“I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They’re beautiful. Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic,” said Andy Warhol. We so agree with that since we saw plastic Melissa from São Paulo! Nearly thirty years ago, this started as a common shoe inspired by solid French fishermen’s work sandals. Now, combining pop with couture, this funky Brazilian has managed to become one of those rare brands that is both luxurious AND affordable. PingMag shows you its history, from its humble roots to its present plastic incarnation from legendary fashion dame Vivienne Westwood. And we had a chat with Melissa’s creative designer Edson Matsuo (who happens to be of Japanese descent.)
Written by Regiane Ishii
Japan’s craftsmanship showed the world how the combination of simple lines can create something visually extraordinary. Though we wouldn’t compare Melissa, there seems to be some kind of parallel refined aesthetic at work, resulting in some clean, unadorned styles that are sweetly subversive in their simplicity.
Melissa’s plastic high heels can be innocent or indecent, depending on the beholder (and the context.) This attitude seems to be a integral part of plastic itself: democratic, comfortable and moldable — everything that good fashion should be about. Furthermore, as Melissa’s material is one hundred percent recyclable (!), the shoes address today’s environmental concerns.
A French-Brazilian Intersection
How it all began - la “Méduse,” Melissa’s very first model in 1979 was inspired by French fishermen’s sandals… © Melissa
In 1979, Melissa’s first and most famous model, Méduse, was inspired by practical sandals used by fishermen in the French Riviera. Who would have thought of that? During the ’80s the company began flirting with the fashion world, and by 1999 a connection was clearly established. Since then, several important artists have worked with Melissa, such as Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchcovitch, the famous Campana Brothers, British skin jewellery designer J. Maskrey and stylist Judy Blame — who created the distinctive Boy George looks and Neneh Cherry’s clearly defined styles.
In 2005, the Modern Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro hosted an exhibition for Melissa’s 25th anniversary, and one hundred guests from different industries were invited to make a composition out of the original ’79 shoe.
Ever Changing Surfaces
Oscar Freire Street, a São Paulo tourism spot known for its very expensive stores, gained a true colour explosion with the opening of the Melissa Gallery in 2005. Conceived by multimedia artist Muti Randolph, the 445-sqare. meter concept store’s exterior design changes each season, as does the interior’s furniture covering. Vivid!
Last São Paolo Fashion Week, Vivienne Westwood presented her new Anglomania line for Melissa and read her ActiveResistance Manifesto:
“In the pursuit of culture, you will start to think: If you change your life, you will change the world. (…) We have a choice: to become more cultivated, and therefore more human; or, by not choosing, to be the destructive and self-destroying animal, the victim of our own cleverness.”
Now, let’s have a talk with Melissa’s creative director, Edson Matsuo!
First of all, can you explain what the plastic.o.rama concept is about?
Plastic.o.rama is a colourful and pleasant trip through the plastic world, and it was an interactive event held to celebrate 25 years of Melissa. The history of the company, from the original idea of a utilitarian product to the big transformation of today, was represented by each Méduse Melissa 1979.
Welcome to plastic world! Inside the Melissa Gallery, Sao Paulo.
We want to know: how do choose your collaborators? What do Alexandre Herchcovitch, Snoopy(!), Karim Rashid and Vivienne Westwood all have in common?
It was based on each partner’s beliefs, as well as what each has in common with us. For example, Alexandre Herchcovitch was chosen for his use of latex; Vivienne Westwood for her transgression, since to use plastic is something that opposes conventional shoe design; Karim Rashid for his recognition as the “Plastic Prince,” Snoopy for his kitschy side…
For me, as a Brazilian, it is easy to recognise the inventive-democratic-multidisciplinary aspect behind both Melissa’s design and Brazil in general. Can people around the world relate to this concept?
The inventive-democratic-multidisciplinary aspect side affects our creative processes. That this idea be understood by the world, however, is not as important as the final results of the process. Brazil plays a part in creating Melissa’s image, but it does not dominate it; it is more a source of inspiration.
What we can expect from the coming Zaha Hadid collection…?
The Zaha Hadid experience is more of a project with the concept of “deconstruction” at its core. Yet Melissa’s identity will not be entirely lost in it. This project has been a big challenge to both of our teams…
As a creative director, what’s inspirational to you?
There is so much! It is difficult to choose just one… Today I’ve been observing Japanese-American MIT researcher and creative director John Maeda on a theme that fascinates me, simplicity. We live in an environment with so much information, so many stimuli, that to work with the idea of simplicity is truly complex.
And Melissa truly embraces the concept of simplicity! So classic! What about the future — will men and clothes be able to handle Melissa’s plastic attitude?
The future is very exciting, and anything is possible, depending on the scenario and having the plastic attitude as a material. Last year, plastic celebrated 100 years of use, and its form and sustainability is surprising!
How good to see a brand pushing this material’s limits! Thank you, Edson Matsuo of Melissa!
72 Comments
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As of December 31, 2008, PingMag and sister site PingMag MAKE are both on extended hiatus, and will not be updated for the foreseeable future. We are eternally grateful for your fantastic support over the years.
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None found
Great article!
Posted by: vincent hua on April 28th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
i (heart) pink clogs
Posted by: kagema on April 28th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I wore Melissa shoes in my childhood, here in Brazil. And now I’m so glad I grow up and they too.
Posted by: Tami on April 29th, 2008 at 3:54 am
smelling candy!
i - love - candy, as says marie antoinette.
(…)
by the way, just one candy?
(translation: um docinho?)
Posted by: yuji on April 29th, 2008 at 4:10 am
i <3 MELISSA!
plastic dreams…
Posted by: sekushy on April 29th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Nice article! Subversive plastic democracy! =)
Posted by: grama on April 29th, 2008 at 11:21 am
adore this article and the shoes
have too many pairs…wait can you ever have too many pairs?
gorgeous!
Posted by: sushi zume on April 29th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
.don’t like this one as much as i loooooveee the rest .it’s too ‘commercial’ for my taste
.sowwwyyy
Posted by: slothglut on April 29th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Parabens Melissa… seus designs sao fenomenais!!!
Abracos
(Congrats Melissa… your designs are phenomenal)
Posted by: Glauco Lima on April 29th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Melissa rocks. It would be nice to remember that the work showed above as ” an accessory of the Melissa gallery…” is an artwork ( part of a group) made by the Estudio Xingu for the gallery. Oh yes, Estudio Xingu rocks too!
Posted by: Evan Bell on April 30th, 2008 at 4:11 am
great color’s :)
Posted by: i5bala.com on April 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
finally! an exhibit for those good ol’ plastic Melissa jellies! :D
Posted by: gizmogal on May 2nd, 2008 at 3:42 am
As long as they are recyclable I’m cool with it.
Posted by: Alice Spencer on May 2nd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
[...] visto en Tags: calzado, plàstico [...]
Posted by: Tacones de plàstico | Mundochica | Moda, decoracion y sexo on May 4th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Hello Mellisa
The actitudes magazine in spain want a article a bout your job
You can give me your mail
http://www.actitudesmgz.com
Posted by: TENSI on May 5th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
[...] faz uma extensa reportagem sobre a Melissa, com destaque para trabalhos dos Campanas e Herchcovich. Visita tags: moda, [...]
Posted by: Digno De Nota » Made in SP on May 16th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Plastic Fantastic! Such a cheap material can be so desirable…
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awww Melissa!♥
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