September 14, 2018 / 3:33 PM / CBS/AP. There is where the famously sumptuous windows, brown canopy and brown/white shopping bags graced the city. After 123 years in business, Henri Bendels announced last Friday, September 14, that it will be shuttering its doors and going out of business. The doorman of the 1970s until his passing in 1982, "Buster" personally greeted each guest with a warm smile. Please email us at [emailprotected], subject line republish, with any questions or to let us know what stories youre picking up. The window artist, Robert Rufino changed the theatrically designed scenes every Wednesday evening, every week. Bendels wasnt exactly expensive, at least compared to Bergdorfs or Saks, but it was a brand name. Known for. The store was founded by French-speaking American designer Henri Willis Bendel in 1895 as a millinery shop in Greenwich Village before relocating to the corner of 5th Avenue and 57th Street in 1912. The brand is turning off its lights come January 2019, after opening its doors 1895. Fifth Avenue flagship down the street from Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany & Co. We are committed to improving performance in the business and increasing shareholder value. After 123 years in business, Henri Bendel is closing its doors. The Times described Mr. Bastedo as an aide and a faithful employee., The Times reported this faithful employees address as 399 Park Avenue, which, as it happens, was also Mr. Bendels address. "This decision is right for the future growth of our company, but not easy because of the impact to our L Brands family.". [7], During the 1960s, Andy Warhol was an in-house illustrator. Henri Bendel. Bendel's parent company L Brands, which acquired the department store in 1985 . New merchandise will be added to stores throughout the holiday season, but its unclear whether the stores will hold liquidation sales before closing in January. Looking for more style content? Rainmaker Platform. Wexner bought the company in 1985 before eventually opening the current Fifth Avenue flagship in 1991. Carleton, E. (2018). He is buried alongside Mr. Bendel in Valhalla. [7] In 1958, Stutz turned the store's main sales floor into a "U-shaped 'Street of Shops,'" which some consider the forerunner of today's shop-within-a-shop merchandising displays. Luxury retailer Henri Bendel is closing. Like most of white America, American Jews confer particular prestige to anything that sounds remotely French (and, to a lesser, but still important degree, Italian). And where shoppers could walk out with brown-and-white striped bags full of stylish wares. However, the famous store eventually ventured into clothing by the 1910's. Henri Bendel was the first retailer to have its own fragrance, to offer in-store makeovers, and . He was buried in Valhalla, N.Y. (A Negro quartet performed at his funeral, The Times noted.) #BendelGirl #DontLeaveMe, HENRI BENDEL IS CLOSING pic.twitter.com/2TrumwP40A, Wexner continued: This decision is right for the future growth of our company, but not easy because of the impact to our L Brands family. Sign up for notifications from Insider! In 1985, when purchased by Limited, the new owner moved the store to 712 Fifth Avenue.[5]. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. U.S. store-based luxury department stores have seen their sales sliding 23% between 2012 and 2017 to $5 billion last year, according to Euromonitor. In January 2019, its physical stores and website were closed. Henry Bendel was a women's hat maker from Lafayette, Louisiana. The luxury retailer Henri Bendel, which opened its doors in New York's Greenwich Village at the end of the 19th century, is closing. In a statement late Thursday, L Brands chairman and CEO Les Wexner said he's shutting down the Bendel stores and online operations because the company, which also owns Bath & Body Works, wants to improve profitability and focus on its "larger brands that have greater growth potential." . She has a penchant for sneakers and nude lip glosses, and spends way too much time re-watching 90s sitcoms. Shop Henri Bendel's Sale Before the Store Shuts Down This Month. