A Visionary of Style: Henri Willis Bendel Henri Willis Bendel (Henri Bendel) transcended the role of mere businessman; he was a true innovator, reshaping American retail and injecting an unexpected dose of artistic sensibility into the heart of New York City’s cultural landscape. Born January 22nd, 1868, in Vermilionville, Louisiana—a region steeped in Cajun heritage—to Jewish parents originating from Austria and Prussia—a lineage ref…