Cookie Johnson's denim line, Cj by Cookie Johnson, is targeted at women with curves. Photo courtesy Cj by Cookie Johnson
Cookie Johnson Jeans, CJ by Cookie Johnson is making noise today. Cookie Johnson wife of NBA legend Magic Johnson, is hoping her new denim line scores a slam dunk with curvy women everywhere. Johnson partnered with Michael Glasser, the man behind premium denim standouts Seven for all Mankind, Citizens of Humanity and Rich & Skinny.
Johnson says she was inspired to launch Cj by Cookie Johnson because she couldn’t find jeans that worked with her own fit, but curvy, figure.
“I had a hard time finding a jean to fit me,” Cookie says. “Every time I would go to the stores, I put the jeans on and I couldn’t get them past my thighs. I thought: ‘I’m in good shape. I work out. I eat healthy. Why can’t I find a jean to fit me?’”
The line, tested at three Nordstrom stores in February, did so well that it’s now being carried in more than 70 locations and is set to debut in Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s this September.
A graduate of Michigan State University, with a degree in Retailing of Clothing and Textiles, Johnson says there was a definite hole in the premium denim market for women with curves — women like her, who work out daily, eat healthy, but aren’t waifish size twos.
“This was my story, too” she says. “I couldn’t find jeans to fit my body. It frustrated me to try on every pair of jeans in the store and leave with nothing … Top designers were excluding this demographic.”
Cj by Cookie Johnson debuted with boot cut, straight leg, boyfriend, high-waisted and legging styles. And guess what? Oprah Winfrey is also using the jeans.
On a recent cover shoot for O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah revealed her jeans and says:
“The perfect jeans for real women with real booties,” she says. “For three days straight, I had on the jeans.” Even though she calls herself a “hard-core pajama girl,” Oprah says she wore the jeans for a five-hour flight—they were that comfortable.