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [3] Formerly Limited Brands, the Columbus, Ohio-based company is also the parent of Victoria's Secret, PINK, Bath & Body Works, and La Senza, and operates 2,917 company-owned specialty stores in the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. Victoria's Secret owner L Brands Inc on Thursday said it would close all 23 of its Henri Bendel stores and the Henri Bendel e-commerce website in January of next year. [13], In September 2018, The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported that Henri Bendel announced the closing of its 23 stores and ending of its brand after 123 years in business. Effective 12pm EST, Henri Bendel has. Parent company L Brands announced Thursday it's closing Bendel's website and all of its 23 stores, including the store's iconic Fifth Avenue location in New York, in January 2019 because of sluggish sales. [6] The retailer is credited with developing the concession, or shop-within-a-shop merchandising concept that is in use in some department stores today. NEW YORK (AP) The luxury retailer Henri Bendel, which opened its doors in New York's Greenwich Village at the end of the 19th century, is closing. Click here to subscribe to the PeopleStyle Newsletter for amazing shopping discounts, cant-live-without beauty products and more. After 123 years, Henri Bendel is closing. As part of that effort, we have decided to stop operating Bendelto improve company profitability and focus on our larger brands that have greater growth potential," L Brands chairman and CEO Leslie Wexner said. But after 123 years in business, the iconic luxury boutique is officially closing up shop, all 23 of its brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce site to be exact. On-Time Delivery! Even so, the decision to shut down completely is due the brand's inability to stay afloat and poor sales. Join the Forward (in person in Aspen) for a wide-ranging conversation with Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Jodi Rudoren, editor-in-chief of the Forward. When the company bought Henri Bendel, the store stopped selling clothing and focused on bags and accessories. Really puts into perspective exactly how badly ecommerce is dominating brick-and-mortar stores. Bendel was an early pioneer in the American fashion industry as the first luxury retailer to open an upper Fifth Avenue address and the first to stage a fashion show, according to its website. Mr. Bastedo, who lived the rest of his life as president of the store, died in Stamford in 1953. In the 1960s, its in-house illustrator was a young artist named Andy Warhol. It said Bendel was also responsible for bringing Coco Chanel to the United States and is credited with discovering Andy Warhol, who was brought on as an in-house illustrator. When he died, Mr. Bendel left the following to Mr. Bastedo: $200,000, the use of his estate in Stamford, Conn. what is now the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and half his stock in the store. Bath & Body Works, with about 1,700 stores, was the only bright spot, with operating income rising 13% to $292 million. And although we stand together, mourning this great institution that has served the monetary aspirations of our community so well, our shopping life will live on. With the help of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the flagship store received landmark status from the Landmark Preservation Commission because of one-of-a-kind Lalique windows that graced the side of the store that were uncovered during renovation, Henri Bendel said on its website. The 1936 obituary of Henri Bendel in The New York Times. Update: It's a sad day at 714 5th Avenue and at HenriBendel.com. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. Henri Bendel Is Officially Shutting Its Doors, 15 Best Athleisure Brands to Get You Through 2023. Could there be a massive sale on the horizon? Ninety years later, in 1985, Henri Bendel was acquired by L Brands. According to Business of Fashion, Henri Bendel is expected to pull in $85 million from 2018 alone. [10] In 1980, Henri Bendel president Geraldine Stutz purchased the store with a group of investors from Genesco Inc., a retailing/apparel company that had owned Bonwit Teller and other stores. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. While that business is small compared to the $12.6 billion in sales L Brands generated last year, the loss was outsized in comparison. [3] He opened his first shop, in Greenwich Village, in 1895. If you're still mourning the news that 123-year-old Henri Bendel will be closing all its doors including its iconic Fifth Avenue flagship and its e-commerce business, you can still snag some of its best merch right now at an incredible discount. All Rights Reserved. Maybe it was the way the Henri was spelled with an i, a la francaise. Henri Bendel is closing after 123 years. Retail stores are closing at an alarming rate Henri Bendel is going out of business. But for now, Henri Bendel is offering a free mini wallet with the purchase of its best-selling Influencer Backpack or Tote Bag. The closing of Bendels wasnt entirely unexpected brick-and-mortar retail had been struggling against the onslaught