One chance encounter, two unlikely partners and a new luxury fashion house
A Raleigh contractor walks into a Paris hotel lobby—and walks out with a future fashion partner. Sounds like the setup to a joke, but for local entrepreneur John Cooper, a chance encounter with luxury designer Islam Dadov two years ago ultimately led to the launch of fashion house DADOV at Paris Fashion Week this fall. Call it fate, divine intervention or a happy coincidence—but Cooper chalks it up to his late grandma.
“My grandmother is still a very big presence in my life, I pray to her almost every day,” says Cooper, who founded Raleigh-based Cooper Tacia General Contracting and Cooper Charitable Foundation. “I felt like she put him in front of me, and I’m supposed to help this person.”
It was Dadov’s backstory that immediately resonated with Cooper. Raised in poverty in Mozdok, Russia, Dadov lost his father as a child and later his stepfather in a bombing, leaving him to help support his mother and two sisters by selling individual cigarettes.
Despite those hardships, Dadov put himself through university before moving to Moscow to work at Zara. His talent for visual merchandising caught his boss’ attention, leading to a career spanning Gucci and Dior across Milan, Barcelona and Paris.
“For me, I don’t know anything about fashion, but I got a person in front of me who speaks six languages and he’s working for the biggest fashion houses in the world—I don’t have to know much about what he does to know that he must be good,” says Cooper, noting that Dadov had previously tried to start his own fashion house in Russia, but the war in Ukraine led to trade embargoes that inhibited him from getting materials and forced him to shut it down.
Cooper’s conversation with Dadov—and the fact he wanted to start another fashion house of his own in Paris but lacked the funding—stuck with him, and three months later, he reached out with an offer to invest. After turning him down twice, Dadov eventually accepted—and the DADOV fashion house was born.
And the house’s name is more than eponymous—it’s legacy: Dadov adopted his late stepfather’s surname as a teenager so he could share a name with his younger sisters.
“As a child, I was told that creating and designing was not meant for boys, so I buried that passion for years,” recalls Dadov. “Launching DADOV in Paris is my way of coming full circle, allowing myself to build what I was meant to create—dedicated to the strength of each member of my family.”
Raleigh, too, played a role beyond Cooper’s partnership. Dadov traveled to the City of Oaks to develop early handbag concepts with industrial designer Cata Chopra, creating paper prototypes that were sent to Italy and refined into the final designs.
Fast-forward to the Fashion Week debut, Cooper says it “went really well,” garnering attention from fashion insiders, followers, media and prospective customers—even securing a few initial sales.
“It’s amazing to think all of this started with a random conversation between two strangers in a hotel lobby,” emphasizes Cooper, who established the house’s office with Dadov on Paris’ famed luxury shopping street Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, about a block from Hermès’ and Chanel’s HQs. “It makes me so happy for him.”
As for what’s next? The pair has already started scouting storefronts in Paris—which Cooper will, naturally, oversee the construction of—hinting additional drops every three or so months, with plans for clothing and shoes down the line. And so if Cooper is right about fate, this may be only the beginning.
THE BAGGAGE: Three bags, three backstories. Meet the debut DADOV collection.
ASTER: Soft suede meets sculptural design in a silhouette inspired by its namesake flower.
BELLA: Dadov’s first, the Swarovski crystal-bedecked handbag is named for his niece.
NEIGE: French for “snow,” this sleek leather bag evokes the elegance of a fresh snowfall.
Raleigh Magazine’s Cocktail Classic is back shaking things up at The Exchange Nov. 14, bringing together the city’s cocktail heavyweights for one seriously spirited night. This year, RM’s 10 Best Bartender nominees—all owners and founders behind some of Raleigh’s finest cocktail bars—will go head-to-head across 10 bars, each putting their own spin on a classic cocktail.
The evening unfolds with unlimited pours, top-shelf spirits, live mixology demonstrations, luxe experiences and a few surprises worthy of the city’s ultimate holiday kickoff. Need a reason to snag your ticket? We’ve got 10. Here’s why you don’t want to miss it.
Unlimited Pours? Say Less. This year’s noms will go head-to-head behind the bar for the People’s Choice Award—and it’s up to you to sip, savor and vote for your favorite. Each ’tender is mixing up a riff on a classic (think old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri) in tandem with a top-shelf liquor brand:
Liquor Break Don’t love cocktails? We have an experience for you too. A-Vin-Garde will keep the wine flowing all night in the Bubbly Room. And for those pacing themselves, water and mocktails from Killjoy’s spirit-free bar will be available throughout the evening.
