Dawn Mello (October 5, 1931 – February 16, 2020) was an American fashion retail executive and consultant and the one-time fashion director and president of
Bergdorf Goodman. Subsequently she moved to Italy to manage
Gucci. Later she was the president of her own firm, Dawn Mello & Associates LLC.[1][2]
In 1975, Mello was hired by Bergdorf's then chairman
Ira Neimark to become the store's fashion director. It was during this tenure at the store that she is credited with discovering and promoting the talents and designs of
Michael Kors.[4][1] In the 1980s, she was a mentor to
Donna Karan.[5]
Dawn Mello was hired in November 1989 as
Gucci's executive vice president and chief designer. She reduced the number of stores from +1,000 to 180 in a move to rebuild the brand’s exclusivity. She also reduced the number of items sold by Gucci from 22,000 to 7,000. She revived the Bamboo bag and the Gucci loafer.[6] Dawn Mello hired
Tom Ford to oversee Gucci women's ready-to-wear collection.[7]
She quit after 5 years in Italy and returned to Bergdorf Goodman as president of the company.[8]
Mello died on February 16, 2020, at the age of 88.[9]
Private life
In 1998, she purchased a penthouse in New York (30
Sutton Place) that was previously owned by
Doris Duke.[10] It was listed on the market a few months after her death.[11]