Danielle Mandelbaum launches neckwear company

by Harry Sheff

NEW YORK—Danielle Mandelbaum, a former Superba and PVH executive and daughter of Superba founder Mervyn Mandelbaum, has launched her own neckwear business, Bespoke Fashions.

Joining Mandelbaum at Bespoke are two former PVH colleagues, James LaQuinta and Adi Kandel. LaQuinta, the former SVP of Neckwear Product Development and Design at PVH, is the head of design and development at Bespoke. Kandel was a VP of sales at PVH; at Bespoke he’ll lead sales and operations.

“We’re basically a little boutique accessories company,” said Mandelbaum, CEO of Bespoke Fashion. “We’re just a few people, and we all have a lot of experience in the neckwear and accessories industry. We’re going to be doing some select third-party licenses as well as private label for Saks and Macy’s. Our whole philosophy is that we intend to partner with the best mills in Europe to come up with beautiful product, which is what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

Bespoke is starting to ship private label neckwear to Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s now, and it’s signed neckwear licenses with both major comic book publishers, DC and Marvel. Future categories include women’s scarves, which Mandelbaum hopes to launch in the fall.

Bespoke recently signed a neckwear license with Perry Ellis International for the Perry Ellis and Original Penguin brands.

“The Original Penguin and Perry Ellis licenses start for the spring of 2013,” Madelbaum said. “We’re so excited to be a part of this special time at Perry Ellis, when they’re going to be reinvigorating the brand. The Perry Ellis dress shirts look great and it’s going to be fun to collaborate around that.”

Bespoke has leased a floor at 275 Madison Avenue for a showroom, currently under construction.