J. Mendel – Handcrafted Furs Since The 1800’s April 19 2022

“You don’t really see all this labor of love at the end, but you know, that’s what’s so extraordinary,” Gilles Mendel, head designer for handcrafted fur designer,  J. Mendel recently said in a video spotlight for The New York Times T Magazine.  “The magic is there when you don’t feel it.  The woman who wears it definitely understands it.”

Gilles Mendel learned from the best.  The J. Mendel company was established in 1870 in St. Petersburg, Russia as a boutique specializing in luxurious furs.  The company’s reputation for quality and craftsmanship landed Joseph Mendel a commission by Czar Alexander II to create an ermine cape for his wife.  Soon after, the Mendel family became the official furrier of the Romanov family.

And here’s the thing—with Mendel’s designs, you don’t even have to be the one wearing the pieces to understand the magic.  One can simply look at his furs, his handbags, his wedding dresses, and holy cow—do you feel it?

Jacques Mendel opened the first J. Mendel fur atelier in Paris in 1934, where the company remained until 1981, when Gilles Mendel became head designer and CEO and moved the company to New York City.  The company still has the reputation for outstanding furs and extraordinary craftsmanship, and each piece is made by hand by artisans who take pride in their work.

J. Mendel furs are amazing.  They’re luxe, they’re unique, they make you feel cozy just looking at them.  Materials are mixed, the fur is treated in new and unexpected ways, and we. are. loving. it.  Mendel’s spring 2014 collection includes garments featuring strips of fur interspersed with lace, creating a unique effect and undeniable luxury.  We’re obsessed.

Watch The NYTimes Video Here:  J. Mendel NYTimes: Fashion

Shop Vintage Furs at Rice and Beans Vintage Now! 

(Photo: Gilles Mendel Perfecting a look from the 2010 J. Mendel Collection. Photo credit Afton Almaraz / AP)