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STORY: Fashion designer Gilles Mendel grew a ready-to-wear Spring 2013 collection for his luxury label, J. Mendel, stemming from photographs he saw of the Kawachi Fuji Garden in Japan.
"These incredible tunnels of flowers was really the starting point for my inspiration," Mendel told Reuters before his show on Wednesday (September 12) at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
Mendel's garden consisted of wisteria, tiger lily, cornflower and violets.
Using the most high-end fabrics and custom prints, Mendel didn't shy away from his usual use of fur which is synonymous with the luxury design house.
"I treat fur like fabric, as you know. You know, for me, fur is about - in this collection, you know, I made it sort of an unapologetic luxury," Mendel said.
"What a great thing to wear - a little fur tunic on a plane, you know, when you travel. It's like a little cashmere sweater, so I treat them really like sort of, little outerwear-y moments that is very important in a wardrobe, anywhere, anytime during the year."
Born and bred in Paris, designer Gilles Mendel has fashion in his DNA. He is the fifth generation of a family of furriers who served Russian aristocracy. After launching his ready-to-wear business in 2003, Mendel was admitted to the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). He set up a showroom and studio in New York, and unveiled his ready-to-wear line during the Fall 2004 runway shows at New York Fashion Week.
His 45-looks for spring included signature handbags and accessories, as well as strappy stilettos by Manolo Blahnik for J. Mendel.
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