Dawn Mello
Dawn Mello | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 16, 2020 (aged 88) |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion executive, consultant |
| Years active | 1959–2020 |
| Known for | Fashion director and president at Bergdorf Goodman; Executive vice president and chief designer at Gucci; Founder of Dawn Mello & Associates LLC |
Dawn Mello (October 5, 1931 – February 16, 2020) was a prominent American executive and consultant in the fashion retail industry. She is best known for her roles as fashion director and president at Bergdorf Goodman. Subsequently, she took on leadership at Gucci in Italy and later led her own company, Dawn Mello & Associates LLC.
Biography
Mello was born in Lynn, Massachusetts and pursued her education at Boston’s Modern School of Fashion and Design as well as the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts.
Her professional journey commenced in 1959 as an assistant at B. Altman and Company, followed by a position in the New York buying office of The May Department Stores Company from 1960 until 1971.
In 1975, she was appointed fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman by chairman Ira Neimark. During her tenure, she is recognized for identifying designer Michael Kors and providing mentorship to Donna Karan throughout the 1980s.
Mello joined Gucci as executive vice president and chief designer in November 1989. She implemented significant brand restructuring, decreasing the number of stores from over 1,000 to 180 and narrowing the product range from 22,000 to 7,000 items to emphasize exclusivity. She revitalized iconic products such as the Bamboo bag and Gucci loafer, and recruited Tom Ford to oversee women's ready-to-wear collections.
After a five-year period at Gucci, she returned to Bergdorf Goodman to serve as president.
In recognition of her contributions to fashion, Mello was honored with the Isobel S. Sinesi Lifetime Achievement in Fashion Award by the School of Fashion Design in 2006. She died on February 16, 2020, aged 88.
Private life
In 1998, Mello acquired a penthouse located at 30 Sutton Place in New York City, previously owned by Doris Duke. This property was put on the market soon after her passing.
Filmography
Mello featured in the 2013 documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's.