Many designers big and small would do just about anything for a chance to dress an actress at the Academy Awards. But gown designer Gilles Mendel, the designer behind glamorous line J. Mendel, is more sanguine about it.

At a talk at Manhattan's French Institute Alliance Francaise, the designer discussed growing up in a family of furriers, moving to Manhattan and how he grew the family company into luxury brand. He told anecdotes of sleeping on sables when he was child, and said that he started making women's clothes in the 1980s because he thought anti-fur protesters wouldn't smash his Madison Avenue windows at night if he showcased dresses over minks.

Cameron Diaz, Laura Linney, Faye Dunaway and Celine Dion have worn J. Mendel dresses during splashy events. In contrast to design houses that might lobby for exposure, Mendel is turning down requests from major stylists and actresses. "I have to prioritize, especially in an economic time like now," he said at a post-event dinner at Philippe. "I want to truly focus on the clients." His collection, recently shown for New York fashion week, is headed to Paris, not Los Angeles.

"For this coming season, we only have one or two gowns that will go to the Oscars," the designer said. "We don't have the time."

He added: "We have strong relationships with some actresses and if we feel the dresses are right for them, we will try to work with them. We don't want to go into a casino type of moment, where you are lined up with three other major houses, and being one of the many. "

As for whom those two dresses are being sent to, the designer smiled but would not say more.