Brit Cohen

If you’re new to my art, or social media accounts, I want to thank you for visiting and taking the time to check out my work! I can’t tell you how much it means to have you here. However, if you’ve been here for a while, then you might know that my dear friend Brit, founder of New York and Narrative, and content creator @remnantsofbrit on Instagram, has been my social media crush that I proudly exclaim my love for her beautiful curated keepsake boxes, and words.

It is an honor to be interviewing Brit, and learning more about what inspires her creativity. So get warm & cozy. Let’s dive into the story of content creator, and founder behind the brand.

1) A topic that we’re both passionate about is intentionality. How do you add those thoughtful values you hold as a creative person throughout your breathtaking keepsake boxes?

I spend a lot of long hours sourcing products; not because I can’t find anything, but because there’s so much of the same. It can be a daunting task, narrowing it all down. But once I find that one item, it’s something I just feel in my gut. I’ll sit with that feeling of wanting for a bit. If the feeling doesn’t dissipate within a couple weeks’ time, I know it’s a product I need to feature. Intentional gifting is so important to me. I’m not into pumping out boxes for the sake of having something new out there. I take my time. Everything about NEW YORK & NARRATIVE is geared to tell a story — yours, theirs, & of course, my own.

"I know my aesthetic isn’t for everyone, & it doesn’t need to be."

I’m one woman doing it all. I create a dried floral bundle & handwrite a short note for every box. I package each keepsake wooden gift box (which is FSC-certified) with the utmost care, making sure products look beautiful within it, while also securing them in place so they reach their destination(s) in one piece. My boxes have made their way all over the United States & in other parts of the world. It’s a very humbling experience to know my work is helping to tell a story in someone else’s life. I aim to create a personalized experience with every order that comes my way. This means I spend a significant portion of time on just one box, but it’s a rewarding feeling once it’s finished.

2) I always say this because it is so true, everything you touch turns to gold. Can you tell us the story of how you found your personal style behind your dreamscape photography, and the intentional curation of capturing beautiful stillness? And also, can you tell us about your aesthetic?

I remember the first photo I took for Instagram, as an adult. It was a picture of waffles with whipped cream & syrup & berries. I was newly-married & newly-pregnant with my son, & those waffles were my very first pregnancy craving. I recall loving how it looked; the moodiness of the lighting, the textures & colors of the food on the plate. In comparison to my work now, you’d never know that I took that shot, but at the time, it was my “start.” I spent a while trying to figure out what my style would be. After a long time, I eventually settled on the idea that it should reflect who I am, not who I wanted others to think I was. I created my own filter, using pre-existing filters, while also utilizing natural light around me. I’ve stuck with it for a while now, & all of my photos have a consistency that brings me joy. Any time I feel myself wanting to change things up, based on what others are doing, I remind myself of who I am, what I enjoy, & why I do what I do. I know my aesthetic isn’t for everyone, & it doesn’t need to be. Being a people pleaser or being authentic to myself — there’s no comparison. I choose my happiness any day. I created my account for me. I created my business for me. & in doing so, I’ve found like-minded individuals who love what I also love. As for my photography itself, I use my iPhone. I don’t know how to use a camera. I’d love to learn one day, but for now, my phone suffices. I’m very confident using my phone. It’s gotten to the point, after all these years that I now just point & shoot & that’s it. I’ll slap on a filter & post & go on with my day.

I used to overthink what I put out there, now I just do what speaks to me & share what I want. I’ve recently gotten into Reels, & it’s the same concept. The tiniest things inspire me, & that’s when I know I need to capture it. I don’t own much, & if you notice, a lot of what I post is the same thing, styled in different ways. I have an affinity for turning something old into something new. I don’t buy things just to buy them. I don’t take photos just to take them. I truly try to live an intentional life. My time & energy are precious, as a Jewish wife & mother with multiple chronic illnesses. That being said, so much of my accounts (@remnantsofbrit & @newyorkandnarrativestudio) are based around stillness. That’s mostly due to the fact that I need time to be still. So much of my life is chaos, & I savor the moments when I can just be. Whenever I log into my account(s), a sense of calmness comes over me. I love being able to see parts of my life, captured in a peaceful manner. What you don’t see are my dog & kid chasing each other around the house, or my husband loudly clanging the dishes, or the cars honking at each other on the busy street I live on, or my own anxieties bubbling up to the surface. You see a cup, an earring, a candle, a fleeting memory. It’s something I can easily control within a life I often feel controls me for one reason or another. It’s creative expression, an outlet for me. I never pretend to be perfect. In fact, I almost always show the imperfections throughout my belongings & life in general. There’s so much beauty within the imperfect, don’t you think?

3) Where do you find inspiration? I'd love to learn about your creative process.

