The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan

Episode: Gilles Mendel

Date: February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging installment of "The Magnificent Others," host Billy Corgan sits down with legendary fashion designer Gilles Mendel, his own father-in-law and the creative force behind some of the most luxurious and innovative couture in modern fashion. Together, they trace Gilles’ riveting personal and family history — from postwar France and a lineage of master furriers, through creative reinvention in New York, to the founding of House of Gilles alongside his daughter, Chloe (Corgan's wife). The episode candidly explores the hidden grind of the fashion industry, artisan mastery, shifting attitudes around fur, navigating legacy, and the relentless pursuit of beauty and originality.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Roots: Family, Survival, and Early Inspiration

[03:13-12:56]

• Gilles recounts his upbringing in postwar Paris, shaped deeply by his parents’ traumatic wartime experiences: his mother survived the Drancy concentration camp ("70,000 went in and only 2,000 went out. And she was one of them.” – [03:27] Gilles Mendel), and his father, decorated by Mitterrand, joined the Resistance and discovered both poetry and the relentless craft of furriery ([07:16]).
• Family trade since the late 19th century: The Mendels were fur artisans to Nicolas II in Russia, bringing exceptional craftsmanship to France ([08:21-09:22]).
• Gilles describes childhood memories of his father’s atelier, “like looking at the architecture of Versailles... It was immaculate. Like a plan of Paris.” ([10:53-12:50])

2. Entry into Fashion and the American Adventure

[15:29-21:53]

• Gilles never initially intended to follow his father, dabbling in music ("I had a band called Silver Hill" [15:59]), and traveling widely—including a formative, serendipitous journey to Guatemala ([22:13-27:14]).
• Deciding to modernize the family business, Gilles leveraged his mother’s connections to bring outside designers into collaboration, innovating with runway shows.
• The risky leap to New York City during the early ‘80s anti-fur movement: struggling to break into retail, Gilles’s persistence lands him an unlikely handshake deal with Elizabeth Arden, catapulting him into “the who's who of America” ([21:53-28:15]).

3. New York in the 80s: Art, Fame, and Business Challenges

[28:15-32:57]

• Colorful anecdotes about mingling with both elite uptown and avant-garde downtown scenes—working with clients like Brooke Astor and hanging with Keith Haring and Andy Warhol ("I always remember going to the Factory… and I couldn't understand a single word," [28:47-29:29]).
• Fashion’s tough reality: Slow but steady recognition at Elizabeth Arden, despite the ongoing anti-fur climate ([30:34-32:13]).

4. Transition and Reinvention: From Fur to Couture

[32:13-34:15]

• Faced with persistent activism, Gilles pivots from fur—his heritage—to dressmaking. “The first thing I did, I started to make little dresses. So I thought at nighttime instead of leaving the furs, I'll put a coat and a dress to match... And people started to come in.” ([32:57-34:15])

5. Personal Ties: Meeting and Marrying Across Cultures

[34:42-35:54]

• Gilles shares the story of meeting his wife Jenny in an uptown New York club, a cross-cultural romance (“Like a Chinese delivery she delivered to me… I thought to myself, this is someone amazing.” [34:46-35:54]).

6. The Fashion Grind: Innovation and the Realities of Luxury

[36:40-41:07]

• Candid behind-the-scenes: Four major collections a year, relentless drive for newness, pressure to innovate for an elite clientele ("Fashion is really hard because if you think of it… if I was designing furniture, you could repeat, but in fashion, you can't." [36:51-37:31]).
• The unseen world of ultra-wealthy private clients and mass-market hype, with deep reflections on the value and meaning of luxury craft (“There’s value to it. It’s not a hype compared to many other things in fashion.” [40:56])

7. J. Mendel at its Peak, and Returning to the Roots

[41:30-44:09]

• J. Mendel rises to global prominence—runway shows in Paris, department store windows, working with legendary designers ("I always remember Albaz...said, ‘Gilles, I love your windows.’ Made me really happy." [41:45-43:32])
• The arrival of large investors, increasing scale, and the challenge of maintaining artisanal integrity led to a conscious decision to return to a more personal, craft-focused approach. "I like to control what I do. I have this imprint in me of this artisan…" [43:34]

8. Family Dynamics: Becoming Father-in-Law to Billy Corgan

[44:09-47:54]

• Warm, self-deprecating exchange about initial impressions, generational and cultural divides, concern for daughter’s happiness (“What is my daughter doing? I cannot believe it... I started to look in the Internet who you were, and that became even worse.” [44:20-44:47])
• Mutual respect for Chloe (Corgan’s wife, Gilles’s daughter) as the “extraordinary person” binding the family together ([47:31-47:54]).

