J.Mendel RTW Fall 2018

For fall, Gilles Mendel looked back to “retro Hollywood” — Louise Brooks or a young Katharine Hepburn — while still giving glamour a modern take in both day and eveningwear. The palette, which was influenced by the autumnal paintings of Tom Thomson, felt like a fresh breath of crisp, fall air with its rich purples, maroons, burnt oranges and dusty blues.

“[There is a] contrast between the day, the girl is wearing cropped pants and turtleneck and very beautiful furs that are very substantial, to this kind of feeling [referencing a maroon burnout velvet dress] with dresses that are very sleek but the materials are really refined,” Mendel explained. For day, velvet corduroy and patchwork fur and leather coats made fantastic toppings to the tonal underpinnings. Evening held an abundance of Mendel classics: feather-trimmed, hand done intricate lace sequin dresses, airy burnout organza gowns and sequin embroidered offerings that were paired with one-of-a-kind vintage framed fur evening bags. Two evening frocks in tulle, one an off-the-shoulder style with pleated layers in burnt orange, the other a dusty blue trumpet gown, captivated the back room of Ladurée Soho, where the presentation was held. Overall, the collection was beautiful and oh so refined.

Launch Gallery: J. Mendel RTW Fall 2018

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