Incroyables by Melissa May

Buntport Theater

2011-09-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

Buntport Theater is one of the most creative artistic forces in Denver in my opinion. Everything they perform is written by, directed by, and starring the theater group which consists of 5 actors and 1 technical designer. Not only are they wonderful people but I really admire the way that everything they do is a democracy. There is no leader or starring actor, they all share in the spotlight.

About a month ago I was asked by them to create a few of the costumes for their new play My Hideous Progeny, a play about Mary Shelley. Normally they piece together costumes but because this is a period play they needed a very specific look they could not find or borrow. I know Buntport from participating in a few of their Third Tuesday events and because I live with one of the actors from their popular superhero series Trunks that goes on Saturdays.

Come check out their play and be sure to take a look at the men's pants and the pregnancy dress because they were sewn by and co-designed by me!

For information on the play visit: http://www.buntport.com/archive/archive.htm

Grant Humphreys Mansion Shoot

2011-05-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

I teamed up with Meghan Savage Photography again to shoot some summertime pieces at the Grant Humphreys Mansion in Denver. Our model was Bryce, an adorable pre-teen model who is ready for Paris or New York in a second! Originally her older sister Jordan was to be in the shoot too but school sports had her busy that day.

It was a pleasant day, besides there being a bit of wind. We could only shoot outside since the mansion was closed that day, but I think the pieces worked better outdoors anyways. I really enjoyed this shoot and I can't wait to work with Meghan/Bryce again!

-Melissa

DenverbyDesign Fashion Show

2011-04-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

I have no good excuse for my long absence. I have a lot of good REASONS, but none of them are really that good of an excuse. I moved twice (with no help), had mouth surgery, became addicted to Netflix online, and did a few fashion projects/custom orders, but none of those are what I would consider good excuses for not spending a few hours every couple of days online.

But with that said, let's move on.

At the end of February I was asked to do a fashion show for Mod Livin's DenverbyDesign event on March 12th. Despite my obvious time crunch, I decided to create a new mini collection for the show. I immediately knew I wanted to do a collection inspired by the space itself. I felt inspired by the idea of modern accessorizing but with slightly mod/retro silhouettes, all inspired by furniture. I used silhouettes and details used for couches and chairs, such as tufting, couch buttons, zippers, and piping.

I wanted some of the pieces to be very wearable with a fun little nod to the theme, but then have others that were a more high end interpretation of the furniture. I used faux leather, shiny vinyl, upholstery fabric, and plain satins that could be built on to. I knew I wanted some hats to add a modern touch, so I had a friend knit/crochet some hats inspired by furniture coverings/details. I only ended up using two of the hats, but I had multiple to choose from.

Because of the time limit, I ended up having to simplify many of my designs. In my original designs, many of the skirts were to be paired with long sleeve shirts with cuffs and collars. I ended up switching these out with decorated t-shirts and tanks so that I could spend more time focusing on quality and craftsmanship, rather than just throwing things together. Another thing I had to settle a bit on was fabric choice. Money was tight (when is it not?) so I tried to use fabric I already had around and cheaper versions of the fabrics I wanted.

All of the pieces I created were inspired by furniture in some way, but some pieces were less obvious than others. One example is a red dress with piping and lace down the front. When inspected closely, you see that the lace is in the shape of couches. I tried to make the collection like a great guessing game for the audience.

Hair and makeup was a challenge for me. I knew I wanted each model to have a different version of a braided updo, but was not completely sure on what kind of makeup I wanted. I ended up giving Rebelle Salon creative control. The result was a great mixture of Renaissance, Victorian, and modern inspired braids, with the makeup being an all nude face, to give the models a slightly creepy look.

For the show itself I had the models walk down the runway and then pose next to a chair that the outfit was inspired by, or looked a lot like. The chairs ranged from shiny plastic chairs to a faux leather chair that reminded me of bondage gear. Though it was very difficult to get the show together in such a short period of time, I was very happy with the outcome, and the audience really seemed to enjoy the collection. Check out all the pictures below!

Poster Design

Hair Inspiration Pictures

The Runway Show

Zoe wears a faux leather tent dress with front piping and covered buttons. Full metal side zipper.

Kailee wears a decorated tank and double layered skirt with furniture silhouettes and braided tassel trim.

Erin wears a decorated tee and satin skirt with furniture silhouettes, removable bow, and ric-rac. Crochet hat.

Alyssa wears a satin shift dress with faux collar, piping, covered buttons, and couch lace.

Jordan wears a cracked faux leather shift with side piping and couch nails and a full back metal zipper. Knitted hat.

Kinsey wears an hourglass detailed dress with piping, faux quilting, upholstery fabric, and removable bow.

Taylor wears a silk dupioni dress with puff sleeve, piping, and couch nails around hem and down bottom half of sleeve.

Dana wears a satin dress with hundreds of shiny vinyl chairs positioned to look like lace.

Bryce wears a decorated tee with a couch collar and a faux leather skirt with piping and skinny belt.

Group Shots

Pictures all by Meghan Savage Photography

-Melissa

Inspiration Song- Lucky by My Brightest Diamond/ We Carry On by Portishead

2011-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

Back in 2007 I had a job in retail that sometimes required me to come in before the sun came up. One day I had to come in particularly early and the sky was completely dark and the ground completely covered in snow. As I was approaching a big hill I noticed that there were people standing at the top. I was really inspired by the dark figures against the white ground. The effect was dark and mysterious, but still beautiful. I knew right away that I wanted to do a collection inspired by this dark image. The collection would use dark colors, such as black, purple, and blood red. Along with the visuals from the figures on the snow I would also be inspired by religious cults and vampires. (Now mind you, this was before vampires were "trendy.")

I began to design the collection but I never went forward with it because I had a very specific idea for the runway show and there is not a space that I know of in Denver that would work. So I have saved this inspiration idea for a future time when I think I can create it to the best of my ability and make it everything I want it to be.

I am very inspired by music and have recently found the perfect songs to represent this future collection. My Brightest Diamond's cover of Radiohead's Lucky and Portishead's We Carry On have the perfect level of darkness while still having a beat one can walk to. Check out the songs below!

Here are a few inspiration pictures for the collection:

Vampires and Cults

Modern Goth

Color Palette and Flowers

-Melissa

Lanvin Spring 2011 Collection

2011-01-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

I am a fan of wearable drama, which is why I love Lanvin so much. Alber Elbaz's use of ruffles and fullness really inspires me which is why I had to check out his collection for Spring 2011. This collection was not as feminine and romantic as some of his other collections have been, but it just as dramatic. The collection seemed to be all about strength and showing skin. There were exposed metal zippers, leather belts, two toned dresses, draping, and leather harnessing- all done in a way that was both feminine and strong. Strength seemed to be a major part of the message because the models really stomped down the runway.

The set of the show was very simple, yet really made an impact. The runway was bare and dark except for a few ceiling to floor beams that went down the middle of the runway. The collection began with several high drama pieces that flowed as the models moved. After these pieces the mood switched to something slightly more wearable, with tank style dresses, trenchcoats, and lots of tight pleating. Besides tight pleating, some loose pleating was also shown. My favorite pieces in the collection (25,26, and 42) were pleated in some way. The show ended with over the top shimmer, which was mainly made of big pieces of glittery material. I really like this collection because of the range it shows. One moment it is wearable and the next it is over the top glamour. Runway should be dramatic, but it should also have a little hint towards commercialism in it. The point is, after all, to sell your pieces.

The finale walk was one of the most dramatic I have ever seen. The models all stomped towards the end of the runway at the exact same time in a big crowd. It was so smooth it almost seemed choreographed. While I do not believe this to be Lanvin's best collection, I believe it to be a very worthy one. Check out highlights below:

Looks 1,3,and 4. Shows the flowing movement in the beginning of the show.

Looks 5,6,and 7. Shows the two toned look and draping done in collection.

Looks 13, 17, and 20. Shows the easy to wear feel from a section of the collection.

Looks 22,25,26, and 28. Shows the tight pleating done in collection.

Look 30,41, and 42. Shows the looser pleating done in the collection.

Looks 36,37, and 38. Shows the sheer look from the end of the show.

Looks 44,45,46, and 47. Shows the glittery finale pieces.

Check out a video of the show to see everything in action!

-Melissa

Fashion Blogger Spotlight- Tavi Gevinson

2011-01-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

Let's think about how often a pre-teen gets invited to sit in the front row of fashion shows, or be in fashion magazines, or get free clothing from big name designers shall we? Well, if it wasn't for Tavi Gevinson, the answer would be NEVER. Why on earth would a fashion designer give free clothing away to a 14 year old who was not a big Hollywood actress? Well, in this case, it's because she happens to be one of the most famous fashion bloggers out there.

