actually your second appearance. You were the first guest on Fashion People in a test episode that no one ever got to hear.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

That's kind of grand. Is doing test episodes. I did one Colbert Report once also.

[Lauren Sherman]

That's so funny.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

It was so much fun.

[Lauren Sherman]

That's awesome. What was the Colbert Report one? Was it like, Peak Man Repeller?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, I guess it must have been, like, 2017 or it was before I had my daughters, so maybe even 2016. It was peak Man Repeller, and we were just talking about the concept.

[Lauren Sherman]

Oh, my God, that's awesome.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Big, black, hemp linen, Rosie Sulen jumpsuit. Like, gigantic. Heavier than me.

[Lauren Sherman]

Well, I want those tapes. Well, someday maybe we'll surface our test episode. Thank you for doing that. It was very helpful to figure out the formatting. So how are you? We have a lot to discuss today, but one thing is a big project you're working on.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Mm, I'm pretty good. I have a nine month old baby at home, and so I'm in the, like, fun zone of raising, like, anchoring new life on earth.

[Lauren Sherman]

I love the name Joelle so much.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Thank you. Me too.

[Lauren Sherman]

It's a great name. One of my mom's best friends growing up was named Joelle.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I keep hearing these anecdotes from people saying that every Joelle they know, they have a very fond Idea of. And I love that for her.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, it's a. It's a beautiful name. That is not super typical.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, but it's still classic.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yes, but. But also, now that you have named a child Joelle, I wonder, you are so influential if we'll see some more.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You know, I should be so lucky. I'll take it if it happens.

[Lauren Sherman]

So we're going to get to your project soon. I wanted to chat with you quickly about a couple news items. One is it's the end of this round of musical chairs, pretty much. Pierre Paolo Piccioli. Piccioli. I think that's how you say it. And Jonathan Anderson, Pierre Paolo at Balenciaga and Jonathan Anderson at Dior. Being named officially at women's and men's last week sort of ended this upheaval in the luxury fashion system of designers leaving there being open spaces, those spaces being filled, people not knowing, tons of speculation back and forth, back and forth. And we've been waiting six months for the Jonathan Anderson news to come out. And I was. You're always very insightful and thoughtful about what's happening in the luxury industry because you are an observer, you are a tracker of it, a documentarian of it, but also a consumer of it. What do you think of how it all netted out with Matt, too, at Chanel, Jonathan at Dior, Demna, Gucci? What are you excited for? What do you think it says about what's happening in the world?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I think the thing that's more meaningful is actually that it has netted out at all. Like, change is so difficult for so many people, like, for everyone in some ways. And fashion has just been in such a transitory moment for seasons and seasons. And so I think the fact that dust has actually fallen to the ground and the future of the industry looks a little bit clearer than it has in many years. Is the part of this that is the most meaningful? Because it's going to give permission, I think, to a lot of people to roll up their sleeves and just run forward. And I think that's what's cool.

[Lauren Sherman]

It's a great point. And I hope it also inspires companies that don't have as many resources as all the ones I just mentioned to be more creative. I will see what the collections look like. Perhaps they won't. Perhaps they'll disappoint us, but I have a feeling they will inspire, and here's hoping it moves the industry in a different direction than where it was going, which I felt like was very much towards it becoming commodity or it had in many cases already become commodity. And there's no. It doesn't, it can't work that way. It's not. The value system isn't there. It has to feel. These things need to feel special, even if people, they're selling millions of them a year.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, I, I lean optimistic generally. I'm excited about all the appointments. I love Pierre Paulo. I think that he's, like, so creatively gentle, but clear. And I love the way that he expresses his, like, sensuality through the clothes. I think that we're on the brink or like we're actually already in motion with a sort of creative revolution. And I don't know what it's going to mean or what it's going to look like necessarily, but I can, like, feel that energy. Fashion feels really fun again in a way that it hasn't in a little bit. And it doesn't feel as sad.

