We loved J. Mendel’s Pre-Fall collection for 2011. Think gorgeous autumnal hues, asymmetrical draping and sheer fabrics — perfect for the in-between season. J. Mendel has been getting quite a bit of positive press lately, including a Vogue cover for January, in which Black Swan star Natalie Portman wears a pale pink dress. J. Mendel, with designer Gilles Mendel at the helm, is famous for their use of fur, though their ready-to-wear collections — which make us of fabrics like silk chiffon and woolen tweeds — saw Mendel inducted into the CFDA for the first time in 2003. This season, the designer has stuck to a sophisticated palette of greens, browns and black — an elegant choice for our favourite time of the year.