Tavi is not the best photographer but she is a great writer and a fun dresser. Because of her age she can get away with wearing clothing that no one else can wear, including Comme des Garcons and costume sunglasses. Tavi is such a good writer that people often accuse her of having someone else write for her. Scandal! I personally do not think this though because of her childish obsession with the same things I was obsessed with when I was her age.

Tavi is fun to read because of her views on the world, her crazy outfits, and the amount of high press events she gets to attend. Back when Target had the Rodarte line, Tavi was the partial inspiration and spokesperson for the line, which is a pretty big deal. She has also been in Teen Vogue, New York Times, Pop Magazine, and French Vogue. Check out some of her crazy looks below!

Style Rookie, Tavi's site is one of my favorite fashion blogs because it is so refreshing to see a young mind discuss fashion and how fun it can be, rather than the same jaded magazine writers. You can check her blog out at the site below:

http://www.thestylerookie.com/

-Melissa

Spotlight On a Dress #2

2011-01-14T21:24:00.000-08:00

This dress was designed far before my Spring 2011 collection was thought up but seemed a perfect fit for the collection as I was putting it together. The dress began with the thought that I wanted to combine stripes and polka dots in the same colors. After I purchased the fabric that it ended up being made of, I also realized that I wanted the stripes going in two different directions and for there to be opposite polka dots. It took some time for me to decide where I wanted the red/white polka dots and where I wanted the white/red polka dots, but at one point I just had to make a decision and stick with it. I could easily make ten different versions of this dress, but for this project I only needed one.

I chose the color combination of red and white because I think it is a classic combination and this collection was inspired by a mixture of Parisian youth and old timey circuses. Besides black and white, red and white say circus to me the loudest. I have a bit of an obsession with bows and ruffles which is how those two elements got incorporated onto the dress- and besides, what says youth better?

I chose this dress to be the opening piece for my fashion show because I thought it really summed up the collection as a whole and was one of my personal favorites. I wanted the model to walk out with a bunch of balloons because my inspiration for the collection and the music in the show was a young Parisian teenager walking through the streets with a bunch of balloons.

Besides all the elements you can see, this dress also has a back invisible zipper and hidden side pockets. I love putting pockets on my dresses so that you don't have to wear a purse if you don't want to! Check out this dress in action!

At a French Charity Event

Backstage Before the Fashion Show

-Melissa

Focus on Fall 2010 Trend- Knee High Socks

2011-01-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

If you asked me a few years ago what I thought about knee high socks my thoughts would automatically focus on schoolgirl and cheerleading costumes. Lately though, fashion trends are taking knee high and thigh high socks out of the costume-y range and into an accessory worthy of the streets. The great thing about knee socks are that they can be styled for any season depending on what you pair them with. I have seen them pulled up to the thigh, scrunched around the ankle, or even layered.

In fashion editorials, thigh highs are often styled in a way that suggests lingerie as outerwear, but this is a hard to pull off look in real life. I would stick to the look of layering, with a great mixture of casual daytime pieces. Another way to keep this look from becoming too costume-y is to wear dark colored socks, rather than white. White suggests the school girl look too strongly, but grey or brown socks look great for everyday wear.

Some designers added their own touch to this trend, including Alexander Wang's football inspired collection that featured backless knee socks. Other designers layered socks, paired them with ankle boots, or styled the socks with more evening-like pieces.

Alexander Wang's Spring 2010 Collection

Gaspard Yurkievich's Spring 2010 Collection

Cynthia Steffe's Fall 2010 Collection

Besides the runway, this look has been featured in many fashion editorials.

Vogue Portugal

Vogue China

Assorted Magazines

There are so many fun ways to wear this trend. Here are some suggestions:

With ankle or knee high boots

With Short Shorts

With a Short Skirt

For Colder Weather

For Warmer Weather

With a Dress

Casual Daywear

Dressed Up For Evening

Layered Socks

Worn with Tights

-Melissa

*I do not own the rights to any of these pictures, most are from fashionising.com or lookbook.nu

Inspiration Song- Ghetto Love by Spinnerette

2011-01-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

I am extremely inspired and influenced by music. Sometimes one song is all it takes for me to get a whole collection planned out in my head. One such song was "Ghetto Love" by Spinnerette. I don't consider myself too much of a fan of traditional rock, but something about this song has me all fired up for a collection inspired by rock 'n' roll.

Brody

I love her top on the right.

My brother absolutely hates Brody Dalle and will undoubtedly give me crap if I ever did create this collection, but he hated her back in the Distillers days and I think shes way better now. When I listen to this song I think of girls with dark straight hair (that maybe looks a tad dirty) and smudgy eyes stomping like they are pissed at everyone in the room. I see black (of course), leather (of course), and tight pants (I know, totally obvious). But I would add my own semi-sweet touch to it. The pieces would never look sweet, but they would also not look over the top tough either.

Some inspiration pictures:

My favorite part starts at 1:49. The little beeps really add a great dimension to the song. This video cuts the song a little short, but you get the idea.

-Melissa

My Current Future Plans

2011-01-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

I have more "collections" in mind than I could ever really make, especially right now. I have so many wonderful ideas in mind that I am just saving for the right moment. Some of them rely heavily on a very theatrical show, that to be honest, I'm just not willing to waste on Denver. My goal was never to become the go-to small town designer, but rather someone who shows at fashion week and maybe does business from a smaller town (I have little interest in living in NY or LA). But I always have some sort of plan that I intend to do "right away." I put that in quotes because between money, interest, or just being too busy, I rarely actually put these plans into the next stage.

Though I have done little actual designing, I have done quite a bit of thinking for my next idea. I saw Katy Perry's trenchcoat "dress" at the Victoria's Secret fashion show and was reminded of how much I love trompe l'oeil pieces. My immediate thought was to create a mini collection of pieces that fake different accessories or parts; such as collars, belts, or lace. I don't have access to a textile printer right now so I would accomplish all of this by hand embroidery.

Katy Perry

I want to keep the pieces simple in color, using mainly black and white with a little bit of red. I also have a vision of the models wearing black skull caps and dramatic eye makeup. Here is an example of the type of headwear, as seen in Chado Ralph Rucci's lookbook:

What I have in mind would make for the most sophisticated and mature collection I have done to date. The silhouettes would be both basic and slightly more complex. I might have a basic shift with a faux belt, but then in the next outfit have a more complicated jacket with minimal use of the trompe l'oeil effect. Although I may do some jackets I do not plan on doing any trenchcoats as I feel that this piece has been overdone in the trompe l'oeil style. I see myself doing mainly dresses, skirts, and high end jackets.

I am not planning on doing a fashion show for this collection, but using it mainly for my portfolio. I even have a location in mind for the lookbook photo shoot and a specific look for the models.

Here are some fun inspiration pictures:

-Melissa

Fashion Blogger Spotlight

2011-01-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

I love fashion blogs. If I wasn't so darn busy all the time I could spend all day going between style.com and all the different fashion blogs out there. One of my absolute favorites is Style Bubble on typepad. This blogger has become so popular that I recently saw her in a Gap ad, not to mention the countless magazines that have featured her. So why is she so great?

For one, I love that she does a feature nearly every day about what she is wearing. She has a very quirky sense of style and it is great to see someone who pairs such bizarre things together and makes them work wonderfully! True, I don't love every single outfit she puts together, but I love that she was willing to go that far. I also love that she has so many pictures in her blog. I am a lazy blog reader, I want more pictures than words. Just show me in pictures what you are trying to say and I'm happy. Also, as an American, I love that she is British, and therefore is giving me the inside scoop on designers and trends that I probably never would have discovered otherwise.

I'm super jealous of all the Etsy shops that she features because I'm sure their sales go sky high once she mentions them and shows examples of how she personally wears them. I always wonder what her neighbors think since she takes all of her pictures outside on her balcony. There are so many things she wears that I would definitely wear if I was as thin as she is. Not only does she take pictures of herself, but she also does runway reviews, discusses new designers she finds, features brand new stores in London, and does close up shots of things she loves. I love that she shows things close up because it gives you a completely new perspective on how it looks.

If you have had your head under a rock and haven't checked out Susie, be sure to do so at her site: www.stylebubble.typepad.com

Here are some recent pictures of Susie in her day to day looks:

I love her fun mix of patterns in the middle picture.

I love her quirky take on the little black dress.

I find that camel coat strangely alluring.

The black and white look is my favorite and is close to something I would wear.

-Melissa

Spotlight on a Dress #1

2011-01-02T17:25:00.000-08:00

In this feature I will be telling the background story on a piece from my current collection. Designers very rarely get to tell the story of their thoughts and inspirations behind a specific piece. Usually you have to lump everything together to tell the general story behind an entire collection. I often watch fashion shows and wonder what made the designer think of that piece or why they think that a certain piece fits into the collection.

This dress was the starting point for my entire Spring 2011 Collection.