[Lauren Sherman]

I agree. Yeah, it doesn't feel as sad because I'd say the thing that people tend to forget is what we went through in 2020-2023 and how much that has. It certainly affected consumer spending patterns because of people had a lot more money to spend on things because they weren't moving around the world as much as. But. And that's obvious. But then there is also the matter of, like, psychologically, what we think is valuable changed. And so I think if, like, you looked at, if a psychologist looked at what has happened in the luxury industry, they'd be able to predict all of this and they could have probably by the end of 2020. But it's been interesting to I I. People don't usually apply any kind of depth to this stuff because it's just about buying things. But there is something deeper going on here, that fashion reflects culture. And there I think that, like, this is going to be a tremendous case study for this era in time and you'll be able to sort of see what people are going through by looking at how the consumption patterns in the.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Luxury industry change consumption and also, like, the way of creation. I think that between 2020 and 2023 and even predating 2020, there was a lot of anger that needed to be expressed. And it was, you know, like, your creative work is always the way that your innermost thoughts are expressed. And that was coming up a lot through the clothes. And I mean, I think it's always gonna be a map and a driver for creative work. But I do also believe that we're entering a different moment where, like, the anger has been adequately expressed. And they're sort of like, okay, let's chart this new territory now.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, yeah. I think the word you used for Pierre, Paulo, gentle, which I also. I used in my note about him. I think there is something gentler that is happening, and there is a really great positive energy. So let's see. Jonathan's debut at Dior is June 27th. So that's less than three weeks away. It's very exciting Tomorrow, basically, tomorrow.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

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[Lauren Sherman]

You can Venmo this or you can Venmo that. You can Venmo this or you can Venmo that.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

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[Lauren Sherman]

I'm CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, and you're invited to the takeout. No reservations required. Every weeknight, our podcast serves up a balanced menu of politics, policy, and pop culture. The day's happenings with curiosity, informality, and humor. Serious discussion, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. Follow and listen to the takeout with me, Major Garrett, on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. So tell me, Leandra, you are the bellwether. To me, you are the ultimate predictor of trends and what.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Oh, that's so generous.

[Lauren Sherman]

I mean, it's true. It's. When you see what's happening, you are everyone's editor in chief. You are the one who. I look at your substack, your email, as we would call in Puck World or newsletter, and I see what you're tracking on the streets or what you're wearing. And I can extrapolate what people, a year from now are everyone's gonna be wearing. And I hope that. I know you've done a lot of collaborations and we're gonna talk about something that that's launching this week, but I hope that someday you do your own line, like, fully. And I know you've had. You had the shoe brand, but it could be really interesting, I think. I'm sorry, do you think you would do it?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

People ask me that all the Time. And my answer until this point has been I'm still in a part of my life or a moment in my life where I feel like there is enough amazing stuff at market and the engines that are covering those things are not so, so many. And so I really like, how should I say? I really like that I'm in the role right now where I celebrate the creative expressions of others. Like it feels right. There's enough really good stuff out there and I'm happy and excited to just be finding it and to help and to be helping in the small ways that I can. It feels really rewarding.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, that makes sense. Your sort of duty as a creative person is to identify things and surface them for others.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah. And then, you know, there's also, there's something to be said. I think I've gotten a lot more sensitive in my 30s and in particular around the creative process and closing Man Repeller and then starting a newsletter and the sort of like hierarchical change of like employing 25 people to like taking photos with a selfie camera in my living room, changing 25 times in rapid succession and then going to pick my kids up from school. It just, it, it was very humbling in the beginning in a lot of ways. And I really connected to how vulnerable it is to take any creative risk. And so I feel like anyone who's willing to put themselves out there creatively and really like give something a shot deserves, that shot deserves a chance to even just like fully express what that thing needs to give to them. Even if it's not a line, even if it's just a moment that takes them to the next thing. And it feels exciting to be able to participate in that for people.

