Moll of America
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
J. Mendel’s fall line was sleek and ice-queen seductive. Designer Giles Mendel pointed to Bonnie – as in the female gangster of “Bonnie and Clyde” fame – as inspiration for the clothes. But these clothes aren’t for robbing banks the old-fashioned way: They have the look of gals geared up to dominate illegal arbitrage or even the international arms trade.
Sumptuous black metallic defined the feel of this collection.Mr. Mendel sculpted boiled wool, tweed, and mink with minimalist strokes that looked like the fine lines of a stealth fighter plane.
While this season has been filled with billowy dresses and antique ruffles, Mr. Mendel’s gowns were cut in feathery, overlapping squares. This transformed the fabric from overly expressive to detached, minimalist elegance. Persian lamb skullcaps and Mr. Mendel’s sophisticated boiled wool textures are the most likely candidates for mass-market imitation.