9. Legacy, Ethical Shifts, and New Beginnings: Maison Atia and House of Gilles

[48:00-55:21]

• The story of founding Maison Atia—a faux fur–focused brand launched with Chloe and investor Caddy Maison Rouge to modernize the fur legacy ethically. The pandemic disrupts the business, but also births a new venture: House of Gilles, a couture atelier ([48:13-52:13]).
• Inspiration from Chloe’s wedding dress catalyzing the next generation of couture in New York with exceptional, bespoke artistry: "I always dreamed to have a couture house...to bring back the artisan." [51:30-53:23]
• The experience of bespoke couture, the rarity of such skills in the US, and the joy of witnessing clients' amazement at true craftsmanship (“Today we did a show, the reaction was the same every time: how can this be happening in this studio? Those flowers, those lace detail, it's all those hands…” [53:43]).

10. Sustainability, The Future of Fashion, and Craftsmanship’s Enduring Value

[56:16-63:13]

• Gilles expresses ambiguity and hope about the future: “I hope that the future…goes into more sustainability and more quality oriented, less volume, less trash.” [56:31]
• On competing with mega brands: “You don’t compete. You’re so unique that you are what you are. The power they have…is so big, it’s impossible. But you have your own voice.” [58:26]
• On what clients truly seek: “They're looking for maybe a vision of themselves they haven't thought about. And I think that's what we can bring. We bring something more unexpected to them…” [59:38]
• The “buttons vs guitar tones” moment: Billy’s realization that the artisan’s obsession over minute details mirrors his own in music production, highlighting universality in creative excellence (“We care just as much about the buttons as you care about the way your songs sound in the studio.” [64:23-64:33]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On artistry and legacy:
  "I was the instrument of that, basically...I’m the one who instigated this connection with designers, because my mother...was always with a famous designer next to her...she was very charismatic. She’s definitely one of my best inspiration." — Gilles Mendel [13:43]
• On launching in America:
  “I go to Bergdorf Goodman...She very politely said, ‘Thank you, maybe go to the second floor...’ So, I realized very quickly that a store on Madison was not gonna happen...but then I landed at Elizabeth Arden on a handshake, 20% on sales, and became the Frenchman with his strong cases meeting the who's who of America.” — Gilles Mendel [16:26-21:53]
• On New York’s creative melting pot:
  "At the same time, I'd be making a coat for Brooke Astor and having dinner with Keith Haring downtown—something totally surreal." — Gilles Mendel [28:21]
• Creative grind:
  “Fashion is really hard because if you think of it…if I was designing furniture…and it's a classic...in fashion, it doesn’t work that way.” — Gilles Mendel [36:51]
• Bespoke value vs mass market:
  “The value of what they buy, you know, there’s a lot of work put behind…there is value to it. It’s not a hype compared to many other things in fashion.” — Gilles Mendel [40:56]
• Cultural disconnect (meeting Billy):
  "When someone said Smashing Pumpkin, I say, 'What?' I had no idea...I started to look in the Internet who you were, and that became even worse." — Gilles Mendel [44:28]
• On adaptation in fashion:
  "Fur to me is a beautiful product...if it's treated with respect, understanding...but I'm not cutting diamonds anymore. That's where I stand." — Gilles Mendel [49:22]
• On House of Gilles:
  “I always dreamed to have a couture house...to bring back the artisan…a special atelier in New York City, which is something unique.” — Gilles Mendel [51:30]
• Billy realizing the craftsman’s creed:
  “Why do I have to do it for three hours? What is that? That little thing, that little advantage, that little thing that says, no, this is my...signature.” — Billy Corgan [64:24]
• Vision for the future:
  “Couture…creates a legitimacy of the house…from there, you develop the place to wear. Ultimately, we can—later on—find more collaborations...because we have this prestigious image.” — Gilles Mendel [62:14]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Family legacy and survival: [03:13-12:50]
• Guatemala and finding oneself: [22:13-27:14]
• Elizabeth Arden breakthrough: [16:26-21:53]
• New York cultural scene: [28:21-30:19]
• Transition to dressmaking: [32:57-34:15]
• Building J. Mendel, artistic accolades: [41:30-44:09]
• Initial family meeting with Billy: [44:09-47:54]
• Maison Atia (faux fur) & House of Gilles: [51:08-53:43]
• Bespoke couture process: [53:43-55:21]
• Sustainability & fashion’s future: [56:16-58:11]
• Role of uniqueness in craft: [58:26-59:07]
• Creative philosophy—“buttons/guitar” analogy: [64:23-64:38]

Tone & Style

Throughout the conversation, the tone is personal, witty, reflective, and deeply honest, blending Billy’s inquisitive style with Gilles’ poetic candor and European humor. The rapport blends family warmth, hard-won wisdom, and an unvarnished peek behind the curtain of luxury, creativity, and tradition.

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the true fabric of the fashion business, the intertwining of family legacy and personal reinvention, and the enduring value of craftsmanship in a rapidly changing world. Whether you love fashion or are simply fascinated by the journeys of remarkable people, Corgan and Mendel offer rich storytelling, candid wisdom, and a memorable portrait of what it takes to sustain artistry—across generations and against the odds.