[Lauren Sherman]

So tell me what you're seeing in New York right now on the streets. What are the big ideas? What are people gravitating towards? I don't know if it's warm there yet. It seems like it might be.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

It's, it goes back and forth. Like today it's, it was a beautiful weekend, but then today is like 65 degrees and rainy or drizzly. It's like sideways mist. I have been gravitating a lot towards vintage looking like shrunken graphic tees with low rise everything. Like sheer cotton voile pants, really short shorts, like old school Max Mara, back of a Vespa in Rome shorts with these like old school looking tees. Still a lot of bucket hats. It feels like there's a bit of an homage to like Italian tackiness in the air. There's a lot of coochie everywhere on me. But it's hard to say what's actually on the streets. Mostly I see trench coats and cargo pants, both of which I like, but we've been seeing that for a long time.

[Lauren Sherman]

What bag is the Upper east side lady wearing these days? Is it still the picoline, or is that what it's called?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

That Hermes bag?

[Lauren Sherman]

Yes.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah. You still see those in some places. There's another Hermes bag that a lot of women are wearing with, I guess, like, straps that are on either side. I don't know what it's called. Straps that are on either side of the bag. And then you, like, you can hold it closed so that it creates, like, a box or hold it rectangular.

[Lauren Sherman]

I don't know which one that is.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I don't know. There's a lot of cake on the Upper east side. Well, she just opened on 69th Street.

[Lauren Sherman]

Do you feel like. Because seeing from the Runway collection, so this would have been spring 2025, I felt like that Runway collection was really thinking about her customer. I don't want to say more commercial, because I don't think that's the right way to say it, but it felt like, okay, this is something that I know. The women who go to the Kate trunk show in Los Angeles are going to eat this stuff up.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, I guess. Like, I. I always look down when I'm on the street. I clock shoes before anything else. And I would have expected to see the beaded loop sandal on every foot up here. And just last Friday, I clocked three of the Bowden. Do you know which ones those are?

[Lauren Sherman]

No. Let me look it up.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

The silver studded sandal. It looks like a very French sandal.

[Lauren Sherman]

Oh, yes. You know who has these is Ms. Rachel Strugetts.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah. Well, you. Yeah, Becky has them, too. They're. They're the best. They're. It's like. It's a beautiful sandal. It looks like a French sandal, but it's got that, like, shiny cape, party girlness about them. So I noticed three pair of those. Those would have been the first ones I went for this season. Also, I might steal. Who knows?

[Lauren Sherman]

Alex Bigler on our team over at Puck bought the loop sandals. Mm. And she lives near you. They're also really great. I. The sandals. I am suddenly like, do I need. These are the Miu Miu rope ones.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Oh, interesting. I just think it's a great sandal. I have the flowsy version. So they're not Miu Miu. They're like a knob off of the Mew Mew.

[Lauren Sherman]

Well, this is the question. Are they the ones that you and Becky and I have discussed? Becky Malinsky, as I'm sure everyone realizes. But if you don't. That have a very flat. They don't really have a soul.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Or this is a different pair. The ones that you're. The ones that you're talking about. Becky put in a newsletter last year.

[Lauren Sherman]

Oh, I see. The flowsy version. Oh, wow.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah.

[Lauren Sherman]

Oh, those are good. Okay. I mean, the. The Mew Mew ones are. They're almost a thousand dollars. Here's my issue, and this is something that is even a bigger issue in New York. But my feet are really wide, and if in New York, especially if I'm walking around, I get blisters, like, immediately.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah.

[Lauren Sherman]

Here it's less of an issue. But I need a sandal that feels like even my chacos give me blisters.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Have you tried Jamie Holler shoes yet?

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, I had a pair of her ballet flats, but I don't know. Like, the loafer isn't really my style.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I think you should try the double buckle sandal. It's very flat, but it's so comfortable. And those shoes are like, anti blister.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yes, I did feel that way about the ballet flats. I also obviously have lots of Emmy Parsons sandals, but you can never. You can never have too many shoes.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

But that's interesting. Cecilia sandal, is it? Through and through.

