Melissa shoes now made of 30% recycled vinyl, mark 15 years in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — Even before sustainability became a thing in fashion nowadays, Brazilian footwear label Melissa has boasting of its 100% Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, which makes it 100% vegan – since animal-derived materials are not used in manufacturing vinyl, making PVC fit for a vegan lifestyle.
At the brand’s recent 15th anniversary in the Philippines, however, the label marked another milestone: all of its shoes are now also made with 30% recycled PVC.
“Our technology – Melflex – makes our shoes durable and lightweight and 100% recyclable,” Melissa Philippines Marketing Manager Joy Cortez-Dauz told Philstar.com.
Despite the surge of many Brazilian footwear brands in the Philippines, Melissa has stood the test of time in the country – since it reached Philippine shores in 2007 and opened its first store here in 2010 – the first in Asia – thanks to its signature candy scent and many designer collaborations, said Cortez-Dauz.
“Our success in the Philippines is driven by continuous releases of reinvented collections,” she said, singling out their longest collaborations – with British “Dame of Fashion” Vivienne Westwood and Jason Wu.
Since its birth in 1979, the brand has garnered followers throughout the globe and has collaborated with top designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, Campana Brothers, Zaha Hadid, Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Jason Wu, Jeremy Scott, Comme des Garçons, FILA, Marine Serre, Opening Ceremony, Viktor&Rolf, and most recently, Y/PROJECT which is also part of the Fall-Winter 2022 releases.
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“Fifteen years ago, we started an amazing story about Melissa and Tykes Trading Inc. by forming a collaboration that triggered the younger versions of us at that time to start believing in the dream of putting up our strategy of mono-brand stores. Today, our Melissa stores are growing around the world,” said Melissa International Export Manager, Tassiana Geisel. “[The Tykes company] was the first one to believe about this project, this strategy to bring the brand across oceans. We already have a few stores at that time, but they were the first ones to open up a Melissa store in Asia.”
From its first pair of Aranha sandals, the label has spawned into many innovative silhouettes, including its best-selling ballerina flats and platforms to boots and stilettos.
This year, the brand is continuing on with its fifth capsule collaboration with Amsterdam-based avant-garde fashion label Viktor&Rolf, featuring Melissa’s trademark Party Heel Tie, Mar Sandal Tie, Beach Slide Next Gen Knot, and bag, in five colorways: orange, brown, pink, white, and black.
Cortez-Dauz also announced the brand’s new big collaboration for spring-summer 2023 – where more platforms, slippers and ballerina flats can be expected. The label’s bags are also picking up in sales, “because we want to be established in the fashion accessories category, not only in shoes,” said Cortez-Dauz.
In recent years, the brand has been known for trendy bags like the “moon bag.” Its arm candy collections also now features mini bags and ‘90s-style carriers in a wide variety of colors.
In time for the 15th anniversary, the brand also introduced a new campaign, “Real Jelly,” and a fresher store concept that Cortez-Dauz noted might be designed to lure the younger Gen Z market, but is still inclusive with more size options for men and the entire family.
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