J. Mendel
Born and raised in Paris, Gilles Mendel, Creative Director of J. Mendel talks to Bride To Be
about continuing the legacy of his ancestors and expanding the label into the bridal industry
F
ounded in St. Petersburg
in the 1870s, famed
family furrier J. Mendel
has evolved from a fur
house to a fully-fledged
luxury band, which includes evening
gowns, ready-to-wear, bridal, accessories
and home furnishings. Dedicated to
creating gowns that are romantic, ethereal
and fashion-forward, Gilles imparts his
wisdom on how to find the perfect dress
for one of the greatest days of your life.What first inspired you to work in
the bridal industry?
A dear friend of mine asked me to make
her a wedding gown for her wedding.
The gown was very classic J. Mendel,
and straight off my runway — fluid,
ultra-feminine, and hand-draped in ivory silk
mousseline. That one gown resulted in me
getting so many orders for custom wedding
gowns; I decided to launch a fully-fledged
bridal collection!What made you extend your label into
the bridal industry?
J. Mendel’s move into bridal happened
organically. I had become known for designing
romantic, ethereal evening gowns, and found
that a lot of my clients were asking to have them
replicated in white or ivory for their weddings. It
became apparent that the demand for a
J. Mendel bridal collection was out there.What influences your designs?
Design is a very intuitive process. Sometimes
I’m inspired by something specific — a song,
a movie, a photograph — but often it’s just a
feeling or mood, or an inclination towards a
specific palette. I’m pretty consistent when it
comes to my muses, however. I’m French,
and I find that those iconic beauties of the
French cinema of the 60s and 70s, are often
in my head when I design.What is your favourite bridal trend
at the moment?
Lace is a key bridal trend. I used a lot of lace
in my ready-to-wear collection for Spring
2014, which translates easily into bridal. I
wanted to approach lace in a fresh way,
combining geometric lace with floral to give it
a chic, modern edge.How different is the J.Mendel couture
bridal label to the fashion label?
My bridal collection often correlates to my
ready-to-wear collections. The same mood
or silhouette might carry over from one to the
other. Sometimes I reinterpret a specific gown
from my runway collection as a bridal gown;
other times they evolve of their own accord.Describe the process of your gowns...
When I create an haute couture wedding
gown, the inspiration stems from the client
herself — her silhouette, her style, her
personality, the location of the wedding
— and this informs the aesthetic direction.
For J. Mendel’s main bridal collection, I find
the inspiration flows freely.Define the J. Mendel bride...
The J. Mendel bride tends to be a modern,
fashion forward woman who wants to look
chic and sophisticated on her wedding day.
She’s looking for something more fluid that will
still offer her a figure-flattering, secure structure.What should a bride consider when
choosing the shape of her dress?
It’s important to choose a gown that flatters
your silhouette, as well as something that
holds timeless appeal. I like to think of each
J. Mendel gown as being a ‘modern heirloom’.Do you have any further advice?
I think the most important thing is for a bride
to stay true to herself.J. Mendel is available
exclusively in Australia
at Anna DaFonte.
See annadafonte.com207 | bridetobe.com.auCELEBRITY STYLIST
COMPILED BY: SARITA SHETTIGAR