Mandali Mendrilla (born Maja Mendrila, on 1 February 1976) is an American fashion designer, who mainly works in Europe, the US, and India.Article about Mandali Mendrilla citing her work as a designer in the United States, India, Croatia and Italy She is also known for having translated the Hindu epics from Sanskrit into Croatian.Reference citing Mendrilla as the first Croatian translator of the epic Ramayana
Early life and education Mandali Mendrilla, born Maja Mendrila, grew up on the Croatian coast.Article about Mandali Mendrilla citing her youth in Rijeka, Croatia After high school Mendrilla was tutored in fine arts by Croatian sculptor Tatjana Kostanjević and started her fashion career in 1995.Article citing Mendrilla having received private tutoring from Croatian sculptor Tatjana Kostanjevic
Career In 1995, Mendrilla's collection was selected as the theme collection of the Croatian Fashion Week and was awarded the Design Excellence Grand Prix. She also made the first ever translation of the Ramayana, in Croatian,Reference citing Mendrilla as the first Croatian translator of the epic RamayanaNewspaper article of the presentation of the first translation in Croatian of the Indian epic Ramayana, May 11th, 2005Entry of the Ramayana in the Library of the Faculty of Philosophy from the University of Zagreb and several other books,Entry of The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami, by Radhanath Swami in the National and University Library of ZagrebEntry of Leadership for and Age of Higher Consciousness by Bhakti Tirtha Swami in the City and University Library in Osijek like the Mahabharata. Croatian newspaper article on the presentation of the translation into Croatian of the Indian epic MahabharataCatalog entry of the Mahabharata in the Library of the Faculty of Philosophy from the University of Zagreb
In 1996, Mandali Mendrilla decided to complete her studies at the Rijeka Faculty of Philosophy, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Croatian language and literature. In that period, she studied Bhakti Yoga and traditional arts of India under tutelage of Kenneth R. Valpey. The studies inspired several art projects, like collaboration with British anthropologist Chantal Boulanger on Vrndavana: The Sari Experiment.ISKCON News article describing "Vrndavana: The Sari Experiment" Mendrilla also finds inspiration in ancient cultures, especially from India. In the United States, Mendrilla's late husband and artist Elisha 'Nitai' Drury's Krishna Kitchen, ended up becoming an integral part of some of the biggest and most exciting alternative festivals of the new millennium; including Burning Man, Wanderlust and Bhaktifest. Mendrilla dedicated an entire collection to commemorate his legacy.Article from Merriness on Mandali Mendrilla dedicating her collection "Slave2Love" to late husbandArticle from Hubville on Mandali Mendrilla dedicating her collection "Slave2Love" to late husband In 2014 she was featured on the Croatian Fashion Week in Zagreb.Article in the Croatian Cosmopolitan announcing Mandali Mendrilla's participation in the Croatian Fashion Week 2014Zagreb Fashion Week's photo gallery from Mandali Mendrilla's collections at the Croatian Fashion Week 2014 She closed the year with an appearance in the Yoga journal.2014 Top Yoga Moments - Yoga Journal In 2015 Mandali's luxury label was featured by the British Vogue magazine, Harper's Bazaar and Tatler. Mandali's collection Wish Tree Dress, inspired by the eastern tradition of Wish Trees, was presented at the Croatian Fashion Week in June 2015. After the fashion week appearance Mandali was invited to design a special Wish Tree Dress for the collection of the Belgian MOSA Museum. Mandali crafted an interactive art installation called Mandala of Desires (Blue Lotus Wish Tree) made of peace silk and painted with eco friendly textile ink resembling a lotus flower with branches of a tree upon which visitors could hang their desires. The dress was taken to India and offered to a genuine wish tree in 2016. The pattern of the dress was based on the Goloka Yantra mandala and the thousand petalled lotus petticoat on the layered glass sculptures of Dutch artist Bert Van Loo. The dress was exhibited as part of the "Forms of Devotion" exhibition at the China Art Museum in Shanghai as well as the Museo de arte Contemporaneo at Conde Duque in Madrid.
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Mandali Mendrilla on Tumblr Mandali Mendrilla on Instagram Short film of Mandali Mendrilla at the Croatian Fashion Week in Zagreb, May 2014