J. Mendel
NEW YORK, February 9, 2006
By Laird Borrelli
It's hard to believe that fur specialist Gilles Mendel added ready-to-wear to his repertoire a mere two years ago; his evening gowns have already become popular red carpet garb for stars and socialites. The latter were out in force for what ended up being a safe fall show. It opened with tailored separates that were punctuated with hints of flash emanating from metallic tweeds and from rhinestone buttons on cuffs. Fur-wise, there was a burgundy broadtail coat with fox trim at its curved seams that echoed the bubble shapes seen elsewhere this season, and a white mink that was worked in an Art Deco motif—all of which was nice, though not necessarily fresh. What did look new were the jaunty Persian lamb skullcaps, and a quirky brown-and-black leather jacquard coat. Perhaps wisely, the coat was one of the few direct references to the show's nominal theme: Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde.Mendel's attempts to add fur to evening dresses seemed superfluous (why not just throw one of his coats over your shoulders?), and it resulted in a heavy-hemmed look that seemed anachronistic next to the wrap gowns in red and brown with sweet black bows at the shoulders, or the floaty tiered numbers with a hint of sparkle at the neckline. Mendel certainly knows how to romance a gown, but rather than rely too much on that one formula for success, he'd be wise to push his clothes—especially his furs—forward.
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Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim 6267 -
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A.F. Vandevorst ADAM Akris Alberta Ferretti Alessandro Dell'Acqua Alexander McQueen Alexandre Herchcovitch Alice Roi Andrew Gn Anna Sui Ann Demeulemeester Antonio Berardi Aquascutum Araks -
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Badgley Mischka Balenciaga Basso & Brooke BCBG Max Azria Behnaz Sarafpour Bill Blass Blumarine Bottega Veneta Boudicca Brian Reyes Brioni Burberry Prorsum -
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D&G Daryl K Derek Lam Diane von Furstenberg DKNY Dolce & Gabbana Donna Karan Doo.Ri Dries Van Noten Dsquared² -
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Elie Saab Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emma Cook Emporio Armani Erdem Etro -
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Fendi -
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Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Gucci -
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Hermès -
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J. Mendel Jasmin Shokrian Jean Paul Gaultier Jenni Kayne Jill Stuart Jil Sander John Galliano Jonathan Saunders Junya Watanabe -
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Kai Kühne Karl Lagerfeld Kenneth Cole New York Kenzo -
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Lacoste Lanvin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella -
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Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Naum Neil Barrett Nicolas Andreas Taralis Nina Ricci Noir -
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Paco Rabanne Paul Smith Peter Jensen Peter Som Phi Pollini Prada Preen Proenza Schouler -
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Ralph Lauren Richard Chai Love Richard Nicoll Rick Owens Roberto Cavalli Rochas Rodarte Roksanda Ilincic Ruffian -
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Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Stella McCartney Strenesse Sweetface -
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Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Veronique Branquinho Verrier Versace Viktor & Rolf Vivienne Westwood VPL -
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Wunderkind -
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Y & Kei Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
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