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Leandra Medine Cohen hardly needs an introduction to any fashionphile worth their salt. The author to a generation of 'Man Repelling' women, style icon, and most recently the brains behind her wildly popular fashion Substack, The Cereal Aisle, Medine Cohen has, for going on decades, played an integral role in influencing the women of today how to get dressed.
With this in mind, her wardrobe is, naturally, one of the most coveted things in New York City, and, thrillingly to many of her loyal subjects, a recent partnership with eBay will see us all be able to shop an edit of 30 pieces from Medine Cohen's wardrobe. Starting today through December 18, a range of special piece (including a pair of turquoise Tom Ford heels and a Dries Van Noten spring coat that makes an outfit) will be up for auction on her eBay storefront.
Ahead, we caught up with Medine Cohen on the favorite pieces she's getting rid of, the evolution of her personal style, and why she can't stop thinking about Matthieu Blazy's Chanel.
eBay
What are your favorite pieces from the collection?
“The pieces that I chose to shoot were a pair of turquoise Tom Ford sandals, and a satin fur trim Dries Van Noten jacket, and sheer black Dolce and Gabbana slip dress. Every piece is obviously directly from my wardrobe, so they've all been picked with some level of care and love. But I do love that satin jacket, because it's just such a quick and easy outfit maker. I mean, you put on some white jeans and a crew neck sweater, and you throw that jacket over it, and you are just dressed for the day. And that feels really good.”
That's the perfect piece. Was it hard to let go of it?
“It feels like a perfect piece. The reason I'm selling it is because this is the kind of jacket that should really go to someone who doesn't have to endure East Coast winters. It's shelf life is really short in a city like New York. I don't mind that the shelf life is short, but when you live in a city like New York, you also don't have enough closet space. So, that was a hard one to say goodbye to. When I reshot it, I was like, what am I doing?
I've been saying this to my kids—and I want to believe it myself—but I'm feeling more and more like money never really belongs to us; it's always an exchange. It comes in, it goes out, it comes in, it goes out. There's something really freeing about thinking of clothes that way, also, especially now, because there are so many opportunities for sale and rent. And I mean, obviously eBay has been doing this forever, before anyone else.”
instagram.com/leandramcohen
How has your personal style evolved over the years?
"I think that style is a reflection of where you are in your life, and as I've gotten older, my style has matured. I think I used to feel a lot more exploratory and experimental with my clothes. I'm a little bit more sure of what works on me and what doesn't. And that's not to say that I'm not still playful about it, and I still push myself to take risks and challenge myself to find new corners, to feel good in my skin, but I have a little bit more discipline around what's good and what's not for me.”
It's a little bit tighter...
“Tight is a good word. It's definitely tighter. And, you know, I have a baby at home. So I also don't have the same kind of time that I had before she was born, where I can sort of play in my closet for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and find my way into old favorites in new ways. I think there's also a quality of just needing to cut to the chase."
eBay
Which collections do you have your eye on at the moment?
“Well, we're on the heels of the Chanel Metier d'Arts show, and independent of the setting and all of that, the specific clothes were so great. They felt like a real reflection of of how I see my style, in that they were quite straightforward in their shapes. There was a discipline about the shapes of the clothes, but they were also so whimsical and vibrant with the fringe and the colors and the 'breakthrough points,' the thing that sort of turns a concept on its head before you're able to compartmentalize it. It sort of throws you for a loop. I loved that. And then it's disappointing that Dario Vitale just left Versace before he even had his chance to play, because I was very excited about that collection and how he was going to handle the House.”
That was a blow.
“And then I think that my attention is moving towards Polo. I mean, I'm always into Ralph Lauren. I live in New York. I'm from New York. It feels like it's part of the fabric of the city in a lot of ways. But it feels more alive. Like, Ralph Polo, Ralph Lauren are vibrating in a different way to me, which I think is a byproduct of the Michael Ryder Celine effect. So, yeah, there's definitely a quality of bringing the old West into the wardrobe.”
instagram.com/leandramcohen
instagram.com/leandramcohenWhat's in your cart?
“I'm looking for a good new winter coat. Nothing's in my cart, but that's what my mind is on. I gravitate towards collarless coats, and I have a couple that I love, but I just need something quiet and wool. You know, I have these amazing ones from By Malene Berger, but one is very whimsical, and one is shearling. I just need that easy black, wool, cashmere, everyday thing.”
What are you reading?
"I'm reading a book called The Five personality patterns by Steven Kessler. It's great."
What are you watching and listening to?
“I don't really watch television, but I'm listening to a lot of music from Baiana. It's just great dance music and it's a total mood lifter.”
instagram.com/leandramcohen
instagram.com/leandramcohenWhat's your favorite recent shopping purchase?
"I got a pair of cowboy boots from Gabriella Hearst. They're ankle boots, they're black, they're perfect. It's like the right amount of clunkiness in the sole, but totally walkable. They're my shoe of the winter for sure.”
What's your most random open tab right now?
“Let's see. None of my tabs are random. Every single one of them is a different fashion item.”
That’s very aligned. In terms of eBay, how often are you browsing for inspo? Are you an avid shopper and bidder? Or are you a lurker?
“I search eBay at least twice a week. It’s the place where fashion nerds find each other. Like, if I'm ever looking for a specific piece from a specific show, I'm most likely to be able to type in ‘Chanel spring 2006 look 43’ and have the skirt and jacket pop up.”
