New collaboration for Brazilian brand Melissa: Lazy Oaf The much-loved jelly shoes were originally a hit in the nineties, bringing style and comfort to a whole new level. Taking inspiration from that same nineties era, London-based label Lazy Oaf has incorporated bold daisies and signature Oaf heart badges across the jelly bands of Brazilian footwear and accessory Melissa’s iconic Kick Off silhouette –– a fun, chunky sole style. An 8-piece jelly special collection, where sandals come in five colourways; green, pink, blue and two statement blacks with hearts and flowers –– must-haves for this year’s spring/summer wardrobe. In addition to the sandals, the collection includes three mini Melissa x Lazy Oaf jelly bags in pink, green and black to match the sandal for the ultimate summer look. Reimagined with Lazy Oaf’s modern, playful lens, the collaboration sandals slide on and fit comfortably from the foam soles and nostalgic adjustable clip and velcro fastenings. To celebrate the collaboration, a nostalgic pastel installation will be in Galeria Melissa NY to coincide with the launch. The install will include exclusive video content in store windows and interactive smiley-face daisy Instagram filters. If you’re unable to visit the Galeria, a Melissa x Lazy Oaf Portal provides an IRL simulation of being in-store, a meaningful experience while the pandemic has kept people in their homes. All sandals and bags are made from 100% vegan recyclable plastic and are available to buy online at shopmelissa.com and lazyoaf.com. Melissa NEXT, an incubator for the next young US visionary Brazilian heritage brand Melissa is thrilled to present the inaugural edition of Melissa NEXT in the US., a footwear design competition and incubator program conceived to spotlight up-and-coming visionaries through a contest that will close on February 28, 2021. Ensuing much success with past editions in Brazil and the U.K., with over 3,000 submissions and more than half a million votes, the winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize as well as the opportunity to have their design produced by Melissa that will be launched worldwide and receive royalties from sales. Participants must create an original shoe design entirely produced by the contestant which will be presented to a curated list of Melissa judges including Jason Wu, Justin Moran, Lars LaLa, Marz Lovejoy, HauteLeMode and InternetGirl. The top 5 designs will be selected by the judges, which will then be voted on by the general public. Anyone can participate over the age of 18, and must be a US citizen or permanent resident. Accepted formats include virtual sketches, 3D renderings and hand sketches as long as they are sent as high quality scans (and complemented by all required information and specs). To enter, contestants must submit their entries by filling out an online form with their personal information and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions via the Melissa microsite along with their proposed shoe design and any supplemental materials. Melissa has strived to do things differently since it’s launch in 1979 with its inventive uses of modern technology, transforming plastic into high fashion, creating a sustainable label without sacrificing creativity. First established in Brazil in 1979, Melissa has gained worldwide recognition for its usage of sustainably-produced, recyclable plastic and collaborations with innovators from the realms of fashion, art and architecture. Collaboration has always been at the core of its ethos from punk provocateur Vivienne Westwood, to creative visionary Jean-Paul Gaultier, to Glenn Martens’ Y/PROJECT, a slew of the fashion industry’s most influential names have had their skills enlisted by Melissa over the last four decades.