This piece was originally made for a psychedelic fashion show for the Denver Art Museum. The thought was that I wanted to create my own textile that would play tricks on the eyes. Originally the one strap had a puff sleeve because I wanted a very modern silhouette to offset the retro fabrics. After time I decided to remove the sleeve (I thought it was overkill and took away from the textile) and found myself inspired to create more pieces off of the theme of creating my own textile. But instead of making them psychedelic in nature, I wanted a more retro feel. This is one of the only pieces in the collection that is blue and white, most pieces are red and white. I love the way that parts of the dress are mirror images of each other, but then other parts have no pattern with how the stripes are placed. I love pairing this dress with a red or yellow knit bow headband from my accessories collection.

Psychedelic Inspiration Pictures

For the fashion show I decided to show the dress on Caitlyn, one of my model muses at the moment. It was my finale piece and I wanted a model I had used often to close the show. Since this dress was made before the collection was conceived it was also used for a guerilla fashion show, a photo shoot with Taryn Andreatta, and a Parisian style show for a local charity. Below are other images of the dress in action.

On Annabelle (another favorite model of mine) at the guerilla fashion event.

At the Parisian style charity show

On Caitlyn at my Spring 2011 fashion show

This dress is one of my favorite pieces I have created and I hope you love it as well.

-Melissa

Focus on Fall 2010 Trend- Buttoned Up Shirt Collar

2011-01-01T15:18:00.000-08:00

I decided to focus on this trend first because it is one of my absolute favorites. It can be done sophisticated, young, or androgynous. For day or night. With pants or a dress. This trend is the (all the way) buttoned up shirt collar.

This trend for women basically began with Coco Chanel and her taste for menswear inspired clothing for herself. I love that it is put together and can be done with a modern or vintage flair depending on your personal tastes. I'm not a big fan of the return of the 70s and 90s with fall fashion, so this feels like a sophisticated yet fun alternative. I also like that one can wear this look with any season and it can be used to spruce up the look of clothing you may already have. I have seen this look all over!

On Runways-

Fall 2010 Miu Miu (Pictures from Style.com)

Fall 2010 Dries van Noten (Pictures from Style.com)

Fall 2010 Jenni Kayne (Pictures from Style.com)

On Models Off Duty-

(Images from www.fashionising.com and www.altamiranyc.blogspot.com)

On the Streets-

If this is a trend that interests you, here are some styling suggestions:

With leather shorts and possibly knee socks-

Tap into the military trend going on right now-

A shirtdress paired with a long cardigan-

Under a sweater-

Paired with high waisted pants-

With a feminine high waisted skirt and a tie-

Put a brooch at the neck instead of a tie. Or you could tie a ribbon in a knot or a bow for a cute tie alternative- velvet is great for evening-

Some different types of collars that would be fun to play with are:

Peter Pan collars- oh so mod!

Tuxedo collars- Perfect for an evening gown alternative!

Contrast collar- White collar/colored body or two different colors, either are cute!

-Melissa

Please note that I don't own the rights to any of these pictures. They are from different sources, many from chictopia.com and lookbook.nu

Alexander McQueen Collection Spring 2011

2010-12-31T08:18:00.001-08:00

The fashion world all mourned the death of one of fashion's great designers- Lee Alexander McQueen this year. His last collection, which was shown unfinished in March was one of his absolute best collections and made me wish there was more to come. It seemed appropriate that the headpieces in the collection reminded me of his Spring 2001 Collection which I can honestly say is THE reason I decided to pursue fashion as a career rather than just a childhood hobby. For him to go out the same way he came in seemed fitting.

Spring 2001 Collection (Photos from Style.com)

Fall 2010 Collection (Photos from Style.com)

Soon after his death, it was announced that his longtime first assistant Sarah Burton would take over as creative director in his death. She was an obvious choice as she had been at his side for quite some time and was the one responsible for turning his runway collections into more commercial pieces.

Spring 2011 was Sarah Burton's first collection as creative director and I think she definitely proved herself as the best choice for the job. The collection really evoked McQueen's sensibility but never pretended to BE him. The collection began in white- a fresh start perhaps? The group of models in the show were even different than the ones used in past shows, many of them new faces I have never seen before.

Burton kept many of the best parts of the brand, including the creative use of textiles, dramatic detailing, and use of feathers- all the while keeping the overall look slightly more wearable than the brand had been in the past years. But that is not to say that the show was without drama, it was just a more quiet version. Burton has said that she does not plan on using theatrics quite the same way McQueen has and it showed with the setting of the show. The set was simple, but still managed to be interesting to watch. It was more about the clothing than the set, which has not always been the case with McQueen shows. What has attracted me to McQueen is the sense of theatrics, but I was not off-put by Burton's new vision, not at all. I still found the vision refreshing and new, very unlike many other brands.

The show opened with white leather pieces that felt both like and unlike something McQueen would have designed himself. Many pieces from the show had a theme of ruffled vents on skirts and interesting cutouts on tops. The leather moved quite unlike you often see leather do, and at times almost had a party dress feel. There were animal references all around, between reptilian-like prints, butterflies, fur/hair, and leather. About halfway through, the collection got a little dark but then pulled back into white. I can't help but wonder if that ordering has meaning behind it.

One thing that I noticed, which was quite unlike past McQueen collections, was the lack of crazy shoes. The shoes in this collection were barely noticeable and very wearable. Footwear on the runway has become so crazy that I've almost become used to it.

Overall, I applaud Burton's new take on the brand. It will never be quite the same as the version I fell in love with originally, but it is still something I will keep an eye on every season. I have posted some of the highlights of the collection below.

2nd, 4th, and 5th outfits. Shows ruffled vents and original textile use.

10th, 14th, and 18th outfits. Shows use of animal themes and creative use of leather. The reptilian jacket is the piece that reminded me of McQueen the most. I expect to see the pieced leather dress in all the high end magazines.

25th, 28th, and 29th outfits. Shows use of original textiles and over-the-top detailing. I also expect to see the butterfly dress in editorials all over.

33rd and finale outfits. Shows the McQueen sense of over-the-top evening looks and use of ruffles/feathers.

Spring 2011 Collection (Pictures from Style.com)

Watch the video!

-Melissa

Changes!

2010-12-31T07:57:00.001-08:00

To celebrate the new year I am making changes to my blog, including making it more fun to read. I will still, of course, use it to advertise future events or new collections, but will be adding new elements as well. Each week, on to-be-determined days I will do an entry on something different. For example:

Monday- Spotlight on one piece from my current collection
Tuesday- Spotlight on one fashion blogger
Wednesday- Focus on one person I would like to dress and what I would put them in
Thursday- Review of one upcoming collection (right now it would be for Spring 2011)
Friday- Discussing a current trend

It would pretty much always be on the same day so that if someone likes one feature they know to always check on that day. I'm hoping this will keep not only the reader more involved, but me as well. I enjoy writing, but have a hard time fitting it into my day. If I have promised something new that day, then it forces me to make time for writing.

Other things I would discuss are my future plans and inspiration pictures for possible future collections. This schedule will begin this Monday, January 3rd and will hopefully become a permanent thing.

Until then, check out my new music blog at www.musicslostleaders.blogspot.com. I love music and wanted to write about relatively unknown artists, their best songs, and how they relate to the fashion industry. Enjoy!

-Melissa

Trunk Show

2010-10-22T18:51:00.001-07:00

Melissa May is known throughout Denver for her feminine cocktail and party dresses that feature a mixture of high fashion detailing and rock 'n' roll touches. She is also known for her wearable hair accessories that can be found at some of Denver's top boutiques and hair salons.

Join Incroyables by Melissa May this holiday season for a trunk show. With items starting at $5 there is something to appeal for all ages and budgets.... Shop for presents, or just for yourself. The full Incroyables by Melissa May hair accessories line will be featured, including brand new items that have not been available for purchase before now! You will also be able to view select clothing items, including a new holiday mini collection that is available to buy off the rack or for custom orders for your holiday parties.

Trunk show will be presented during First Friday in Olde Town Arvada at D'Lola Bridal Boutique from 6-9 PM on December 3rd. D'Lola is a bridal boutique located at 7550 Grant Place specializing in custom wedding and bridal party dresses. Free champagne and goodies will be served. Have a girl's night out with Incroyables by Melissa May!

Melissa May
Incroyables by Melissa May
incroyablesbymelissamay@gmail.com

Spring 2011 Fashion Show

2010-08-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Incroyables by Melissa May Spring 2011 “Pattern Play” Fashion Show

Denver, CO- Melissa May, is known throughout Denver for her cocktail, evening, and party dresses with a rock and roll edge. As one of Denver's most established high-end fashion designers, Melissa is a force to be reckoned with and has not only been seen in several local fashion publications and competitions but was also a semi-finalist for Fashion Group International Rising Star Award for 2009. This year Melissa is at it again with her newest collection highly inspired by the Historical Elitch Carousel Pavillion where she is launching her new line. The line mixes a Parisian circus-esque theme with combining bold colors and creating her own patterns from existing textiles. This collection will include everything from day-wear to fun hair accessories and with her incredible eye for details this show should not be missed! The feel and look of the fashion show will have the presence of an old time circus theme, including a circus side-show before the fashion show. Melissa will unveil her newest line Saturday, September 4th at the Historic Elitch Carousel Pavilion at 38th and Tennyson. Doors open at 6pm and fashion show will start at 7pm. Complimentary circus themed treats will be served and live music provided by The Postman. The event is free and open to the public but donations will be accepted for the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation. No reservations required. Store buyers and press are strongly encouraged to attend.

