Bergdorf Goodman Celebrates Launch of Dawn Mello Biography

Bergdorf Goodman threw a party on Wednesday night in celebration of the publication of DAWN: The Career of the Legendary Dawn Mello, written by John A. Tiffany. Notable attendees included designers Michael Kors, Francisco Costa and Stan Herman, along with current Bergdorf Goodman President Darcy Penick. Mello was all smiles in a relaxed brown suit with a printed gold silk scarf tied loosely around her neck.

A fashion powerhouse and former fashion director and president of Bergdorf Goodman, Mello is often credited with nurturing young fashion talent such as Tom Ford, Donna Karan and Christian Lacroix. When she first started at Bergdorf’s in 1975, the retailer was far from the image of luxury that we know it as today. In collaboration with CEO Ira Neimark, the two managed to revive the brand and bring on top designers.

In 1989, Mello signed on as Gucci’s creative director, working to resurrect yet another troubled brand, this one having been damaged by scandal and counterfeiting. It was here that she hired Ford to create Gucci ready-to-wear looks, subsequently leading to him taking over Mello’s spot as creative director in 1994 when she returned to Bergdorf’s as the president.

After leaving Bergdorf’s in 1999, Mello went on to start a consulting firm for the luxury market, and later created the Atelier Fund in 2006, with the help of financial executive Marty Wikstrom, investing in up-and-coming designers.

Tiffany’s biography of 86 year-old Mello highlights some of the most notable successes of her career, given her status as one of the few women holding a leadership position at the time. The glamorous night was the perfect way to honor a true force and legend of the fashion industry.