J. Mendel New York Fashion Week S/S 2013

The luscious confections of Gilles Mendel for New York Fashion Week, make a clear impression of how a Madison Avenue based fashion house reading J.Mendel Paris as its logo has managed to charm the urbanely sophisticated American woman with a fine blend of French savoir faire and a modern design sensibility.

Dense with an imagery of the enticing delicacies of a yet to blossom spring season, the collection stirs a yearning for the vividness of the blooming landscape it recreates even before the somber winter months have dawned upon us. The essential impression is the one of a glamorous bouquet, glaring spurts of bright colored flowers Andy Warhol-style with a romantic touch of pale roses. A veritable pop art bouquet. Monsieur Mendel drew inspiration for the collection from the Kawachi Fiji wisteria garden, an intense purple tunnel which has led to the dominating theme for this season.

The collection-defining dress opening the catwalk sports an A-line foliage printed silk jacquard, followed by other pastel colored glowing textures in shades of grey, white, pink and light blue. Garments rigid in the conspicuousness of their fabric, leading to a structured and architectural shape alternate with long pleated skirts, transparent in their quasi immaterial substance. Intense olive would then act as a buffer for a burst of Japanese-inspired prints of rich violet and iris arrangements. A set of rather opulent evening-wear, some more bright pieces of this purple feast would be ideal for an al fresco lunch in Manhattan.

Tiger lily orange ensembles with the occasional jolts of cornflower blue completed the flora. Be it short dresses, long skirts or suits, these monochrome and printed neon orange pieces are exuberant creations worthy of the vibrant contemporary urban life, apt for a local gallery opening or creative gathering alike, signaling Mendel´s cosmopolitan reality acumen. Ankle strap stilettos partly lacquered in metals or colors referring back to the clothing, along with garnishing organza and the occasional fur bracelets are the key signature accessory pieces. Finally, the closing ethereal rose tinted gowns delicately hint to the French legacy of the design, which resonates throughout the whole collection transpiring a taste for craftsmanship, the luxurious quality of the fabrics and a subtle Parisian couture aesthetic which adds to the brand distinctiveness.