Melissa May
Incroyables by Melissa May
303-667-7980
incroyablesbymelissamay@gmail.com

Sponsors: The Fabric Lab, Disguises Costume, IZZE

August 22nd Model Casting

2010-08-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about my fashion show on September 4th that I could not wait to set a date for model castings. Once you have the models for the show you really start to feel inspired because you can actually visualize it. Here is all the info for my model casting for anyone interested:

I am finally having a casting for my next fashion show! This casting is actually for several projects. It is a casting for my show, the catalog for this collection, possible editorial pictures for this collection, as well as a catalog for my hair accessories.

The show is Saturday, September 4th. The show itself is at 7, with hair and makeup starting a few hours earlier. Exact time will be determined later, but I do not expect it to be an all day thing (maybe 2?). I will be casting models for the runway, as well as for a few people to be part of a before show presentation.

Unfortunately, I can't afford to pay money for this show, but you will receive any pictures I get, to use in any way you'd like. I will be having at least one paid photographer and will be trying to get several others to show up as well. I'll also do a bit in trade with you for hair accessories. (www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com)

For any of you who have worked with me before, you will be shocked to find out that I want you to smile in this show. I am not a huge fan of smiling on the runway, but it just works with this collection. Here is a clip of a Sonia Rykiel show that shows what I want.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pklcD1seYCo

The first model does pretty much exactly what I want. She still has a professional high fashion walk, looks happy while she is walking, but does not open mouth smile. Then, when she poses at the end she gives a cute little open mouth smile. I don't want to see teeth in every picture of you down the runway, but I want it to look like you are having a good time. I suggest you practice doing this because I would like to see this type of walk at your audition so that I can have a better sense of how you would fit into the collection.

So here are all the details:

Model casting on Sunday, August 22nd from 4:30-6:30 at The Big Hairy Monster Salon located at 3105 E. Colfax. This is an open call so you can show up at anytime within those two hours. Please have a natural looking face- I want to see you, not your makeup. And, of course, bring some heels, and a portfolio if you have it.

Also, I thought I would mention this here- I am looking for a few people with some interesting talents or characteristics. If you know anyone who is a contortionist or identical twin girls (teens to mid 20s), then have them either email me or come to the audition. If anyone has an unusual talent, let me know at the audition, it may be just what I'm looking for!

Here is a peek at my Save the Date poster. The final one is going to be very similar but a lot cooler.

Two Second Post

2010-08-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is a two second post. I am so excited to announce that my next fashion show will take place on September 4th at the Historic Elitches Carousel Pavilion on 38th and Tennyson. Stay tuned for all the details plus some sneak peek pictures!

Funds Vs. Ambition

2010-06-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the funds don't match the ambition. It's a sad but true story for many and is a constant struggle for me. You won't find anyone more dedicated than me, but you can not always tell this because I can't afford to do as much as I would like. I'd love to create 2-5 collections a year made of the exact fabric I have in mind (beautiful silks, satins, wools, high quality cottons, etc.), I'd love to be able to create my own textiles, I'd love to be able to be a real, serious designer who does trade shows and wholesale orders. But right now I do realize that I may not seem like a "serious" designer to many because I make NO money and therefore have a difficult time funding my various projects. What many do not realize is that whenever I do a collection or a show, it is 100% self funded, usually money saved from my day job. To save that money I rarely go out, almost never eat out, and rarely purchase new clothing for myself. I was raised in a poor family so I am used to having no money, but when you are trying to do projects, it gets rather difficult.

An unfortunate thing about any business, specifically fashion is that the successful people usually come from a rich background, so they have the funds to go bigger, faster. This was not true, "back in the day" when it seemed to be mostly about talent and dedication, but in today's market, there are SOOOOOOOOOO many people trying to get into the fashion world that it has become much more difficult to move forward without already having a name or a lot of money. Hence, the celebrity designer. Even locally, I have found that usually the more "successful" designers are not necessarily more talented, but have more money to play around with.

So of course, the question is "Why not just take out a loan?" I absolutely plan on doing this, but not until I think I can get enough business to be able to start paying it back. If I was to take out a loan in this economy and current state of mind about fashion, I would just get behind in payments and really screw things up for myself. So right now I am just working on getting my name out, building up a better portfolio, and hopefully getting custom orders. I also want to get some small wholesale orders. I hate starting small because i have such big dreams, but I'm trying to be realistic rather than living in an optomistic delusion.

So what is the reason for this blog? I am asking any reader who may be interested in my work to help me raise funds for my next collection by purchasing some clothing or hair accessories from me. I have INSANELY low priced dresses at YesPleaseMore PopUp Boutique and the Mod Livin PopUp Boutique. I also have custom orders available on www.lissabean.etsy.com or through me. More interested in accessories? I also have hair accessories available at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com, the two pop up boutiques, as well as several stores/salons around town. All purchases will go towards my next collection. Help me share my vision with Denver and get some great pieces while you are at it!

Thank you for reading!

Fashion Blogs

2010-06-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I absolutely adore fashion blogs. I love local ones, ones about street style, personal fashion diaries, high fashion recaps, lookbooks, foreign language ones, all of them. Well, maybe not ALL of them, but lets just say a lot of them. I thought I would share a list of all the blogs I read for anyone interested in fashion blogs as well. If you have any amazing ones that I missed let me know so I can check it out!

-The Intersection http://www.the-intersection.blogspot.com/
-Style Bubble http://stylebubble.typepad.com/
-Style Rookie http://www.thestylerookie.com/
-Fashion Folio http://fashionfolio.wordpress.com/
-Bobbin Talk http://www.bobbintalk.com/
-Highsnobette http://www.highsnobette.com/
-Buffalo Exchange Colorado http://buffaloexchangecolorado.blogspot.com/
-Jak and Jil http://jakandjil.com/blog/
-Hanneli Mustaparta http://www.hanneli.com/
-New Dress A Day http://newdressaday.wordpress.com/
-Fashionista http://fashionista.com/
-Regretsy http://www.regretsy.com/
-Streetpeeper http://www.streetpeeper.com/
-The Sartorialist http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/
-Fashiontoast http://www.fashiontoast.com/
-Lookbook http://lookbook.nu/
-Chictopia http://www.chictopia.com/
-Garance Dore http://www.garancedore.fr/en/
-Models off Duty http://altamiranyc.blogspot.com/
-Facehunter http://facehunter.blogspot.com/
-Teen Vogue http://www.teenvogue.com/connect/blogs/snapshot
-Cocorosa http://mypreciousconfessions.blogspot.com/
-Stil in Berlin http://stilinberlin.blogspot.com/
-Copenhagen Street Style http://copenhagenstreetstyle.dk/
-Mattresses and Metal http://www.mattressesandmetal.blogspot.com/
-Easy Fashion http://easyfashion.blogspot.com/
-Stylesightings http://www.stylesightings.com/
-Styleclicker http://www.styleclicker.net/

Here's some pictures from some of my favorite fashion blogs:

Style Bubble

Style Rookie

Jak and Jil

New Collection

2010-06-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

My last full collection was released almost a year ago so naturally I have been feeling like I really need to get some new work out into the world. I have had many possible collections in mind, but it's all a matter of when to release what. I finally decided what the inspiration of my next collection for Spring 2011 will be. I'm going to keep the exact details under wraps for now, but it will consist of extremely cute, very wearable summer clothing. Nothing too high end, just really really fun. This collection will be more basic than what I am moving my company towards but I really just wanted to do a collection that I could have a lot of fun with and save the more high fashion pieces for the next collection, which will probably be for fall.

More details on the collection to follow, but here are some inspiration pictures for now.

Summer Boutiques and Other Fun Things

2010-06-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

This summer is full of fun events and things to check out. I really love summer because it means outdoor music festivals and cute summer dresses. In a week is the Westword Music Festival which I looooooove because it is a whole day full of amazing local bands.

Also this summer is the opening of two pop-up boutiques featuring amazing local goods. One boutique called YesPleaseMore opened last Friday and is located on the second floor of the Denver Pavilions right next to Barnes and Noble. The 16th St. Mall is a fantastic location so I'm really excited to see how it does. I have Birds Nest Accessories pieces there, including a brand new product which is not even on my Etsy account yet. I also am selling some dresses from past collections there as part of summer clearance. The prices are insanely low, so I encourage you to check it out before they pack the store up and move to a new location in the beginning of September.

