brit cohen, founder & designer.
OUR STORY.
After losing 60% of our clients due to our Jewishness, we did some deep & serious thinking about where our small shop, NEW YORK & NARRATIVE, was headed. By the point of 10.07.23, our business was struggling financially, but we were able to continue doing what we loved by fulfilling custom orders. Sadly, this would soon change.
Quickly, most orders stopped. We not only lost partnerships, wholesalers, & creative outlets, we lost (work) “friends”. Running that business, alone, from home, was challenging enough. But this took us for a spin.
Three years ago, we had a client who reached out to tell us she could no longer work with us, upon finding out our Jewish identity (something we never hid, by the way). Naively, we figured that might be the only time something like this would happen. Not only were we forced to close our business down completely, we did it quietly, as to not draw any(more) unwanted attention our way. Our livelihood & dream had been put on hold since then. Such a disheartening feeling.
Then, something clicked for us. Our Jewishness has forever been our source of strength, our comfort, our guiding light in a dark world (that only continues to get darker).
Thinking about how much the number thirteen means to us, & its significance in Judaism, it suddenly all fell into place. New business, new name, new website, new partnerships, new wholesalers, new collections. In turn, new clients. With that, we said one final goodbye to the chapter that was NEW YORK & NARRATIVE.
So many changes, so much Jewish joy! Out of something horrific & disturbing, we have chosen to start anew.
Although Studio Thirteen is not a judaica shop, it is deeply rooted in all aspects of what makes up the ethnoreligion & lifestyle of Judaism; mysticism, beauty, kindness, fostering connection, honoring sacred rituals, etc.
All of this truly feels so right for us.
To those who see our humanity & cherish our Jewishness, you will always have a place at our adorned table. The world can never have too much beauty in it, & we’re delighted to contribute to that, in this specific way, once again.