Melissa celebrates its 30 years and launches a new collection in the SPFW From the 17th to the 22nd of June, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Melissa participated again as a sponsor in the 27th edition of the Sao Paulo Fashion Week. The event, where 40 brands of Brazilian Official Fashion Calendar presented its summer 2010 collections, is considered Latin America’s most important fashion week. In Melissa’s hospitality center, decorated by Brazilian architect Marcelo Rosenbaum, the celebration of Melissa’s 30th anniversary got officially started. The space had a complete wall full of Melissa’s historical models – many of them created in partnership with top creators like Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Muegler – and three big puffs that worked as sofas where from people could watch Melissa’s new commercial, exhibited in screens placed in the ceiling (and which will be launched in August in Brazilian cable TV). Melissa traditional game raffled among the visitors a pair of the traditional Possession model in its transparent version. A preview of Melissa’s 2010 summer collection, called Melissa Love Pirates, was shown with six new models – among them, another Melissa created a former partner of previews collections, the Brazilian fashion designer Isabela Capeto. Celebrities circulated daily in the HC, which was always crowded with Melissa’s fans – all welcomed by pretty hostesses wearing 80’s clothes, specially designed by Marcelo Sommer. Besides the HC, Melissa was present in the SPFW also in the Pop Up store, which brought to Sao Paulo some products of the famous Parisian boutique Colette. The complete Melissa’s SPFW coverage is available on the brand’s blog (in Portuguese). Take a look!

Smart’s fashion project features Melissa in Colette The urban car brand Smart made a fashion alliance with Parisian boutique Colette to promote in Paris, New York, Berlin, Copenhagen and Sao Paulo its little fancy car – an object of desire among design lovers. The project, titled “smartEcolette”, has a fashion-ecological touch and counts on Melissa and other four brands that have been invited to create exclusive products for Smart, inspired by themes of urban mobility, design and sustainability. Melissa, representing Brazilian fashion on the project’s display (see image), presented Melissa Aranha for men and, for women, the Melissa Campana flat. The female model has been placed on Colette’s show window, which had for two weeks in a role a Grendene product being highlighted at the store. The other brands that participated in the project are Andrea Crews, from Paris, Wood Wood, from Copenhaguen, Opening Ceremony, from Nova York, and Lala Berlin, from Berlin. All the products, already available in Colette and in its eshop, are related to the concept of sustainable fashion and have been produced in exclusive editions of only 150 items.

Ipanema RJ at Colette Ipanema RJ, a flip-flop created by Grendene in partnership with Brazilian brand Osklen, was shown last week on the window of the fancy Parisian boutique Colette, known internationally for being a trendsetter. Already on the first days after the model arrived in the store, the stock was over, and a new order of the product has been done. Ipanema RJ’s success in Colette, side by side with Melissa shoes, shows Brazil has become a reference of design in plastic in the international fashion circuit.

Melissa in the US media: OK Magazine, People, Elle and Saks This summer, Melissa is gaining more and more space in the US media. First, two flat models of the brand have been highlighted in style guides for the season: Melissa Secret Love appeared in June on OK Magazine inside a selection of jellies “for fancy feet”, and Melissa Campana was highlighted among candy color, shiny sandals to “liven up any look” on People, also in June. As for Melissa’s presence in stores, Saks, one of brand’s sales points in the United States, prepared a special display for Melissa shoes. Finally, Elle published a praise note on Melissa Joy, talking about its comfort, recyclable plastic and its new version with Swarowsky crystals. “As if plastic shoes weren’t already interesting enough, now they have bling”. See the images.

Kate Perry in Melissa US-singer and composer Kate Perry has been photographed in London wearing a look that gave people a lot to talk about on blogs and websites. Wearing a legging, a floral top, Ray Ban sunglasses and, on her feet, the Melissa Lady Dragon model created by Vivienne Westwood, the pop star was mentioned on Splendicity.com, saying: “She is wearing the super cute Melissa and Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Lady Dragon in Salmon. These shoes are so unique and comfortable”. Teen Vogue's website also published the picture, taken when Kate had her interview with Chris Moyles in London.

Grendene, praised for its daring attitude in Isto É Dinheiro Grendene has been mentioned again by a Brazilian financial publication thanks to its commercial strategies, adopted for its brands both in the national and the international markets. Melissa, the brand with Grendene’s most innovating products, received a special mention. In an article written by Adriana Mattos, titled “Uma ousadia abençoada” (a blessed audacity), Isto É Dinheiro magazine talks about Melissa’s price adjustment abroad and the extra profits distribution “in times of expensive money”. The measures – says the text – have been taken based on a strategic consistency, in a moment when Grendene has products of greater value. Interviewed by the reporter, Alexandre Grendene, the largest shareholder of the group, affirmed: “This is the result of an effort of many years, as well as the segmentation work and the improvements of our operations”. Read the complete article on Isto É’s website (in Portuguese).