Mitchell Siegel

Founder

Mitchell Siegel established Cocoon Gallery more than 20 years ago in Greenwich, Conn., and is the creative brain behind the Cocoon brand. He moved the Greenwich showroom to Naples, Fla., in 2020, followed by the move of the Greenwich woodshop to Naples in 2022, a move that is poised to allow Cocoon to expand elsewhere in Florida and beyond.

Mitchell travels the world, primarily to remote mountain villages in Southeast Asia, to source the raw materials that undergo a metamorphosis in the Cocoon woodshop. His passion for sustainability and local cultures, and deep experience with Southeast Asian exporters, led to his securing a coveted license to export exotic wood from the region.

Mandy Wengen

Creative Director

Mandy Wengen has been working side by side with Mitchell Siegel since Cocoon’s founding and wears many hats within the business. She directs all merchandising for the showroom and assists in curating its stunning display of natural art. In addition to creating the showroom’s displays and working one-on-one with clients, she offers her interior design expertise to help clients design their own habitats. She regularly visits the homes of clients and hand selects pieces for their environments, even offering counsel on how best to showcase a Cocoon work of art as part of private art collections. Mandy works closely with Mitchell Siegel to design custom furniture pieces for clients that result in creative, innovative, unique decor.

Laura Gillis

Director of Operations

Laura Gillis joined the Cocoon Gallery team upon its move from Connecticut to Florida and was instrumental in opening the Naples showroom. However, her knowledge and understanding of the Cocoon aesthetic preceded the move. Previously, she was general manager of The J House hotel in Greenwich, a modern, art-forward boutique hotel, where she developed an admiration of Cocoon’s “functional art” pieces in the lobby. Curious about the creator of the pieces, she soon became acquainted with Mitchell, the Cocoon team and Greenwich showroom. The team returned admiration to Laura for her ingrained sense of hospitality, the result of a 30-year hospitality career, and her ability to manage multiple tasks within an organization. When Cocoon readied for the move to Naples, they lured Laura to helm operations and help with the move, recognizing that her warm, friendly and professional service style complements the Cocoon service ethic. Laura is now “cocooned” in Naples, a beautiful environment with the quality of life she grew to appreciate in her native California, and former hometowns of New York City and Greenwich.

Ivett Slade

Showroom Manager

Cocoon Gallery customers are greeted by the friendly and accommodating Yvett Slade upon their visits to Cocoon’s showroom. She joined the team as showroom manager upon its 2020 opening in Naples following more than 15 years as a dedicated retail manager well-versed in sales, customer service and high-end merchandising. Her extensive experience at Naples boutiques includes management of the Little Luxe boutique, the Escales boutique, and the Chanel boutique at Saks 5th Avenue, both located in Waterside Shops. At Chanel, she was honored as employee of the month for her strong relationships with clientele, a quality she is known for at Cocoon Gallery. In a fortunate turn of events, she managed the children’s clothing store that formerly occupied Cocoon’s showroom and was highly recommended by the store’s ownership. Ivett brings to Cocoon a passion for art, interior design and fashion. Her experience in the luxury space enables her to work with customers on their selections and installations at homes and businesses. Ivett is a native of Hungary, where she worked as a lawyer and police training, further enhancing the leadership skills and strategic thinking so essential to the Cocoon Gallery team.

Frank Bentivegna

Woodshop Artisan

Frank Bentivegna fell in love with Naples after moving to the Paradise Coast from New Jersey. His good fortune continued when he was hired by Cocoon Gallery to build a geode storage room in the woodshop. “I fell in love with the uniqueness of everything Cocoon makes,” he says. When he learned that Cocoon founder Mitchell Siegel was looking for an artisan for the woodshop team, he was quick to take on the challenge.

Mitchell soon discovered that Frank is a masterful tradesman in the traditional sense, having built things since childhood, such as digging foundations for homes while still a teenager. He is now multi-talented at most trades: carpentry, painting, plumbing, tile work, masonry, marble work, and more. 

What sets Frank apart is his artisanship and ability to work with clients on custom pieces. He says that his goal is to give extra flair to every custom piece so that it represents Cocoon’s organic aesthetic, and has new, unique angles and shapes. He consults blueprints and isometric drawings and uses CAD software to help clients achieve their visions. 

His creations are known for their elegance, such as the exquisite small side table with a blue geode top on a jointed and grooved wood base, which he says is one of his favorites. 

When a Cocoon client wants a custom piece of functional art, they are fortunate to work with a craftsman who brings an artist’s eye to their project. Today, Frank says, “I’m just happy walking in every day and looking at everything.”