How Did Billy Corgan Meet Chloe Mendel? Smashing Pumpkins Rocker Says He’d Given Up On Having Family Before Meeting Wife

Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins never thought he would have a family. He told PEOPLE in a recent interview that before finding his now-wife, the fashion designer Chloe Mendel, Billy Corgan had “pretty much given up” on starting a family.

Billy Corgan, whose lyrics are often noted for their intimate, even painful quality, and whose singing voice is immediately identifiable, has been one of the leading architects of alternative rock since the 1990s. As the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of The Smashing Pumpkins, he helped define the grunge and alternative rock movement with albums like Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

His personal life, however, was marked by painful breakups and a profound sense of loneliness despite the success of his music.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Billy Corgan said,

“I wanted kids pretty much since my late 20s, but I kept being in one bad relationship after another. And when I met my wife, I’d pretty much given up on the idea. Not that I didn’t want children, but I just thought, ‘I’m not made for this."

All that changed in 2012 when he was introduced to Mendel by a mutual friend. The two clicked right away, having similar passions in the world of art. And the rest is history.

Billy Corgan's Love Story

Chloe Mendel, daughter of Gilles Mendel, the haute couture designer, launched her own luxury faux fur outerwear brand, Maison Atia, in 2017. Though she and Corgan had stayed tight-lipped about their romance at first, their love story blossomed in the background.

“Our thing is just to try to be together as much as we can. I can’t tell you how many times I’ll be somewhere on tour and we’re apart for too long, but I have no expectations because to pick up the kids and come to where I am is a huge hassle. And then she’ll call me on a Tuesday and be like, ‘We’re flying in tomorrow to see you.’ And she’ll just show up for like, two days.”

In 2015, they had their first child, Augustus, followed by their daughter Philomena in 2018. Corgan and Mendel shared a relationship of over ten years before getting married in September 2023 at their residence in Highland Park, Illinois.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Billy Corgan said,

“We’ve been very quiet in public about our relationship because we always considered it a private matter between us. It is interesting, for the first time after a 12-year relationship, to open the doors and not only show one of the most intimate moments of our lives in getting married, but to also show our actual dynamic.”

More Than Just a Romantic Partnership

Throughout their romantic relationship, Billy Corgan and Mendel have established a professional collaboration. The couple operates the plant-based tea house and bakery Madame ZuZu’s, which serves customers in Highland Park. Corgan also acquired the wrestling promotion National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in 2017, and Mendel operated as a key player in helping him manage its operations.

In August 2024, Billy Corgan revealed to PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that they were expecting their third child together and talked about how their kids reacted to the news.

On Sunday, we shared the news with our children. While Augustus was overjoyed, Clementine, the younger of the two, asked if the baby was made already and shed a few tears of concern, which was honestly adorable. Now, both kids are beaming, and it makes it so much fun to share the joy of bringing more love into our family. We are truly blessed.”

The relationship with Mendel taught Billy Corgan that a family life could become possible even after he considered such a dream unachievable. Their love story shows how life gives its biggest surprises without warning.