I’d like to say I’m a romantic person with a bit of an edge. Step into my home or in my closet & you’ll find lots of black, white, brass, beige, leather, metallics, velvet, & surprisingly, shades of green & pink. It’s all about the texture for me. Growing up, we didn’t have much. We religiously shopped at the Salvation Army for clothes & the college dorm section (once it was on sale) at Walmart for furniture. I’d always fantasized about one day creating a space within my home & wardrobe that would reflect my true aesthetic. I mean, I’ve been wearing a black manicure since the eighth grade (& didn’t hold back on my wedding day, either), so to look around & see that my space is turning out exactly how I’d hoped it would many years ago, feels like such a blessing. NEW YORK & NARRATIVE is a reflection of who I am. Or actually, more like an extension of myself. The tones I go for, the movement & textures I gravitate toward — they all mimic what you’d see in my living space or what I wear on my body. Small pieces of who I am go into every gift box, & I love that. I wish I had a simple, straight-to-the-point answer, but honestly, I’m constantly being inspired by anything & everything. The way the light hits my pug’s face in just the right way, listening to my five-year-old telling me about his day, & seeing the world through his imaginative, inquisitive eyes, the texture of stone or metal or paper, the way a color has the ability to make me feel a certain way. The simplest things make me happy, & perhaps that’s why I keep everything minimal within my boxes & in my daily life.

4) My favorite part of what you do with your keepsake boxes is that you collaborate with small businesses, and include their one of a kind products. What motivated you to work with small businesses?

Honestly, the pandemic. I re-launched NEW YORK & NARRATIVE during the holiday season of 2019, right before COVID-19 made its way into the states. At the time, I’d been working with three or four small shops, just to test the waters. But they weren’t micro small. They were well-known & successful, just not a chain. Over time, seeing so many small businesses struggling to make ends meet or just keep their doors open broke my heart. My husband & I faced many hardships over the last couple of years, so I felt — & still feel — a deep attachment & connection to small business owners, creatives, artists (such as yourself), makers, designers, writers, etc. So this encouraged me to want to feature products from businesses no one had ever heard of before. Myself, included. One of the most spectacular parts of what I do, given the right budgeting & sizing, is the sky can truly be the limit in terms of the theme of a box. Once I incorporate a product from a small shop, I tend to keep them in my rotation, figuring out alternative ways to showcase their hard work. Not only does it breathe a second life into those items, but it helps to keep that creative spark within me going. I can’t believe this is a reality for me, but I’m happy to say that I now support over fifty small businesses throughout the country & throughout the world. My shop couldn’t exist without them, & I’m forever thankful for their incredible work.

"seeing so many small businesses struggling to make ends meet or just keep their doors open broke my heart. My husband & I faced many hardships over the last couple of years, so I felt — & still feel — a deep attachment & connection to small business owners, creatives, artists (such as yourself), makers, designers, writers, etc."

5) What’s your favorite part of what you do?

I love that I get to be a small part of someone’s unique story. They come to me, trusting me to create something special for a person in their life that’s celebrating a milestone or mourning a loss or just needs a little pick-me-up. I get very invested in my client’s lives & value them all. I just recently sold my one hundredth keepsake curated gift box, & can tell you who ordered what box & when & why. These aren’t just sales to me, they’re moments of human connection. The products I source are beautiful all on their own, but they’re elevated to something more the second they’re given a deeper purpose. The unboxing experience is an aspect of what I do that I take great pride in, from the overall look & feel to the handwritten note on handmade, deckled edged paper featuring letterpress lettering, to the scent as soon as you slide open the top of the wooden box. It all comes together in a harmonious way, & I adore when my clients reach out to tell me that my gift made them cry with happiness or that they can’t get over the quality of what I do. Comments like that will never be lost on me. I am so, so grateful to be able to do what I do. The NEW YORK & NARRATIVE community that’s slowly building is a dream I didn’t even know I had.

Thank you so much for giving me the pleasure of sharing your story, and getting to discover new stories I never knew about your creativity, and New York and Narrative. I could write a book about how much I look up to Brit, and that she inspires me in so many ways. It’s an honor to call her a close friend, an entrepreneur I can always share creative ideas with. I’ve been lucky to have collaborated with her brand, and created art for one of the curated boxes. That experience alone was a whole pinch me & one of a kind moment. What I admire most about Brit is her compassion, & all the beauty she puts out into the world while unapologetically being herself. A true inspirational character all around.

To start swooning, head over to her website newyorkandnarrative.com & follow along on Instagram @remnantsofbrit, & @newyorkandnarrativestudio, I promise it will take your breath away.

My goal with this series is to share the stories that make us imperfectly human, and that in itself is enough to follow our dreams, and create our own story. Thanks for hanging out with us. Until next time my dear story-tellers!