Henri Willis Bendel
Established in 1895 when Bendel moved to New York from Lafayette La and began making hats for the city’s elite.
Henri Bendel stripe
The stripe
In 1907 Henri Bendel began branding the brown and white striped boxes that still identified with the company today.
Geraldine Stutz became President in 1957 and transformed the brand into a high-end emporium for designer clothes.
Geraldine Strutz
Approached by Bendel whilst working for I.Miller Shoes where she helped launch Andy Warhol’s career she is credited with introducing among others Jean Muir, Ralph Lauren, Carlos Falchi, Perry Ellis and Sonia Rykiel to the American public.
History
In 1913 Henri Bendel was the first retailer to stock Coco Chanel designs in the U.S.
Influence
In 1958 Stutz turned the store’s main sales area into a U shape designing a street of shops she is credited with the first format of a department store.
712 Fifth Avenue
The flagship store on 5th Avenue was located in two adjacent buildings, the Rizzoli and Coty as well as a new five-story building. The Coty building has beautiful glass window frames commissioned from Rene Lalique
The building received landmark status for preservation in 1985
An Affair to Remember ………walking along 5th Avenue in 2006 and the day of my 40th birthday. I discovered Henri Bendel. I purchased my first bracelet..fell in love with those stripes, the boxes the bags …the hotel room was a mini jewellery room by the time I left the USA.
I wore the jewellery throughout the trip …when I returned to New York the next year I put my luggage in the room ..and raced back to the store …since then I have built up a great collection
Favourites
The first
Purchased for my 40th birthday this heavy bracelet with stripe glass ball was purchased in the 5th Avenue store.
Bracelets
I love collecting these bracelets note the inside stripe I have about 12 from all over the US.
Glass finish
The three bracelets seen in the picture below are an eBay purchase note the stripe in the glass.
Henri Bendel was named Retailer of the year by the Accessories Council in 2010.
Bag charms
Henri piggy
End of an era
The company made the decision to stop selling clothing in 2009 ..followed by the removal of all merchandise by outside designers in 2014 ..the company's final downfall was its failure to provide a decent website.
Shopping online
Bad business
I speak from experience you could not order anything from Bendel and have it sent to the Uk.
The website was a nightmare and had no customer service ,it looked great but was slow with poor navigation.
The company closed in 2018 after 123 years due to poor sales
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