Mic’d & Mixed Go behind the bar with Raleigh’s best. Thanks to sponsor Elm Partners, all 10 nominees will take the stage throughout the evening for live, mic’d-up demonstrations—showing off their craft and spilling a few secrets along the way.
Veritas Digital Photography
What’s the Deal Feeling confident? Thanks to Live! Casino Virginia, each guest will have the chance to beat the dealer in a game of blackjack. Winners get an invite to the Cafe Royale afterparty.
On the Record A live DJ will keep the energy high all night, setting the scene for a little dancing between pours.
Renew & Recharge Take a beat at the Renew & Recharge lounge–courtesy of OriginPoint—stocked with mints, phone chargers, water and more.
Fuel for the Fun Southern-inspired bites will keep you fueled between cocktails, with savory stations throughout the venue (bonus: half the menu is gluten-free!)—plus the return of the giant charcuterie board of your dreams.
Good Times, Safe Rides Your ride home? Consider it handled. Thanks to Whitley Law Firm, guests will receive a rideshare code for travel to and from The Exchange on event day. Prefer to drive? Complimentary event parking is also available—just plan for a sober driver.
Veritas Digital Photography
Spirited Send-off The night doesn’t end with your last sip. Thanks to Cary Consulting Group, guests will head home with a special gift, including a cocktail recipe book featuring all 10 creations—so you can recreate your favorites long after the party’s over.
Pour It Forward Even better? Ticket sales benefit the RDU Chapter of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild, supporting the hospitality community we all love. Drinking for a cause? Don’t mind if we do!
Park power! Dix Park received the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Outstanding Achievements in Public Spaces, recognizing the Raleigh destination as a world-class public space.
All aboard. The S-Line project connecting Raleigh to Richmond received $550 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to build the first leg of the high-speed passenger rail.
Raleigh is officially a boomtown. LendingTree ranked Oak City No. 2 hot spot where people are “moving, building and starting businesses” out of 50 large metro areas across the country.
Buc-ee’s is doubling down on NC, with a second planned store in Rocky Mount near NC Highway 4 and I-95. The first NC location is underway in Mebane.
More homes, fewer buyers. Raleigh—and the greater Triangle area—is entering a rare buyer’s market after sale prices have dropped 6.2% compared with this time last year.
NC’ers clearly love a good gamble. The latest numbers show sports betting in NC was up ~$200 million in July over the previous year.
AI coming for your job? A new survey found 68% of U.S. college students fear AI would make it harder for them to find a job, while 22% have changed their major to avoid just that.
Eatertainment is making its way back to Raleigh Iron Works thanks to Punch Bowl Social. Originally founded in Denver, the brand—now with 11 locations across the country—is anticipated to open its first NC outpost in Q1 2027 in the former Jaguar Bolera spot, which closed in the spring.
“We have no current or prior relationship [with Jaguar Bolera],” asserts Punch Bowl Social CEO Robert Cornog. “The only overlap is the same space.”
Much of that interior will stay more or less the same—but the biggest change, says Cornog, is the addition of an expansive standalone bar, which will serve as the foundation for a service-based model. Read: No more heading to the counter to request a snack or flagging someone down to pour a bev from the “self-pour” wall.
Instead, Punch Bowl will have servers and bartenders, “allowing us to deliver the hospitality that patrons of Punch Bowl Social have come to expect,” emphasizes Cornog. “There will still be games, there will still be fun, there will still be bowling—there will be both more games and more variety of games.”
Read: The duckpin bowling lanes and karaoke room will stay—with the addition of arcade games and a more enhanced game-ified darts experience (read traditional darts + a variety of other games). “It’s all supposed to be fun,” says Cornog.
New City Design Group
When hunger strikes, Punch Bowl Raleigh will deliver the same robust menu as the other locations. Think a chicken and waffles platter to feed a crowd and shareables ranging bang bang shrimp, mozz sticks, elote dip, wings and charcuterie for easy grazing—even salads, burgers, tacos and protein-heavy mains.
“We’re not shooting for Michelin stars—that’s not where we’re at,” says Cornog. “But we do deliver high-end quality food and beverage products. We want our F&B offerings to support the way our guests engage with the building.”
On the bev side, signature punches are perfect for keeping the party going, while craft and classic cocktails, spiked dirty sodas, wine, beer, and NA ops offer enough choice for everyone. And during holidays and seasonal events, expect a smattering of special limited-edition ’tails.