of ecommerce, and Bendels struggled with finding its niche among other luxury retailers. Henri Bendel, Inc. (pronounced BEN-del), established in 1895,[3] was a women's department store based in New York City which in its later history sold women's handbags, jewelry, luxury fashion accessories, home fragrances and gifts. [1], From 1985 until its closing in 2018, the flagship store on Fifth Avenue was located in two adjacent buildings, the Rizzoli Building and Coty Building, as well as a new five-story building. L Brands, an American fashion retailer that owns Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, announced today that it was closing all 23 Henri Bendel stores, including the Fifth Avenue Manhattan. That lease, was purchased in the late 1980s and doesnt expire until early 2021, according to the Commercial Observer, which calculates that L Brands will be on the hook for about $13 million in rent, unless some accommodation is made. Every fashion-forward girl owned a Henri Bendel bag. The Henri Bendel store at Easton Town Center will shut its doors for good on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Henri Bendel), Henri Bendel says it is the first luxury retailer, with an upper Fifth Avenue address. Even so, the . September 20, 2018. Henri Bendel's 23 Stores and Website to Close After 123 . His welcomes were typically accompanied with the guest's name since he had an uncanny memory. The kind of name you could throw casually into a conversation Oh, this little thing? The famous brown-and-white striped shopping bags of luxury retailer Henri Bendel will soon be history as parent company L Brands is set to shut all of Henri Bendels 23 storesincluding its Fifth Avenue flagship in New York Citycome January. Bloomberg Online. Back in the day, Bendels was on the cutting edge of retailing, becoming the first American store to sell Chanel in 1913 and hiring Andy Warhol as an in-house illustrator in the 1960s. After 123 years in business, Henri Bendel will be closing its doors in Jan. 2019. Many Henri Bendel s Henri Bendel the iconic department store known for bringing Coco Chanel to the US and catering to generations of so-called. We visited the store in New York City the day after it announced it would be closing, and we found it was a vestige from a more glamorous era of retail. The 81-year-old Wexner is no stranger to shedding brands he sees as no longer fitting into the companys strategic focus. Tools Henri Bendel, Inc. (pronounced BEN-del), established in 1895, [3] was a women's department store based in New York City which in its later history sold women's handbags, jewelry, luxury fashion accessories, home fragrances and gifts. Every Gossip Girl junkie (me!) In 1913, Bendel introduced Coco Chanels designs to the U.S. and even employed Andy Warhol as its in-house illustrator in the 1960s. He moved to New York in 1895 and began catering to the city's elite, making the stores' brown and white striped shopping and bags and hat boxes a coveted status symbol. The company expects Henri Bendel, which sells women's handbags, jewellery and luxury fashion accessories, to bring in revenue of about $85 million (64.84 million) for 2018. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider September 14, 2018 9:45am Updated Say goodbye, Bendel girls. L Brands other segment, which includes Henri Bendel and the companys acquired Canadian lingerie chain La Senza, has posted year-to-date operating loss of $93 million, which isatminimumthe third year its not made money. I cover retail, from fashion to grocery, and its dance with technology, Henri Bendels famous brown and white stripped, shopping bags and hat boxes will soon be history as Victorias Secret parent L Brands is set to shut all stores. The store was essentially founded in 1895, when Henri Bendel moved to New York City from Lafayette, La., and began making hats for the citys elite, but it wasnt transformed into the high-end emporium for designer clothes it became until Geraldine Stutz was made president in 1957. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. as well as other partner offers and accept our. [15] During renovation of the Coty building, 276 "masterwork" panes of glass commissioned from Ren Lalique in 1912 were restored. (Photographer: Craig Warga/Bloomberg), What Farfetchs IPO says about the $300 billion luxury industry, Heres the real problem behind Victorias Secrets dramatic fall, One big potential beneficiary of the coworking space trend? America's retailers are closing stores faster than ever. Pearson. It later became the first luxury store with an address on upper Fifth Avenue, the first to have a fashion show, and the first to hold a semi-annual sale. By clicking the consent button, you agree to allow the site to use, collect and/or store cookies. Yes, Victorias Secret, with nearly 1,200 stores and the companys largest unit, has seen profit and sales declining as even demand for its once-hip and younger label Pink has faltered. #BendelGirls immediately took to Twitter to mourn the end of the beloved brand. After Bendel's nephew, also named Henri Bendel, retired from the company in 1954, the Bendel family sold the store to a group of investors. