You’re a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet, you’re Mickey Mouse
From You’re the Top, Cole Porter
Henri Bendel, the US luxury brand chain of 24 stores, will close after 123 years in business. The brand was started by Henri Bendel in 1895, when he moved to New York and began making white-and-brown-striped bags and hat boxes that appealed to the city’s elite. Ninety years later, in 1985, Henri Bendel was acquired by L Brands. L Brands, which also owns Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Bath & Body Works, and La Senza, announced on Friday that it would be closing all Henri Bendel stores, including its website and flagship store, to focus on its more profitable brands. Analysts agree Bendel has succumbed to a double whammy of online shopping and expensive real estate.