Published on November 3rd, 2018 | by Darren Paltrowitz
0Clo Cohen On Harrys Of London’s New York Flagship Store, The Comfort Of Harrys Shoes & More
Contemporary British footwear brand Harrys of London recently announced the arrival of its New York City flagship store at 463 Park Avenue. Its revolutionary men’s shoe is engineered for comfort with patented technology, Technogel, as exclusively designed by a podiatrist for Harrys of London. The Technogel 3D sole, as coupled with its classic design, make Harry’s of London — as founded by Matthew Mellon in London in 2001 — a 21st Century men’s wardrobe footwear essential.
Harrys of London has already amassed a discreet following of celebrity clients. This includes Oscar and GRAMMY award-winning rapper Common who recently appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in a fresh pair. The 14-time Grand Slam Tennis champion Novak Djokovic was spotted off-the-court in his pair. Other celebrity fans include Emmy Award winner Riz Ahmed, Screen Actors Guild Award winner Joseph Fiennes, and Brit Award winner Tinie Tempah. Ranging in price from $395.00 to $695.00, the Autumn/Winter 2018 styles of Harrys of London include the Bolt 2, the Court Sneaker, the Ethan, the Mr. Jones, the Tom Therma, the Alex M, and the Howard.
I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with Clo Cohen about her work with Harrys of London and more. Additional info on Harrys of London can be found online at www.harrysoflondon.com.
Harrys is not the first high-end brand you have worked with. What was your entry into the field of luxury footwear?
Clo Cohen: Shoes are a great passion of mine, I started my career with Tom Ford at Gucci, I moved to New York with Jimmy Choo and all the way along I have been a very enthusiastic customer. Now as I’m a tiny bit older, my feet have taken a little wear and tear along the way so I try to factor comfort into the overall style and excitement equation.
Harrys of London is famous for working with top celebrities, Novak Djokovic, Joseph Fiennes, and Tinie Tempah being three recent examples. Who was the first notable person that Harrys worked with?
Clo Cohen: The brand has had a notable clientele from the outset and as a small brand it had to rely on the style and fit of the shoes in order to keep the customers coming back.
What do you think makes Harrys stand out from other high-end shoes?
Clo Cohen: The fit, the design and the comfort level. The brand was started in order to create men’s shoes of all styles that felt like the most comfortable sneaker. Men won’t suffer for the sake of fashion, but they have foot concerns every bit as much as women do. Today’s man is so active with his basketball leagues, triathlons and marathons and all kinds of physically activity built into their weekly routines — and the fact is that feet need care too. Why should a man have to wear sneakers every day. He should have the choice! With Harrys of London, he feels like he’s wearing a sneaker no matter what he has on his feet.
How far in advance does Harrys come up with product lines? Or at least, how far in advance is the company working ahead?
Clo Cohen: We have two seasons a year – Spring and Fall.
Do you have a favorite of the Harrys styles currently available?
Clo Cohen: NO! I love it all! I like dining family style because I don’t want to have to pick – l want it all! In fairness, what I mean is that I like a shoe to enhance the man’s look, not overwhelm it. And I like a look to change because I get a little tired of the same thing over and over – so there’s the casual Friday look with a cool sneaker, there’s the stylish business man with a suede Edward loafer, the evening look….with a sharp slip-on!
What is coming up for Harrys in the coming months? Any new products or campaigns?
Clo Cohen: We are opening stores across the world in key markets and introducing the best-kept British secret to men who want style with utmost comfort across every platform.
What do you wish more people knew about Harrys as a brand?
Clo Cohen: How amazingly-comfortable these shoes really and truly are!
What is the most challenging part of your work?
Clo Cohen: Balance with husband and children – but I’m so happy to be working so that said husband and children are not driven mad by me being home and not working!
As a music-centric publication, I must ask: What was the last concert you attended for fun?
Clo Cohen: We adore music. I have it playing all day long in my office and you can tell what mood I’m in based on what I’m listening to. We just saw the Tina Turner show [Tina: The Musical] in London, which felt exactly like a concert. There is a part where the story ends and this incredible actress Adrienne Warren just hits the stage and we all sang our hearts out. We are seeing Josh Groban in two weeks. Otherwise you can find us anywhere and everywhere from opera to clubs downtown listening to Brazilian artists — we love it all!
Finally, Clo, any last words for the kids?
Clo Cohen: Wonderful styles and colors coming for spring 2019 to complement our core collection. A man doesn’t have to choose style over comfort any more. At Harrys of London — we say — he can have it all!!!