The other boutique is a also a pop-up store, but there is not a specific date that it will close down. The store will be open for as long as it is successful. This store was started by Tran Wills from The Fabric Lab and is in the upper floor of Mod Livin on Colfax. This store also features select goods from local artists/designers. I am also featured in this store. I have Birds Nest Accessories items there and then clothing from my Mad Men inspired fashion show that occurred at Mod Livin.

Here is a link to the article featured in the Denver Post about the boutique:

http://www.denverpost.com/fashion/ci_15262749

Another fun thing coming up is Style Wars 2 on June 25th which is part of Denver Art Museum's Untitled event. The theme of the night is Sloth. Style Wars relates to sloth because we are not allowed sewing machines, just things we can do by hand. For anyone not familiar with Style Wars, it is a fashion competition where the contestants have twenty minutes to create fashion from a rack of supplies that we do not see ahead of time with little more than safety pins and tape. Here is a link to the article Denver Post wrote about the event last time.

http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_13009469

At the end of July is a fashion competition called FashionFest. I will post details about this event once I get them.

Tricia Hoke Fashion Show

2010-06-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

One of my absolute favorite local designers is Tricia Hoke. I can honestly say that that was not always the case because until her last collection I just didn't get her, but she won me over big time a little more than a year ago. Her collection of a few dresses and pantsuits that morphed into several different pieces had me absolutely floored. I loved one piece so much that I bought it right away. I still wear it constantly. I can't even imagine designing pieces that turn into several more pieces so her design aesthetic has me fascinated.

Tonight was the release of her new collection Cher Ami, which was inspired by pigeons and sweatpants. When you hear her background story about her inspiration it really makes you want to love the collection. As usual, most pieces transformed, which is always so fun to watch. It's a little difficult to wear many of her transformations if you are not model skinny, but each piece usually has at least one way to wear it that does not require you to be a size 2. Please visit her website at www.triciahoke.com.

Project Runway Update

2010-06-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

I realized I have not updated this since I sent my Project Runway application in. For anyone who reads this, but perhaps has not had a chat with me in a while, I did get a call back, which was really awesome. They called me on a Tuesday night and the audition was on Sunday morning, so I had to get all of my clothing together and all of my plans together in just a few days. It was stressful, but in a good sort of way. It felt great to have just been asked to show up. The call back was in Seattle, which is a beautiful city. I did not make any tourist plans ahead of time because ideally I wanted to be sitting in a waiting room the entire time. The nights before I left, I decided what items to bring and went over them with a fine tooth comb making sure every teeny tiny little seam was sewn right and that there were no stains. I knew from watching the show that they will look up close at items at times so it better look perfect from close up as well as afar. Another thing I spent considerable time planning was my wardrobe. They specifically said no black, white, or stripes, and guess what my ENTIRE wardrobe consists of? I was really not a big fan of the outfits I had to put together with no black or white, but perhaps in the future I will just rebel.

I made sure to bring my designs with me in a carry-on suitcase because if I had to wear the same outfit over and over, whatever, but if I didn't have my clothing, I was there for no reason. So basically, to cut to the chase, I arrived, I got to my hotel, which was right across the street from the hotel the auditions were in, and settled in. The next day I went across the street with my clothing, prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best. I waited in a waiting room with several other designers, including one from Denver. To be honest, I absolutely hated most of the other designer's clothing. There were a few good ones, but some of them were really mediocre. I hope they didn't get on. A lot of the people before me made comments that the judges were harsh and ripped them out, so I prepared myself for that, but was pretty confident that would not be the case. I can't explain why, but I just felt like I would be okay. I wasn't even nervous. I felt really anxious to get it over with though. What was supposed to happen would happen I figured, just so long as the judges did not hate me.

It turns out that they did not hate me. The judges actually liked my designs quite a bit. There were comments about how well made they were and positive comments on the design of them as well. They even gave me some great tips and asked some difficult questions that I am very glad they made me verbalize. One of the hardest questions I was asked was why I wanted to be on the show. I probably botched this answer horribly because my mind went blank. I never really scripted an answer for this question ahead of time even though I knew they would ask something similar to it. At the end of the interview I left feeling really good about how I did though. I knew that there was definitely a good chance they would not ask me to come back based on physical appearance, etc., but I knew that the people who really mattered to me had felt positively about me, and that was enough for me. I would rather be a professional fashion designer than a t.v. star, which I think anyone who knows me already knows.

As it turned out, I did not get a second call back, but they did ask me to try out again next year, so I think I will. If I do not get any further in the process that time though, I will probably not try again. Not because I don't want to do it, but because I suspect a huge part of them not picking me is physical appearance and general personality, and I'm kind of stuck with those. If it's not right three times, why would it be right the fourth? But hey, I'm thinking positively for next time. I know I have what it takes, it is just a matter of showing them the same thing. And I already know what my video audition will be too!

On the day that I had open I did a lot of fun tourist things. I went on an underground tour, went to the aquarium, visited Pikes Place Market, and went on a bus tour of the city. It was all a ton of fun, I just hope that next time I can bring someone with me because it will be much more fun with company.

Here's a picture of Seattle:

Here are some pictures from the Seattle Underground Tour:

This is the aquarium, which was fun. I got to see them feed a gigantic octopus.

And here is the ever so famous Pikes Place Market.

I didn't take any of these pictures because I tend to prefer to blend in with the locals rather than stick out as a tourist.

Etsy News

2010-04-23T23:32:00.001-07:00

Incroyables by Melissa May 2010 Signature Collection is now available on Etsy.com. Visit my shop at www.lissabean.etsy.com. All pieces are available in your custom size and color/fabric choice. I have some great cocktail pieces, as well as a few evening dresses. In the coming weeks I will also be posting some one-of-a-kind clearance items, as well as some great vintage finds on there.

My Etsy hair accessories page, Birds Nest Accessories, will also have new styles available soon and I will be having a special sale on existing inventory too. Check that out at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com.

Here are a few of the styles available online:

What's Next

2010-04-19T19:01:00.001-07:00

So now that I have sent in my Project Runway application and finished all my latest fashion events, what next? I have decided to give the local fashion show circuit a bit of a break, unless it is an event I simply can't turn down, or if it is a show that I get to plan. I always love producing my own shows, because the vision ends up being my own, but sometimes I leave local shows feeling like I just got taken advantage of. Unfortunately, in Denver doing a fashion show does not equal boosting sales. I have had more sales online than locally, which is so unfortunate because I love working with the client personally and deciding what would look great on them rather than just mailing a package. With wonderful summer weather coming up, hopefully I get commisioned to make some more custom items. I'm itching to make some magic happen.

Until then, I will be posting new items from my 2010 Signature Collection on Etsy.com in the next two days. I will be offering all designs in multiple colors so that I can customize each piece to fit the client's needs. In the next few days, I will also be designing some new headband designs for my hair accessories line Birds Nest Accessories.

Check out my two Etsy pages:
www.lissabean.etsy.com
www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com

After updating both of my Etsy pages, I want to work more on my future collections. Money issues has slowed down the original pace, but I'm still very committed to making it happen!

Denver Post Article

2010-04-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

Suzanne Brown, the lifestyle editor of the Denver Post came to talk to me at the Mod Livin Fashion Show, and my first thought was "Ooooh, I wonder if she'll post pictures of the show in the paper?" Turns out, she did. I have been in the Denver Post about 4 times now, but every time is still so exciting. We chatted a bit about the line, the show, what I had planned next, and me trying out for Project Runway. Here is the article that was in the paper the Thursday after the show, along with the pictures that accompanied the article.

Sixties Redux

Denver designer Melissa May loves shopping for vintage finds at thrift stores, so it wasn't a stretch for her to devise 10 outfits in a "Mad Men" theme for a Create Denver week show.

A crowd of over a hundred people showed up at Mod Livin' Sunday evening to enjoy appetizers and sangria while perusing the midcentury furniture and accessories.

When it was time for the fashion show, 10 models walked to the front of the store and assembled in a tableau of a circa-1960s office, complete with a Selectric typewriter, funky phones and a gooseneck lamp. Looking like they could have been plucked from the steno pool on AMC's popular drama "Mad Men," models paraded in wearing such looks as a black-and-white gingham check dress, a slinky satin sheath for the Joan Holloway office manager character, and a full-skirted floral sundress for the Betty Draper role. Some models shed vintage coats before getting out their pencils and pads to "answer" the phone. Sporting French twists and red lipstick applied by sytlists at Rebelle, the models gave off a chic 1960s vibe.

"I would totally wear some of the looks right now — if they fit me," said the designer. "I wanted them to be true to the period, but still reflect my style."