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider My first "designer" skirt suit was a Henri Bendel, likely purchased at Loehmann's in the early 1990's. Michelle Honig is the style writer at the Forward. All times are ET. Last year, the company reported revenue of $12.6 billion. The Columbus, Ohio, company said it wants focus on larger brands with more growth potential. For its founder, see, "Henri Bendel Cutting Ties With Third-Party Vendors", "Geraldine Stutz Dies at 80; Headed Bendel for 29 Years", "Henri Bendel Launches Premium Handbag Collection", "Once, Long, Long Ago, It Was the City's Rue de la Paix", "Henri Bendel, 89, Head of Store And Founder of Belgian Shoes", "How Henri Bendel's Creative Director is Keeping the Century-Old Brand New", "Henri Bendel Makes Changes to Grow Accessories", "A Belle of Fifth Avenue Returns, Freshened Up", "Architecture View: A Shot of Adrenaline for Fifth Avenue", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henri_Bendel&oldid=1155394433, This page was last edited on 18 May 2023, at 00:12. Sept. 13, 2018 7:47 pm ET. "[11] Beginning in 2008, the brand expanded beyond the New York store to become a national chain with 28 stores (in addition to the NYC flagship) across the U.S.[12] In 2009, Henri Bendel stopped selling apparel. Town & Country has reached out to L Brands for comment, but has not received a response. The sector also is competing againstchanging consumer preferences to pare back on fashion to spend more on things like the latest iPhone and other gadgets. To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. Henri Bendel's sales are expected to reach $85 million in 2018. It was later management of Henri Bendel that moved the flagship store around the corner to Fifth Avenue, with that locations iconic Lalique windows. And just as the prestige of Bendels withered and died, so too did the Jewish obsession with Bendels. There are stores in the Aventura Mall and Dadeland Mall. The department stores list of noteworthy accomplishments also include Bendel being the first retailer to brand himself, the first luxury retailer with an upper Fifth Avenue address, the first to hold a semi-annual sale, the first to offer in-store makeovers, and the first to stage a fashion show, the retailer said on its website. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [10], Geraldine Stutz was president of Henri Bendel from 1957 to 1986. Until 1985, the 10 West 57th Street store retained its manually operated elevators. [18], In 1985, L Brands acquired the Henri Bendel brand. Really puts into perspective exactly how badly ecommerce is dominating brick-and-mortar stores. Bendel was also a designer of apparel, accessories and fragrances in his own right. It was one of the three Bs Bergdorfs, Bloomies, and Bendels that a well-off Jewish woman was socially almost-required to shop in. Nerisha is the beauty commerce editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty (and fashion and music). L Brands acquired Bendel in 1985 and led its expansion into 11 states. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Henri Bendel is projected to have 2018 sales of $85 million with an operating loss of $45 million. Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, New York. For Zubi, the Florida lawyer and perennial Bendel's shopper, it was a bit harder to exit the store's gilded doors. The complete 1953 obituary of Abraham Beekman Bastedo in The Times. See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. as well as other partner offers and accept our, "We are committed to improving performance in the business and increasing shareholder value. Now, after 123 years in business, the retailer is closing its doors for good. I want to thank our Bendel associates for their dedication to this iconic brand and to our loyal Bendel customers.. The famous shopping stretch now counts such tenants as Apple, Microsoft and Dyson alongside traditional luxury fashion emporiums including Neiman Marcus Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany & Co. Henri Bendelcan trace its roots to 1895, when its namesake founder opened a shop in New Yorks Greenwich Village. [10] Bendel's