Celebrating the ten-year anniversary of ready-to-wear at J.Mendel, Gilles, heir to the fur throne, also celebrated a special kind of beauty, one that is light as air, not in your face (not to mention the launch of their eCommerce site!). The Spring ’13 show was a slow, paced progression, the way a fashion show is supposed unfold.

It started light as air, in Monet-esque watercolor shades and prints, while models glided down the runway in chiffon and guipure lace. Beautiful blush and mint arrived to entice, in pleated chiffon ready to catch the May breeze, gentle concoctions of leather and lace, complemented by tufts of sweetly soft fur (it wouldn’t be J. Mendel without fur, no matter what season it is!). Then it moved into harder tones of navy and black (think slits of leather and sharper lace), and finally, the vivid-rich brights – amethyst, emerald, and a shade of orange called “tiger lily” to shock and awe – came in for the kill to fully seduce us. Printed jewel tones bursting forth with charm and elegance – and even some little mini-dresses, too. But in order to pull of the lengthier dresses, a kind of maturity is required, or at least an unflinching confidence. These are not gowns for little girls; they announce, “I am all woman, but I need not roar.”

Bodices constructed to mold and define yet they look impossibly easy, skirts to billow and reveal with every step, color to pop out or make a mellow statement, depending on your mood, and patterns so natural and the effect of high evening drama without trying too hard: all in all, flawless. In fact, the Mendel woman seems to not have to try at all, and before you know it, the seduction is complete.