Founded in 1870 in Paris by Joseph Breitman, a furrier to the Russian aristocracy, J. Mendel is one of the rare luxury brands to remain family-owned. Today, the fifth-generation Gilles Mendel acts as CEO and head designer, and the label is now based in New York.
In addition to fur, the brand now encompasses a full women's ready-to-wear line, which originated practically by accident; to detract PETA protesters from staking out his first flagship boutique on Madison Avenue in the mid-nineties, Mendel created simple sheaths to display in the store windows at night. Collections now run the spectrum from luscious chiffon dresses and sleek canvas trenches to tweed suiting and red-carpet gowns. |