[Lauren Sherman]

So good. So that's interesting that Kate. It makes sense that Kate is so big and they just opened a store. What do you think of the current retail climate on the Upper east side? Do you. Do you go into shops a lot, or do you not really have time, given that, you know, you have three children and. And they are. They need your attention and you work and you have a life and all of that?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I don't go into shops a lot, but I think that part of the reason I don't go into shops is more of like a. An insecurity thing. I don't want to walk into a store, and I don't. I don't know why I'm telling you.

[Lauren Sherman]

This, but tell me.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I don't like walking into a store and being like, oh, look, there is that influencer shopping. It's so obvious.

[Lauren Sherman]

I understand. I mean, it's very interesting because obviously you and I have known each other forever and we've had meals together in New York and spent a lot of time together. But when you came to Los Angeles and we went to Botanica, it was the first time I could tell people recognized you and I was like, oh. And I'm sure it happens to you in New York all the time, but New York's different. It's not as like for at least someone accompanying you, it's more frenetic and there's a lot of things going on and people just their attention. But it was interesting there because I could tell people were like, oh. Because that is a place where everyone who eats there would know who you were. And it was fascinating. It must be an interesting way to sort of travel through life. And yeah, I can understand why going into a shop would be a little bit nerve wracking.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

It's specifically in New York. I don't have it when I'm away and I really enjoy going into a specialty store or a multi brand, any multi brand store and discovering new things. Like it was so fun to go to Mohawk General Store with you and I really wanted to get down to Des Koan when I was there. But there's, there's something about like shopping in stores in New York that feels, it feels like I'm playing hooky or something.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah. And also like, what are you going to look at? What are you going to try?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I guess that's the other thing about shopping uptown or I guess anywhere with the exception of the Webster, is that you're going into single brand stores. So the element of discovery is, is a little bit less spontaneous.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, I, I like shopping at La Garon, but my big challenge there is like, if they're not busy, it's fine if they're busy. I went once on a Sunday and it was really swamped and they were like, it's going to take us 30 minutes to get this stuff for you.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, it's just like, wow, that's wild.

[Lauren Sherman]

Well, I guess it's like, how do you stay in business? You don't hire enough salespeople.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You know, I think to your point earlier, I would probably sooner open a store than launch my own brand.

[Lauren Sherman]

Oh, yes. I really want you to do this.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Maybe one day.

[Lauren Sherman]

I'm very pro. Maybe one day. But I think. And then that is a mix of. You could also launch an in house brand at some point if it made.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Sense, or just continue doing what I love to do, which is work with designers and be like, I love this shape that you already made make. Let's chop off 6 inches and make it purple.

[Lauren Sherman]

You know, I'm very pro this happening. I, I just want the scoop if it does.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You got it. I need more time. I'VE got like kids to raise and maybe a book to write.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yes, you definitely have many books to write. You have. I'll, I'll, I'll keep on you about the store. We'll talk again in two or two or five years. This episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. From streaming to shopping, prime helps you get more out of your passions. So whether you're a fan of true crime or prefer a nail biting novel from time to time, with services like Prime Video, Amazon Music and fast free delivery, prime makes it easy to get more out of whatever you're into or getting into. Visit Amazon.comprime to learn more. Craftsman days are here at Lowe's. With big savings on the tools you need. Save $100 on the Craftsman V26 Tool Power Tool Combo Kit now at $199. No matter what the project is, Craftsman's high quality, high performance products empower you to build on. Stop by your nearest Lowe's store store and check out the full line of Craftsman tools today. Valid through 618 while supplies last selection varies by location. So this week you have another project that you've been working on that launches on Thursday. Tell me what you are up to.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

So I'm launching a fine jewelry collab with Aflalo.

[Lauren Sherman]

Amazing.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, it's a nine piece collection and every piece is, it's like a, it's basically a range of very classic jewelry. The majority are rings and earrings that employ very large lab grown diamonds.

[Lauren Sherman]

So tell me how did this happen? You're good friends with the IO.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yes.

