Mara Hoffman Photographs Ronny Kobo’s Pre-spring Campaign

Ronny Kobo launched a pre-spring ad campaign Monday photographed by her longtime friend, Mara Hoffman, the fashion designer who closed her sustainably-focused fashion brand in May 2024 after 24 years.

Hoffman shot the campaign, titled “Through the Lens,” in a studio in New York City and the Mercer Hotel. Their friendship goes back over 20 years, when Kobo was a graduate student at New York University and befriended Hoffman at her sample sales. Hoffman welcomed Kobo into her world and invited her to sit front row at her fashion shows “and witness the creative process firsthand.”

“Those early gestures of inclusion left a lasting imprint,” said Kobo.

Interestingly, in Hoffman’s final shoot for her own label, she featured strong, self-assured women and chose Kobo as one of the faces. The experience left an impression, inspiring Kobo to promise herself that the two would work together one day.

For the new campaign, Hoffman shot Heather Kemesky, who serves as the muse for the season. Her presence anchors the collection with ease and confidence, embodying the strength, independence and quiet authority that define the Ronny Kobo woman, said Kobo.

“Working with Ronny felt completely natural,” said Hoffman. “Our friendship spans decades, so there was an inherent trust and shared understanding from the start. I said ‘yes’ because it felt like a full-circle moment, honoring our history while meeting each other in the present version of our lives and creative outputs. Photography has long been part of how I see and tell stories, allowing me to focus on presence, intimacy and emotion in a way that feels deeply aligned,” said Hoffman.

Kobo said the ads will appear on both hers and Hoffman’s websites and on social media platforms.

“She came to me and had a strong point of view, and had such a refreshing way to see my collection through her lens,” said Kobo. “It’s very feminine, and very Mara-esque and that’s why I think she’ll be wildly successful [as a fashion photographer].”