-Suzanne S. Brown

CREATE Denver Week Fashion Show

2010-04-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

As part of Create Denver Week's events, Mod Livin and Tran Wills planned a fabulous shindig right in the middle of Mod Livin's showroom. I was asked to provide the fashion, but it was no regular fashion show! We went back to a special time when you were allowed to smoke at work, girdles were commonplace, and men used more hair products than the women- 1960. I was asked to explore the world of Mad Men with my collection and decided to go with a theatrical view of the show's everyday office life with some new (or is it old) fashion. I watched the show and took notes religiously, trying to get every little detail right for the show. All of the clothing was inspired by actual clothing from that time period, but I made sure to give it a modern twist with definite pieces of me in it.

The ladies at Rebelle Salon (who are not only super talented, but also have the coolest names ever) did the hair and makeup. They were very patient when I explained that I wanted the girls to look as CLOSE to the show as possible. The show was set up as more of a silent play than a typical fashion show. The girls came onto the set one by one and performed different office duties. By the end of the scene, all the ladies were interacting with each other and it was pure chaos (just like a real office). All the pieces were created specifically for this event, but I am definitely open to doing custom orders for any of these items.

Here are some pictures from the show and a few of the pictures from backstage after the show.

Paper Fashion Show Pics

2010-04-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Paper Fashion Show back in March was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I knew it would be hard, but not THAT hard. My design consisted of about a million paper roses glued onto a puff skirt. I had to change my design a bit last minute because I had already spent about 45 hours on the dress and to finish it completely how I designed it would take another 40 or so. Time basically just ran away from me. I had been gluing and constructing for about 3 weeks before the show, but with the Oscar party and just life in general, I could only spend a little on it at first. But people really liked the dress and seemed to enjoy the fact that it was one of the only pieces there that looked like something you would actually wear. My model Jessica looked lovely in it and did a great job showing it off throughout the night. Here are some before and after pictures, and some pictures of the runway show. To see pictures of the other designs, visit www.adcd.com

This is the front of the dress before I did any decorating to it.

I put a separating zipper in the back so that I didn't have to worry about gluing her into it and so that it would hold up better with wear.

Front of the dress after the roses and rose petals were added.

Side of the dress.

Back of the dress.

Other side.

Runway picture

MCA Oscar Party Pics

2010-04-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

It seems like forever ago, but it was only about a month and half ago that the Denver Film Society and Museum of Contemporary Art teamed up for a super swanky Oscar party. To create more interest in local fashion, several local designers, including myself, were asked to create an Oscar-worthy dress to put up for auction. I chose Carey Mulligan as my muse and created a mermaid-style black satin gown with hand sewn chain detailing on the bodice. This is one of the best sewn dresses I have ever made. I hand sewed just about everything on the dress and I love how it turned out. I do not have pictures of this dress on an actual person, but here are some images from that night.

Quick snapshot of the dress from the front in my backyard.

Front detail shot.

A shot of my dress on the mannequin. It looks a little off because I couldn't zip it up all the way. The mannequins they provided were 36/26 which is a totally unrealistic size.

A few of the dresses up for auction that night.

Me and my "date" Joann. Joann is wearing one of my current favorite dresses. My dress is vintage. I needed a haircut pretty bad at this point.

Project Runway tryout

2010-04-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

Woo, have I been busy! Besides my several fashion projects in the past month, I also decided to try out for Project Runway. I tried out for season 4, but have not tried out since because I wanted to be completely ready before I jumped in to such a big thing. I was so tempted to try out last year, but I thought long and hard about it and decided that my portfolio was not good enough and that my sewing skills were not strong enough yet. So I spent all of the last year working on becoming a better seamstress, designer, and doing as many photo shoots as I could. I had so much fun preparing all the different parts of the application, especially the video. Hopefully I will at least get a call back for this season, but if I don't end up getting on, I plan on trying out again next year.

In my next entry I will post pictures of the dress I made for the MCA Oscar party, pictures from the Paper Fashion Show, and pictures from the CREATE Denver Week show I did last Sunday. But for now, it is late, and I think it is sleepy time!

Paper Fashion Show Reminder

2010-03-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that this Thursday, the 18th is ADCD's Paper Fashion Show at the Mile High Station. There are about 50 designs that will walk the runway, all made at least 90% from paper, so it is definitely worth a look.

I spent an entire day just constructing the dress for my design. I had a very difficult time draping paper into a semi form-fitting outfit since paper has no give whatsoever. It took me about three hours to create the puff skirt, which is not as puffy as I wanted it to be, but I think the rosettes will make it bigger. It then took me a few hours to contruct the bodice, which is basically a strapless bodice with darts (and I managed to not get torpedo boobs with the darts!) I then had to glue and sew the bodice pieces together, and then sew that to the skirt, which was extremely difficult since the paper was on a curve and had no give. The next step was to sew a metal zipper in the back for easy access. I was very adament that I did not want to glue my model into my dress, so I think a zipper was a good choice since I know it will hold up.

My last step is to finish constructing my roses and glue them all onto my skirt. I expect this to take the next few days since the skirt is a normal sized skirt and it will take several hundred roses. Once the dress is all finished I have the headpiece to construct and then it is show time! Hope to see you there!

I will post pictures once the dress is completely finished.

March and April

2010-03-02T17:25:00.001-08:00

For some reason March and April are huge fashion months in Denver. I am always busy busy busy during that time trying to whip out new pieces and style existing pieces to fit the show's theme.

March 7th- Denver Film Society and MCA Oscar Party
This event is going to be quite fancy and feature some of Denver's best designers. We will all be putting an oscar-worthy dress up for auction that night. I am making a brand new dress that is inspired by Carey Mulligan, one of my favorite muses right now. She wears clothing that is sophisticated, but a little edgy.
Info can be found at www.denverfilm.org/filmcenter/reserve.aspx?id=15863&FID=53
Tickets are still available!

They made a video of us to promote the event. I think its hilarious to watch myself on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghoQS4oHiQ

March 18th- ADCD Paper Fashion Show
This event has been going on in Denver for the past few years and has featured everyone from local designers, to artists, to business people looking for a creative outlet. I have wanted to participate in this event in the past, but always missed the deadline, so I'm thrilled to participate this year. My piece is going to be a couture-inspired dress covered in hundreds of roses (my hands hate me). The event takes place at Mile High Station and there are a TON of designers this year.
http://www.adcd.com/

See this video to see what outfits have appeared in the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArZlTuxQwlo

April 3rd- Fashion Show at Cluster Studio
I am still getting details on this show, but Cluster Studio is such a great location for a fashion show. The show has a cupcake theme, so expect frills and bright colors.

April 11th- CREATE Denver Week Event at Mod Livin'
Denver has a week to recognize and showcase local artists and other creative types. Tran Wills is working with Mod Livin' to put on an event on April 11th. The event is going to have a Mad Men theme, so we are doing a Mad Men fashion show! I will be providing the clothing and Rebelle Salon will be doing the hair. The fashion show will be very different than any other one I have done before, especially because although I have some vintage-inspired pieces, I have no costume-looking pieces. We are also planning on doing a more theatrical style show. I think this event is going to be super fun.
http://www.denvergov.org/economicdevelopment/CreateDenverWeek/tabid/435356/Default.aspx

April 18th- WeeCycle Fashion Show
WeeCycle is a local charity that provides gently used baby items to families in need. They do an annual Mother/Baby fashion show that features local designers and boutiques. I am one of the featured designers for this event and can't wait to see what adorable baby clothes get paired up with my women's dresses.
http://www.weecyclecolorado.org/

Let the sewing begin!

Busy?

2010-02-19T22:39:00.000-08:00

Artists are famously procrastinators. I am no exception. I think I am pretty good at budgeting time and planning my life down to the second, but at the end of the day, nothing gets you going quite like waiting until you can't wait anymore.

I actually think I am way better at not procrastinating than many people, but if I don't have a deadline to get something done, it may take me months. Luckily for me, I have several events in the next few months that will prevent me from procrastinating too much. The first one is the Oscar party at the MCA. This event is for Denver's Film Society. Many local designers were asked to donate an evening piece for this event that was inspired by a nominated person. My dress is for Carey Mulligan, one of my all time favorite celebrities I would like to dress. I think she is one of the cutest girls around and I love her taste for edgy fashion. The dress is a black satin mermaid style dress with hand sewn chain detailing on the bodice and sheer upper bodice. My dress is inspired by her, but it is not something I would actually dress her in (I'd love to see her in a color, like purple).

Another event I have coming up is the ADCD Paper Fashion Show in March. This yearly event is something I have wanted to do for a few years now, but always missed the deadline for. I was so excited to sign up for it this year because I have a super fun idea. Many designers go crazy with their designs for this show because it is, after all, paper. But I wanted to create a piece that looks like something you would wear if it was not made of paper. I think I'll keep the exact design a surprise, but it does involve hundreds of handmade paper roses. I definitely can't procrastinate on this one.

Who knows what other projects I'll get involved in this year, but I definitely can't wait!

