It s hard to believe that fur specialist Gilles Mendel added ready-to-wear to his repertoire a mere two years ago; his evening gowns have already become popular red carpet garb for stars and socialites. The latter were out in force for what ended up being a safe fall show. It opened with tailored separates that were punctuated with hints of flash emanating from metallic tweeds and from rhinestone buttons on cuffs. Fur-wise, there was a burgundy broadtail coat with fox trim at its curved seams that echoed the bubble shapes seen elsewhere this season, and a white mink that was worked in an Art Deco motif—all of which was nice, though not necessarily fresh. What did look new were the jaunty Persian lamb skullcaps, and a quirky brown-and-black leather jacquard coat. Perhaps wisely, the coat was one of the few direct references to the show s nominal theme: Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde.
Mendel s attempts to add fur to evening dresses seemed superfluous (why not just throw one of his coats over your shoulders?), and it resulted in a heavy-hemmed look that seemed anachronistic next to the wrap gowns in red and brown with sweet black bows at the shoulders, or the floaty tiered numbers with a hint of sparkle at the neckline. Mendel certainly knows how to romance a gown, but rather than rely too much on that one formula for success, he d be wise to push his clothes—especially his furs—forward.