Besides the former Jaguar Bolera space being a good fit for all Punch Bowl Social has in store, Cornog stresses Raleigh Iron Works—and Raleigh as a whole—is a great fit. “The audience that seeks out Punch Bowl Social is in Raleigh and goes to Raleigh Iron Works,” he adds. “RIW has that great gravity associated with things to do—and there’s further development underway.”
And trust—Punch Bowl Social will pack its own, well, punch of activities, sips and snacks come early next year.
Three friends turned their love of Japanese cuisine into a growing trio of restaurants.
What started as a small ramen shop in Cary has quickly grown into a budding Japanese food empire. And now, Raleigh is next.
Founded by three friends who moved from the Bay Area to NC three years ago, the female-led Shinmai brand now consists of Shinmai Shokudo and Shinmai Kumo in Cary, with Shinmai Moku opening Sept. 26 in Raleigh’s Quail Corners shopping center. Moku marks the trio’s biggest and most high-end concept yet—a crowning achievement of sorts, and a bold entry into Oak City.
From left: Jayden Chen, Mingmin Jin, Stacia Zhong
Each of the three women plays a specific role: Chef Mingmin Jin is the brains behind every dish across all three locations; Stacia Zhong handles the finance/operations side of the biz; and Jayden Chen leads marketing and assists with operations. Together, their shared love of the restaurant industry—and desire to bring their own takes on Japanese cuisine to the Triangle—led them to move across the country.
Zhong was the first to explore Oak City’s Japanese offerings, and immediately clocked an opportunity: While sushi, ramen and hibachi were well represented, there’s an untapped market for less expected interpretations of Japanese cuisine. “We feel that RTP is a really good area for the business,” she says.
The team started small, opening the 32-seat, 1,500-square-foot Shokudo—which translates to “eatery”—in March 2024, leaning into Japanese homestyle comforts like ramen and bento boxes as they got familiar with local diners.
“When we first came to North Carolina, we wanted to start with something familiar and approachable,” recalls Jin. “That’s how Shokudo began—a casual neighborhood restaurant centered around something I knew very well from my previous experience.” And locals ate it up right off the bat—with customers even telling the team the food reminded them of what they had while traveling to Japan, adds Chen.
A year later came Kumo (aka “cloud”), giving Jin a canvas for Japanese-Italian fusion, which she experienced in Japan but didn’t find a whole lot of here in the States. An artist by trade who has worked in restaurants her whole life, she saw parallels between the two cuisines.
“Japanese and Italian food actually have some natural similarities… so [it] didn’t feel like two random cuisines we’re forcing together,” emphasizes Jin, pointing to both culture’s strong relationship with noodles, sauce, quality and technique. “At the same time, the Triangle was becoming more diverse and modern, and people were becoming more open to new concepts.”
Now, Moku (meaning “wood”) marks the latest addition to the Shinmai family, an izakaya featuring grilled meat and veggie skewers cooked over charcoal (see “Burn Notice” below), shareable small plates, ramen and rice bowls—with both a yakitori bar facing the grills where Jin will cook, and the brand’s first full cocktail bar.
The third concept found its home in Raleigh—a “really good fit,” notes Chen, thanks to its location and proximity to customers already traveling from places like Wake Forest to visit their Cary restaurants.
For Jin, it’s a dream concept: an izakaya where people can come together to finish the workday or settle in over drinks, food and conversation in a warm, relaxing and intimate environment.
“Moku brings together two things I really love: cooking with fire and bringing people together,” shares Jin. “I want the food to be taken seriously, but I don’t want the experience to feel serious.”
As for what’s next, Chen says they’ll likely take a break, though franchising Shokudo and Moku is something they may consider down the line.
For now, though, the trio is focused on letting each concept stand on its own—less about growth for growth’s sake and more about building on what they’ve already created.
“Each restaurant represents a different part of our journey,” says Jin. “They’re different, but they’re connected by the same philosophy: food, service and atmosphere. We want people to eat well, feel comfortable, enjoy the people they’re with and want to come back.”
Sean Junqueira
Burn Notice The highlight of Shinmai Moku’s grilling program is binchotan, a specialized Japanese charcoal traditionally used for grilling. It burns at a very high, consistent heat with minimal smoke, adding depth to the latest restaurant’s already ~fire~ yakitori offerings. “Fire is unpredictable, and that’s what makes it fun,” says chef Jin, who says grilling over charcoal requires constant attention and adjustment. “When I’m grilling, I become completely focused. It’s almost like being in a flow state.”