Must Say Something

2010-02-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

I recognize that it is probably not considered "normal" to break into tears all day because of the death of someone you have never met. This person has no idea who you are, does not know you exist. But here is the story of why I am so heartbroken at the death of Alexander McQueen.

I began designing when I was 11 years old. My cousin and my best friend began drawing with me when there was nothing else to do. We drew pictures of strange, big headed stick figure girls wearing belly shirts and mini skirts. It began as something fun to do, but over time I realized that not only did I really enjoy designing clothing, but that, hey, I was pretty good at it too. At the age of 11 design was just something fun to do, it was not until 13-14 that it became an actual dream.

I remember exactly how I came to love design, really truly LOVE design. When I began to see it as something I wanted to spend my whole life doing. It was when I first saw Alexander McQueen's Spring 2001 fashion show. It was the collection where models walked around in an mental hospital-looking space covered in bugs and birds and jigsaw pieces. There was something so beautiful and theatrical about this show that I couldn't think of doing anything else. I wanted to create my own collections and produce my own shows with beautiful models and great music and fantastic sets.

And nothing has changed since then.

Every season Alexander McQueen's shows are one of the first shows I HAVE to see. One of the only ones I am truly interested in. I look at the pictures and then watch the video and then take a break and then look at older pictures and then watch older videos and then- hey, why not watch the new video again. His collections are the only ones I could ever imagine paying for the DVD because I KNOW I would watch it again and again. Who in fashion could ever forget that moment where a hologram of Kate Moss in a swirling white dress ended his fashion show? Or that show paying homage to Isabella Blow with the beautiful headpieces (of course) and all the feathers? I know I never will.

Thank you Alexander McQueen for forever changing my life. I'm not sure if I would have continued designing had it not been for you and your gorgeous shows. I thank you for showing me my true love and I know that fashion week will never feel the same without you.

-Melissa

Here are links to the show that changed my life, plus two of my favorite fashion shows ever.

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2001RTW-AMCQUEEN/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rQo8ImSboc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUWcenLMLdk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5RTYdp93oE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG4aOkHvRoY&feature=related

New Collections

2010-01-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

2010 is going to bring many collections from Incroyables by Melissa May. First, there is my 2010 Signature Collection which was released in August and will be shot for a lookbook in the next month or so. I have also already completed a small holiday collection which will also be shot soon, but will not be released until closer to Fall.

I have four collections in the planning stage- a Spring collection, a Pre-Spring collection, a Fall Collection, and a Pre-Fall Collection. In the fashion world Pre-Fall collections are being released now and Fall collections in February, but I will not be releasing mine until closer to the actual season due to the fact that my business is mainly custom orders at this point. I do plan to work more towards wholesale orders in the next year though. It has been a long time plan of mine, but I was waiting until my quality was up to my standards and until I had better fabric connections. I wish to maintain a sense of limited quantity with my pieces though, so wholesale will be limited.

In future years I plan to only release 2-4 collections per year, but at this time I wish to build up my website and also my portfolio, so I decided to let me inspirations run wild!

So keep your eyes open for what is coming up in 2010. Expect funky pattern/color mixtures, punk romance, wools, and Victorian inspirations.

Here is a sneak peek at the rebuilding of my portfolio. Gown from 2010 Signature Collection.

Photo: Gabrielle Pellegrino Photography. Model: Jessica Gates. Makeup: Emily J. Holcomb.

Youtube Video

2010-01-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Many many months back I was the featured designer in Denver's FM Magazine. I have recently been sent this link to the Youtube video that was made of the fashion show at the magazine release party. I would not say that these designs sum up my design style by any means, but I had fun with it. Because of the audience I decided to give the show a "Dirty Rock 'n' Roll" theme with plenty of layering and crazy accessories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYpBCd-IM5E

Check out the video on the side of the page called Julianne Brasher Photography too. This video was shot during a collaboration photo shoot between Julianne Brasher and myself.

Ashton Hansen Photo Shoot 2

2010-01-05T18:41:00.001-08:00

A few weeks after the first photo shoot with Ashton, he contacted me about providing a couple pieces for a photo shoot he was doing with a new model he had met. I provided a leather-looking jacket with big bishop sleeves and a high-waisted pencil skirt with a decorative zipper, along with a cream dress with top ruffle that is worn on top of a black lace puff sleeved top. Here are some images from the shoot. Yet again, they all have the photographer's signature at top.

Ashton Hansen Photo Shoot 1

2010-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

A little while back I teamed up with Ashton Hansen to do a photo shoot at the Holiday Chalet Bed and Breakfast. I decided the underlying theme is "ladies who lunch" because I wanted the feel to be classic sophistication. This shoot uses a couple simple, yet sophisticated pieces from my 2010 Signature Collection.

Here are my favorite pictures from the shoot. Forgive the photographer's signature up top, these are his copies.

Models: Hannah and Jules Makeup: Femme Artistry Hair: Andrea Lake

Knitted Headbands

2009-12-11T21:59:00.000-08:00

In a moment of boredom this week I began to create some knitted bow headbands that are now one of my favorite headbands I've ever made! I have added them to my etsy accessories page at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com so hopefully they will sell well, especially during the Christmas season. As with all the other items, I am offering free shipping with these, so check them out! They are all handmade and absolutely adorable.

Keep in mind, all this talk about hair accessories does not mean that I have moved on to accessories from clothing. I am still creating clothing and am in the middle of creating a new collection and shooting my last two. I just really enjoy creating hair accessories and find it a great way to make a little extra money. Keep your eye open for new Incroyables by Melissa May pictures soon!

Christmas sale!

2009-12-03T09:21:00.001-08:00

For any of you looking for the perfect Christmas present, my other company Birds Nest Accessories is offering free shipping on all its products at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com. You can also buy anything you see (plus some extras that are not online) from me directly or from Fancy Tiger, Mona Lucero, The Fabric Lab, Rebelle Salon, or Denver's Buffalo Exchange. My mother and I work hard to keep the quality and the price far better than any other hair accessory you are going to find out there, so what are you waiting for?!

Martha Stewart Weddings

2009-11-25T20:23:00.000-08:00

I just learned that a few months back my Etsy shop was featured as a favorite shop on the Martha Stewart Wedding website. I wish I had known before now, but I'm so thrilled to have been featured either way. My Etsy shop is currently empty because I removed my last collection, but I will soon be adding my Signature Collection, some vintage finds, and also some great clearance items.

October Photo Shoot

2009-11-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I got the opportunity to shoot with local model Fallon who is currently going to school in California. She was back in town for a few days so we put together a shoot with photographer Matthew Novak.

I wanted to use simple, dark clothing and a black cap so that her beautiful face could shine through. It was a theme I had wanted to do for a while and I would actually like to do a twin shoot with a girl with darker skin against the opposite side of the wall that features women instead of men. I am absolutely in love with this location and I am so grateful Matt showed it to me! Here are my favorite images from the shoot.

Birds Nest Accessories

2009-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

For any of you who do not know, my mother and I started a sister company to Incroyables by Melissa May back in March called Birds Nest Accessories. Birds Nest is a company specializing in hair accessories, specifically feather headbands. We also carry hair bows in five sizes and several colors. The company started as a way to make a little money for my mother when she was unemployed, but has now expanded to something a lot bigger.

The feather headbands are currently available at The Fabric Lab until the closing date in December, Mona Lucero's, Fancy Tiger, Rebelle Salon, and Buffalo Exchange in Denver. They are also available at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com. Pieces range in price from about $8-$22 so they are very affordable and make fantastic gifts. Here is a small sampling of what we are currently offering.

Halloween

2009-11-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

This Halloween, I wanted to make sure to go out and do something fun so that I could create a costume that has been more than one year in the planning. I didn't want to start actually creating the costume until I knew I would be doing something though, so the costume could use a little more finessing, which I plan to do next year if I choose to wear it again. I got the idea from a co-worker last year to go as the woman from the birds, with the birds attacking my head. I was really excited by the idea, but it took some figuring out. First, there was the suit- it had to be green, which is not always an easy color to find. Second, there was the matter of how to get the birds to float above the head. I commissioned my dad to create me some kind of mobile-like device that I could attach the birds onto. I think next year I need twice as many birds and some more special touches, such as a bird with a piece of hair in its beak (I tried to do that this year but the birds were plastic inside so I couldn't just stick pins into them).

I went to The Sounds concert and had a blast, but I suspect the people standing around me hated me! Haha, that's their fault for standing near the girl who obviously has unstable parts to her costume. The best part of the costume was that the birds really did peck my head as I walked!

Holiday Collection

2009-10-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

I recently made three dresses to use up some small scraps of fabric I had and when I was done realized that they all looked like adorable holiday dresses! I felt so inspired by what I had made that I decided to create a whole mini-collection of holiday dresses/skirts/tops/maybe some jackets. I am trying to figure out how to have a small fashion show to show them off, but I am not sure if I will be able to do that before the holiday season. I will most definitely be shooting them in the next few weeks though. When I do, I will post the entire collection and give information on how to buy the originals or order a similar version. Keep your eyes open!