[Lauren Sherman]

But, but how did you end up doing something together? Tell me the last time I saw you were wearing a lot of lab grown diamonds. Yeah, I need to hear, I need to hear it all.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

So last summer when I was like eight months pregnant with Joelle Batsheva, Hay reached out to me and was like hey, my husband has this lab grown diamond business. Can he send you something? And so I took a look at the site and I picked something that I liked and was pretty surprised. I was like oh wow, this is so I didn't know that much about lab grown other than you know. My family has been in the jewelry business my whole entire life and they specialize in these like very precious rare gemstones like a pariba or an alexandrite. And so they always were like we can't mess with lab growns. That's not what the customer wants from us. So it was always just sort of a non issue. It never came up at home. And so I picked a piece and I asked him to size it to my pinky. And he was like, wait, what? Do you want to wear this diamond on your pinky? And I was like, yeah, if you're going to wear a lab grown diamond, you can't wear it on your, like, ring finger. You have to, you. You have to be unconventional about it. Put it on your pinky, put it on your thumb, put it on your middle finger. And I think it cracked something open for Alexei, for Batsheva's husband, where he was like, oh, that's so interesting and different. And so I started basically asking him to just make stuff for me. And I was like, you know, you can do what you want with it. I don't care. Sell it if you want to, don't if you don't, whatever. And after like three or four rounds of making different pieces, Yael started asking me if she could buy them. And I would just put her in touch with Alexi and be like, yeah, sure. And then this is probably like four months ago, I was at her house for dinner and she was like, do you want to do a collection for me? Like, why don't we launch a collab? And it's just like, you know, these big diamonds everywhere. Like, we can even do a diamond toe ring. And I was like, we have to do a diamond toe ring. So what started as me just playing around and having fun with this jewelry and really trying to get like an estate look with these lab grown stones has turned into this collaboration. And along the way I was having a lot of fun and found it super interesting because. Because the lab grown stones were challenging all of these constructs of status that existed in my own head, where I was like, but what is the difference between a diamond and a lab grown stone? Yes, one is natural and it's from the earth and one is made in a lab, but they're technically both diamonds. And if you don't like this ring because it's lab grown, but you love it when it's a natural stone, what does that say about your taste? What does that say about my taste? You know, it started bringing up these really interesting questions and I love to wrestle with this kind of stuff, you know.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, I find that fascinating because of the fact that the gemstones that your family deals in are actually rare. Diamonds themselves are not rare. And this is a thing. You can read millions of articles about this. Jenny Avens, who used to work at Quartz, I don't. I. Quartz is. Has become a shell of itself, but they used to do amazing, really deeply reported Pieces did a, a great report on the diamond marketing industry and how, how that happened in the 50s. And there are rare, there are many rare gemstones, but, and there are rare diamonds, but like diamonds themselves are not rare. And so it's this sort of, and so this idea of only wanting natural when it is the exact same thing and, and challenging that notion by making something really great and saying buy it because it's great, not because it came from the ground or came from. You're right. And it comes sort of back because.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You like it, because it helps push a point of expression that you would like to push forward. Forward. That's, that's really what it feels like for me is like these are all really simple, classic designs. And if, if you love them when they're natural but not when they're lab, what does that say about how much you actually like them when they're natural?

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You know what I'm saying?

[Lauren Sherman]

Exactly. Totally. And it is, comes back to what we were talking about with the Kardashians and this idea of what is beautiful and what is natural better than man made or engineered and why, and what is it about humanity that makes you think that and put those ideas, place those ideas on something, on a physical object or on a body.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Totally. And there's no, there's no right or wrong answer. Like it's not, it's not a question that I ask myself to be critical or judgmental. It's, it's genuinely in pursuit of like greater self understanding, like what does constitute what I find beautiful. Right. There's something really cool about it. And then, you know, the lab grown stones are just, they're so perfect. That's one thing. I mean, granted, if you're buying diamonds from a calibrated lot, you know, because they're these like giant rocks that are then reduced to these gorgeous crystals. If you're buying a calibrated lot, every stone is going to be the same exact size and the same weight and you know, the same shape. And you obviously do that with lab grown stones also. But there's something about them that just reads a little bit more perfect or like it does read more perfect than a, a natural diamond because it's from the earth and so it's not replicable de facto, you know, and so putting them doing kind of weird things to the stones, whether that means wearing them on your pinky or like taking a flat surface stone and pairing it with rounded stones. Or we made this tennis bracelet that's strung together with nylon cord. So I'm calling it like the racket string bracelet because it looks like racket string is like tying these stones together. It creates this really interesting contrast of like how can this feel classic and refined, but also really gritty. Did you hear that?

