Maison Mandalay

[Michelle Schneiter]

I picked up a fantastic dress made by Julian Joyce for Mandalay at a flea market in Los Angeles. In doing research on the label, the only thing I could find is an Instagram account showing several A-list celebrities wearing Mandalay dresses including Taylor Swift, Rhianna, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, and the list goes on. They appear to have had ads in Vogue. But other than the Instagram account, I can find absolutely NOTHING on this label. No website, no history, nothing! I can't find a single entry anywhere on Julian Joyce as a fashion designer. I'm absolutely flummoxed. Does anyone have information on this brand beyond what is on Instagram? I'd like to know how old the label is. Many of their dresses look very 1990s, but if they only have an Instagram account, that seems unlikely. Is it an American brand or is it European / Asian / etc? Who is / was Julian Joyce??? Is Mandalay still in business? So many questions!

Perhaps these dresses are custom made? My particular dress has a label and on the back of the label, everything is handwritten. I noticed that that is the case with some of the others for sale on eBay. Maybe it was a sample? It does appear to be dated to 2012, so my dress wouldn't be considered vintage, but I've seen a few dresses on eBay that sellers are designating as vintage, so perhaps the label has been around for a while??? Anyway -- pictures are attached. I will love you to the moon if you happen to know anything about this label and can help me!

Thanks!
Michelle

 

[lkranieri]

What a fascinating dress.

Excerpt from a 2003 article: "Edgy eveningwear at Mandalay (was a top seller) according to owner Glenn Kay, whose showroom is in the CMC (California Market Center). His diffusion line, Joyce Julian, which began shipping last month to Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's and wholesales for about 40 percent less, was also on display...Mandalay has strong ornamentation and this line could be more palatable to a broader audience," said Kay, who hopes to open it to more department stores nationwide."

From another 2003 article: "...fans collect colorful, lush designs adorned with floral stitching and hand painting by Mandalay, the Los Angeles-based contemporary dress and sportswear firm...manages to keep high-wattage company with celebrities who have cottoned to the five-year-old firm....Its other mission is to grow its two-month-old secondary cocktail line, Julian Joyce, named after owner Glenn Kay's son and mother..."

From a 2004 article: "...Mandalay, launched in 1999...Julian Joyce, the upbeat slightly younger sibling to Mandalay, launched for spring 2003...more affordable, easier to wear..."

 

[Michelle Schneiter]

What a fascinating dress!

Excerpt from a 2003 article: "Edgy eveningwear at Mandalay (was a top seller) according to owner Glenn Kay, whose showroom is in the CMC (California Market Center). His diffusion line, Joyce Julian, which began shipping last month to Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's and wholesales for about 40 percent less, was also on display...Mandalay has strong ornamentation and this line could be more palatable to a broader audience," said Kay, who hopes to open it to more department stores nationwide."

From another 2003 article: "...fans collect colorful, lush designs adorned with floral stitching and hand painting by Mandalay, the Los Angeles-based contemporary dress and sportswear firm...manages to keep high-wattage company with celebrities who have cottoned to the five-year-old firm....Its other mission is to grow its two-month-old secondary cocktail line, Julian Joyce, named after owner Glenn Kay's son and mother..."

From a 2004 article: "...Mandalay, launched in 1999...Julian Joyce, the upbeat slightly younger sibling to Mandalay, launched for spring 2003...more affordable, easier to wear..."

Thank you! This is very helpful. Just what I needed!