nephew, who later founded Belgian Shoes, died in 1997. AFP/Getty Images Legions of "Bendel Girls" were in a fashionably dressed tizzy on Thursday over the closing. stopped selling merchandise from outside designers and brands in 2014, the subsequent decision in 2014 to stop selling brands by outside vendors, pay a visit to their poorly designed website, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. In September 2018, it was announced that the owner, L Brands would close all 23 stores and end the brand. Discovery Company. Why did Henri Bendel close down? This website or its third-party tools use cookies which are necessary to its functioning and required to improve your experience. The flagship store, with its gilded, finely wrought architecture, spoke to a genteel WASPy-ness that every Jew secretly desires acceptance from (listen, its not our fault, weve been like this since we begged Samuel the prophet to anoint a king like the rest of the nations). A post shared by Henri Bendel (@henribendel) on Jul 14, 2018 at 4:00pm PDT. L Brands Inc., which acquired the brand in 1985, said that the 23 Bendel stores will turn out the lights in January. wanted one after all Serena and Blair loved shopping at this store throughout the series, even popping up in Blair's Audrey Hepburn dreams. All rights reserved. Related on Forbes: What Farfetchs IPO says about the $300 billion luxury industry, Related on Forbes: Heres the real problem behind Victorias Secrets dramatic fall, Related on Forbes: One big potential beneficiary of the coworking space trend? [4] Its New York City store was located at 10 West 57th street. The famous brown-and-white striped shopping bags of luxury retailer Henri Bendel will soon be history as parent company L Brands is set to shut all of Henri Bendel's 23 stores including. Big #Saturday night plans, version #henribendel. [15] The building had received landmark status from the city's Landmark Preservation Commission in 1985. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Bendel was the first luxury retailer with an upper Fifth Avenue address. Parent company L Brands, which bought Henri Bendel in 1985, said the decision was made to focus on the brands that have better potential for growth, like Victorias Secret and Bath & Body Works. .css-1fgik18{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,NewParis-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1fgik18:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1fgik18{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}Shop Queen Letizia's Sleeveless Mockneck, Honors Will Change How Women Dress for Golf, Princess Diana Inspired Jacquemuss Latest Show, Staud Just Launched a Chic Pickleball Collection, Royal-Approved Polka-Dot Outfits for Summer, Princess Diana's Sheep Sweater Heads to Auction, 'Today' Fans Throw Fire Emojis at JBH on Instagram, July 4th Sales You Can Start Shopping Now, Princess Beatrice's Most Fashionable Moments. L Brands says it's closing Henri Bendel to improve company profitability and focus on its larger brands, which include Victoria's . We carried Henri Bendel candles in about 8 fragrances. Brick-and-mortar retailers. Henri Bendel's closing is so scary! This decision is right for the future growth of our company, but not easy because of the impact to our L Brands family. In 2010, a Wikipedia user took a photograph of the grave site, which features a statue of a robed figured casting roses before her, with the names BENDEL and BASTEDO carved beneath it. Henri Bendel, owned by Columbus-based L Brands, will close its last stores this weekend. This content is imported from twitter. The company said Bendel's 2018 sales were approximately $85 million, adding that it's in the process of estimating closing costs. [3] Beginning in 1994, Izak Zenou's illustrations have appeared on Henri Bendel ads and promotional materials. By Michelle Honig The brand is turning off its lights come January 2019, after opening its doors 1895. According to the Post [LINK], that was the beginning of the end: The companys focus on its own private-label accessories and handbags fell flat with designs that looked like cheap Michael Kors and Kate Spade knock-offs, according to retail consultant Gabriella Santaniello of A-Line Partners. The Reason Henri Bendel Is Shutting Its Doors That No One Is Talking About I suppose I should be surprised that Henri Bendel is closing its doors. The story of the end of Bendels is a uniquely American one fashion conglomerate L Brands, which also owns Victorias Secret, could no longer justify Bendels existence to its investors, because Bendels was operating at a loss.
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