This Accessories Designer Begins Every Outfit With—You Guessed It—Accessories

“I always start with the shoes, the bags, and the jewelry,” says Mark Cross Creative Director Rebeca Mendoza. “That's how I dress myself.” Fitting, considering her role at the storied accessories brand. If she’s not obsessing over accessories, the aesthete directs her attention towards outerwear. Think Balenciaga hourglass silhouettes (she has both the coat and the blazer) or statement puffer jackets from Calvin Klein 205 (where she actually used to work). “Everything else is just to support that vice,” she says, dismissing the rest of the ensemble. “If you have a good coat, you can just wear a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans—and your [great] boots!”

The creative director gravitates toward special pieces that can’t be pinned to a certain era—unless you’re savvy enough to know the exact runway collection of that purple Dries Van Noten skirt. She’s a designer loyalist; her favorites include the aforementioned Van Noten, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Meryll Rogge (who trained under Van Noten), Bottega Veneta, and Celine (the Phoebe Philo era, of course). For accessories, it’s vintage jewelry and, shockingly enough, Mark Cross handbags.

Her closet transcends seasons and events. “I've never been the person that has different shoes for leaving my apartment, coming to work, changing, and then going out to dinner,” Mendoza clarifies. “I wear the same outfit.” Since most days involve a visit to the office or showroom, those spaces become her runway. “Sometimes I overdress for work, but I think that's fine. That's also why I work in fashion. It just puts you in a better mood.” Ahead, Mendoza takes us through everything she wears in a typical week.

Look 1: To the Smithsonian

“This is what I wore to the Smithsonian, for the reveal of the first lady’s inaugural attire [which is now on display there]. That was a really exciting outfit to plan. I definitely dress on the louder side. I wanted to look appropriate for the occasion, but still feel like myself. So I went with a very plain color palette—just grey and black. But I did a really fun Marni statement earring, which I love. I love vintage Marni jewelry from when Consuelo [Castiglioni] was there—especially the earrings. I also really like the Balenciaga hourglass tailoring. I think Demna's work is obviously incredible, but his tailoring is very, very special. That's what I personally love the most about what he does. So I wore one of his hourglass-tailored coats and our [Mark Cross] Grace Lungo bag. The bracelet is vintage.”

Look 2: At Home

“I love, love, love, love, love, denim. This is a Marni denim skirt. I love the fringe and how it's frayed. The bag is Mark Cross from our Fall 2022 collection. That's the vintage bracelet again that I'm wearing, and the sweatshirt is from Dries. It has this really fun pinched seam all along [the edge], which makes it very hard to wear a coat on top—but it's fine. We've had some pretty warm winter days, so it's actually worked out perfectly. And the boots are Margiela, obviously.”

Look 3: Into the Office

“I love that puffer. It's Calvin Klein 205. You can unzip the pink vest and the sleeves, so you can actually take your arms out. It's very comfortable. Those are B SIDES jeans which I really like for winter because of the length. And then obviously, the Bottega [Veneta] boots. I have this running joke with my friend that I'm just buying the same shoe from all the different brands. Because I have the same shape from Margiela, from Jil Sander, from Celine, when she was there, and from Bottega.”

Look 4: Showroom Appointments

“We had a meeting in the office, and I wanted to look a little bit more professional. Less pink-puffer-crazy. That's the Balenciaga hourglass blazer in wool, which is very warm, actually. Those are the Celine boots that lace up. I've wanted them forever. The jeans are Re/Done that I've had for like eight years, and they still look great. And I think I was just wearing a white t-shirt underneath. It's also nice to wear that big shearling coat over a blazer, because it kind of dresses it up but it's still warm.”

Look 5: Back to the Showroom

“That purple skirt is Dries [Van Noten]. That coat is Junya [Watanabe]. I love the peplum. It's such a good coat. The boots are the same Bottega boots as the previous look. That's the same bracelet, as well. I’m consistent. And the T-shirt is from a really fun War on Drugs concert I went to about two years ago [with] one of my best friends. Probably once a month, we have dinner together and we're both wearing it.”

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