[Lauren Sherman]

It's okay. It was a nice little chime. Well, how is it priced? How is it priced? Is it sort of like Yael's line which is designer but not scary?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Starting price is $3,000 and the most expensive piece is 9,500.

[Lauren Sherman]

So it's real. It's real prices. It's not. How did you all kind of come up with that? Just based on the raw materials and looking at what else was in the market.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Exactly. Based on cost. I actually didn't even really look at what else is at market because the lab grown market is so all over the place. You know, like there, there is no, there's no market standard. It really depends on what the brand is bringing to the table. So our prices are informed by cost.

[Lauren Sherman]

Have you had a conversation with your fam, anyone in your family who is in this, in the jewelry business about this and what, how do they feel about you doing this? This?

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

I've spoken to my brothers at length about this. My three brothers essentially run the business that my dad started. I mean, my dad obviously is still not obviously, but he's still involved in great measure. I really wanted them to be part of it with me, but it just didn't make sense because it's lab grown stones and so didn't make sense to include this in their production or anything like that. But for next season I'm starting to work with some more semi precious stones and different gemstones and they're going to be involved in some capacity when we do it that way. Which I'm super excited about this whole thing just like going down to 47th street every few weeks and talking to the dealers and you know, stopping at my dad's office on the way home. It feels sort of like a homecoming. It's this thing that I wasn't necessarily resisting but just never even actually considered. And the fact that I'm here feels meaningful.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah, it is funny that it's returning to the family business in this very natural way that feels like it just sort of happened, which is interesting. And I feel like I was with someone last week who has their child is coming back into the family business and it was a similar thing where it just sort of happened and it doesn't need to be pressure engineered and, and it's, it's fascinating.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Yeah, I think there's something to be said about, like, going with the flow of where your creative desires take you, because it, it really, it does end up just landing you back where you're supposed to be.

[Lauren Sherman]

Yeah. Yeah, I guess you can go home again. Leandra, tell me, what is the name of the collaboration? Is it just Leandra Cohen by Yael Aflalo, who I'm having on the podcast soon and I'm gonna have to make sure I don't I get her name right, but.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Oh, that's gonna be fun having her on. It's just. It's LMC for Aflalo and we're calling the collection Summer Diamonds.

[Lauren Sherman]

So good. I can't wait to see it. Everyone can buy it on aflalo.com it'll.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Be available for pre order starting on Thursday. Or if you're in New York, we're taking appointments at the Aflalo showroom.

[Lauren Sherman]

Fabulous. Yeah, I wish I was there.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Me too.

[Lauren Sherman]

But I'll come see it soon. The next time I'm in town.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

You've basically seen the entire collection on me.

[Lauren Sherman]

It's true. I can't. I can't wait. And congratulations and thank you for doing this. I can't believe it took this long to have you back on, but I'm so excited.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

We'll make it a regular thing here. I'm anytime. Talk about the Kardashians until the cows come home.

[Lauren Sherman]

It's too good. Too good. Thank you again and have a really great weekend. Congratulations.

[Leandra Medine Cohen]

Thank you.

[Lauren Sherman]

Thank you. Fashion People is a presentation of Odyssey in partnership with Puck. This show was produced and edited by Molly Nugent. Special thanks to our executive producers, Puck co founder John Kelly, executive editor Ben Landy, and director of editorial operations, Gabby Grossman. An additional thanks to the team at Odyssey, JD Crowley, Jenna Weiss Berman and Bob Tabador.