LAmoodboard.com

NYFW
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

EVENT TWENTY-SEVEN

HOUSE OF GILLES

DESIGNED BY GILLES AND CHLOE MENDEL

LINCOLN CENTER | 5 SEPTEMBER 2024 | NEW YORK CITY

MERLE'S CLOSET | FASHION COMMENTARY  | NEW YORK | FASHION WEEK

Step into Merle’s Closet for an insider’s view of the inner world of L.A. style.

The Marvelous Mr. Mendel - Gilles Mendel - is Back at New York Fashion Week, This Time Going Full Couturier

The House of Gilles may be a new-ish New York based couture and bridal studio, but the man behind it is a fashion staple for three decades: Gilles Mendel is the famed evening wear designer of J. Mendel, which reigned over the New York runways and Hollywood red carpets throughout the ’90’s and early aughts, donned by Amal Clooney, Taylor Swift, Meg Ryan, Scarlett Johansson. Emma Watson. Famed for delicate pleating, immaculate silhouettes and curvy corsetry, the Marvelous Mr. Mendel is back with a new concept: working with his daughter Chloe to create couture gowns to order (which take 3 to 6 months), made to order possibilities (3 to 6 weeks) and bridal. What they showed for spring/summer 2025, in the Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center,  was an array of black tie looks inspired by ballet (Mendel often designs costumes for New York City Ballet), featuring delicate pleated silks in mostly blacks and whites, a caped pleated gown in red, several in muted mauve – that manage to both float like air and hug the body like a corset – most with fine tiny beading, fancy feathering and all the little details one expects from couture and made to order. “I wanted to create a Parisian couture house in New York,” Mendel told me, explaining his mission. “There are so many black tie soirees here, many grand weddings – I wanted to give the Manhattan woman the option of having a special dress made to fit outside of having to come to Paris.” He’s already hard at work on bridal – creating Chloe’s wedding gown was the inspiration. As for a Hollywood comeback to the red carpet this coming awards season? “We are planning a trip to Los Angeles this fall,” he smiled. “We’ve got a few ideas . . . ” Ideas were never a problem at J. Mendel, as the classic look was and still is: Grecian goddess gowns of the the 1920’s and 30’s silver screen, straight out of the costumes for Babylon, crossed with European ballerinas and royalty.
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

GALLERY

HOUSE OF GILLES

LINCOLN CENTER | 5 SEPTEMBER 2024 | NEW YORK CITY

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE

EVENT TWENTY-SEVEN