Yonetomi Seni is a knitwear manufacturer founded in Yamabe Town, Yamagata Prefecture, in 1952. With a unique blend of multi-material techniques, the company handles everything from material development to production in-house. One of its defining features is its in-house knit textile department, which has developed over 10,000 knit textiles to date. Its impressive and unique development capabilities have earned it acclaim from apparel and designer brands both in Japan and overseas.

Yonetomi, a company of skilled craftsmen, launched its own brand, "Coohem," in the fall/winter 2010 season. Ken Oe (current president), who worked in sales at a select shop in Tokyo, felt frustrated that the company's name remained hidden despite the large number of products being distributed. One day, he learned that the company had been exploring the possibility of developing its own brand, and decided to return to his hometown. He joined the production line and learned knitting techniques from scratch. He launched Coohem as a brand that would directly communicate the company's high level of craftsmanship and unique, appealing textiles to consumers. The Cohen brand name comes from the word "interlace," which refers to the technique of knitting together materials of different shapes. In other words, the brand name embodies the company's DNA.

In the first year, the collection focused on brightly colored fancy tweed knit jackets. These intricate jackets, each taking 240 minutes to knit, quickly caught the attention of major select shops and department stores. Then, gradually expanding the range of items to include rider jackets, skirts, down jackets, and sneakers, the brand quickly became a popular brand.

Currently, the brand is stocked in over 70 stores in Japan. In recent years, the brand has exhibited at a joint exhibition in Paris, and its international distribution network has expanded to 13 stores, including Excelsior in Milan, MatchesFashion.com in the UK, and I.T. and Shine in Hong Kong. It's fair to say that the company has achieved remarkable results for a locally-based factory brand.

The launch of the brand has also had a positive impact on the OEM business. President Oe expressed satisfaction, saying, "In the past, we would often visit our clients and make proposals, but now, more and more people come to us after seeing our products and saying they want to make something like that." By continually releasing collections with the aim of creating one-of-a-kind knitwear, the company has seen an increase in avid fans who eagerly await new patterns each season. The day when "Cohen Tweed" becomes a universal language may not be far off.

■Interview and text by Masuda Kaijiro (fashion journalist)

＜Event Information＞
Cohen 5th Anniversary Pop-Up Store
Date: October 14th - 20th
Venue: Urban Rosette, Main Building 2F, Isetan Shinjuku Main Store

Cohen, which will celebrate its 5th anniversary with the 2015-16 Autumn/Winter season, will be holding a pop-up store at Isetan Shinjuku from October 14th. In addition to the latest collection, the store will also stock popular customizable clutch bags and items made with limited-edition anniversary tweed. Also available are notebook covers in collaboration with the Hobonichi Techo. This is a rare opportunity to see the entire lineup of Cohen products, which do not have an exclusive shop, all in one place.

増田海治郎