In 1988, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, two Parsons grads and romantic partners, borrowed $250,000 from their families to realize their vision of glamorous, Old Hollywood–style gowns. Quick praise from heavyweights like Vogue poured in for the unique, often hand-beaded creations, but true Cinderella moments came in 1996, when both Winona Ryder and Teri Hatcher achieved red-carpet nirvana in Badgley Mischka gowns. They designed the second wedding dress worn by Charlotte York on Sex and the City and scored the Olsen twins as spokesmodels in 2006. Despite money woes, they found financial backing in parent companies like Escada in 1993 and Iconix in 2004. The boys have gone bridal in a big way, adding engagement rings and bridesmaid dresses to their successful wedding repertoire. They also do dressed-up daywear, sportswear, and lingerie, but embellished eveningwear is still their calling card.

Status

Established, Household Name

Clients

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Ashley Judd, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Teri Hatcher

Other Product Lines

Eyewear, Fragrances, Handbags, Lingerie

Collaborations

Fine-jewelry collection in collaboration with Zalemark Inc. (Spring 2008), Badgley Mischka Fragrance with Elizabeth Arden. (2007)

Owned By

Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

Address

550 Seventh Ave., 22nd fl.
New York, New York 10018
212-302-1001 ext. 221

Where To Buy

Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Kleinfeld, Saks Fifth Avenue

Related Websites

• Badgley Mischka (Official)
• Wikipedia: Badgley Mischka (Other)
• Badgley Mischka Bride (Official)
• Badgley Mischka Bridesmaid (Official)
• Style.com: Badgley Mischka (Media)