303 Magazine/Style Wars Update

2009-09-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

I recently realized that I never posted anything about my 303 Magazine Shoot back in June or the Style Wars Challenge back in July. Life gets hectic at times, but both of these events were super fun. Here are some pictures:

This is the picture they chose for my page in the July issue of 303:

I look so incredibly different in this picture for better or worse! Even my friends didn't recognize me at first. This is right after I got my bowl cut which I still rock in some form today. Everyone in the picture is wearing something by me.

Here are some pictures from Style Wars at the end of July. It was so much fun! We had 20 minutes to create an outfit from a rack of supplies. I ended up using an 80s long sleeve gown that had a strange raglan-style sleeve that ran from under the neck all the way across the chest. I cut off the sleeves, cut the dress down, and rolled the top to change the shape to a Grecian-inspired shape. I then created a puff sleeve and filled it with bubble wrap. The cinch belt is made from shelf liner and pieces of a car shade. The glove is a piece of lace from the original raglan sleeve. I wish I was smart enough to take a picture of the dress beforehand so you could truly recognize the hideousness of the dress. The sad thing is that it was a Carolina Herrera!

Many thanks to my assistant Grace and to my amazing model Kristen, I couldn't have asked for better partners in crime.

"Goodbye Denver Shoot"

2009-09-27T22:00:00.001-07:00

My dear friend Ferren, who happens to be a model with the fiercest walk around- no seriously, ask any Denver designer- just moved last week to London for art school. Before she left she wanted to do one last photo shoot in Denver with our friend Matthew Novack as the photographer. We shot on the streets and alleyways in the Art District on Santa Fe Drive, so naturally the clothing had to be bright and colorful to match the surroundings. I brought a bag of clothing and we just walked around taking pictures. It was a lovely way to say goodbye, even though it was HOT outside.

Meghan Savage 2

2009-09-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

These images are from a photo shoot in which I lent clothing but could not actually be there for the shoot. I am now much more involved with the photo shoots I do, but for a while I was mostly just lending out clothing and seeing what came out of the shoot. The risk in doing that is that you may not like the images or how the clothing was styled. It's a risk you take, but this shoot was with the photographer Meghan Savage who is insanely talented and a great model/friend Taryn that I would trust with any of my clothing at any time. So, it was really not a risky shoot in my mind. These are some of the photos that Meghan chose to use for her website.

Black vinyl jacket with puff sleeves and ruffled collar by me, skirt by Taryn

This is one of my favorite pieces I've made to date. The dress is covered in handmade silver rosettes that were then handsewn to the dress.

I personally love the softness of the pictures. Even though the pieces are not "pretty" there is a certain romantic feel to them because of the styling and the background. The silver dress is definitely going in my portfolio!

Unfortunately, these will probably be the last pictures I will be able to post with Taryn because she has gone to New York and Greece to work with some modeling agencies. I wish her the best of luck and I know that she is going to do some fantastic work!

Meghan Savage

2009-09-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

Back in June I got the idea to do a shoot using clothing I had created for a retro-themed fashion show that had been at the Denver Art Museum. The dresses were all loose and very tent-like, almost like the dresses of the 1960s mod period. I had wanted to work with the local photographer Meghan Savage for quite some time and had heard that she liked vintage feeling shoots, so I asked her if she would be interested in doing a mod-themed shoot. I wanted to use two models- one who was a Twiggy look alike and a model inspired by the 60s fascination with space age.

As with every other day this summer it rained during our shoot, but Meghan was great at working around the rain and getting some amazing images!

Makeup by Katelyn Simkins, Models Caitlyn Canniff and Taryn Aichele

Kelsey Bigelow Pictures

2009-09-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I coordinated a shoot with the fabulous photographer Kelsey Bigelow. I wanted to shoot the evening gowns from my new collection, so we wanted the shoot to be slightly romantic and not something we could just throw together in the city. We ended up shooting in a field near a windmill farm on the border of Colorado and Wyoming. It was sunny, super windy, and pretty cold, but I love what came out of the shoot. There were so many good pictures but here are a few of my favorites. I ended up choosing the pictures that were desaturated over the shots in regular light because the overall feel was more romantic and went with our slightly fairytale theme.

Thank you to Katelyn Simkins for hair and makeup and to Taryn for making the most of the crazy wind!

Forever Darling Runway Pictures

2009-09-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

I finally found some pictures of the Forever Darling event. I absolutely loved the hair and makeup and the models were all great to work with. My collection was select pieces from my 2010 Signature Collection. Here are the pictures:

My Avante-Garde Competition Piece

White silk sleeveless dress with skirt that is covered in handmade chiffon flowers. Black taffeta jacket with ruffle collar and lantern inspired sleeves.

The Collection

Purple satin dress with chain straps and rosettes on hem.

White satin dress with pleated front section and triple bows.

Lace covered dress with pleated skirt and racerback. Red silk jacket with bishop sleeves and ruffled collar.

Black satin dress covered with hand sewn chains.

Black satin dress with pleated front section with bow. Shiny jacket crop jacket with puff sleeves and ruffled collar.

Pink silk dress with sweetheart neck, pleated detailing, and zipper rosettes.

Silk dress with chiffon strap with back bow.

Black silk gown with safety pin covered strap and handmade belt.

Burgundy silk gown with mermaid hem, zipper inserted into top seam, and front bow.

Navy silk gown with gathered section at bottom and braids surrounding it. Silk crop jacket covered in ruffles.

Final walk.

New Photo Shoot

2009-09-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to get photo shoots in every couple of weeks so as to update my portfolio. My style has dramatically changed in the past few years, so it is in need of a serious overhaul. I will be posting these photo shoots as I receive the pictures from the photographers, so the pictures will not necessarily be in order of when they were shot. These pictures were shot a few weeks ago with Shalynne Imaging, who has a beautiful, raw sense of lighting. Her shoots are often romantic even when they are not romantic because of her scenery and lighting. They feel very simple but are still pretty to look at. We shot on the photographer's tree farm and even though it rained all day, we managed to make the most out of the beautiful location. Here are a couple of the pictures.

Thank you to Katelyn Simkins for makeup and to Caitlyn for being up for whatever, even in the rain.

Forever Darling 3

2009-09-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday I participated in a local charity fashion event called Forever Darling. This is the third year it has gone on. Each year the proceeds go to a different charity, with this year's charity being Autism Speaks.

For the event, the designers were asked to pair up to create an avante-garde outfit based off a floral arrangement. My partner was Taryn Slawson, a designer I actually went to college with. We both have a very fun feminine style, so it was a great pairing. Our arrangement was very flower-y, but had a few dark elements to it. There was a sense of lightness from the flowers and the lanterns, but then there was the black background, the branches, and the moss.

We decided to create a sleeveless dress with a slightly tulip-shaped skirt covered in hand-sewn chiffon flowers in the colors of the arrangement. To add the dark element and to have more visual interest, we chose to create a cute jacket with a huge ruffled collar and sleeves inspired by the chinese lanterns. We thought we had a winner for sure due to the fact that it was so intricate and followed the rules so closely. In the end, we did not win (a bit of a personal scandal honestly) but we made sure to get some fabulous pictures of the pieces anyways. We wanted to make sure that even when the pieces get sold, we would still have pictures of it. Check out our shoot with Matthew Novak. I will post pictures of the Forever Darling event once I get them.

2010 Signature Collection

2009-09-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

After months of planning, hours (and hours and hours) of hand sewing, and dozens of yards of fabric, I released my 2010 Signature Collection to a packed house August 15th. I was incredibly nervous but very excited to make the move into more sophisticated clothing. The intimate show was held in the boutique The Fabric Lab with a champagne and cupcake reception beforehand.

Here are a few pieces from the 21 piece collection. To see the entire collection visit www.incroyablesbymelissamay.com or www.myspace.com/incroyablesbymelissamay. For custom order information, please email me at incroyablesbymelissamay@gmail.com or visit www.lissabean.etsy.com

Incroyables by Melissa May 2010 Signature Collection Fashion Show

2009-07-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

INCROYABLES BY MELISSA MAY 2010 SIGNATURE COLLECTION FASHION SHOW

Denver, CO- Melissa May, quickly becoming known throughout Denver for her cocktail and evening dresses, will unveil her newest line Saturday, August 15th at The Fabric Lab at 3105 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. Complimentary champagne, cupcakes, and appetizers will be served at 7:30 and the fashion show begins at 9 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Store buyers and press are welcomed. Reservations are not required but suggested to secure seating. Reservations can be made at 303-321-3604.

As one of Denver's newest high fashion designers, Melissa is quickly establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with and has not only been seen in several local fashion publications, but was also a semi-finalist for Fashion Group International's
Rising Star Award for 2009. This exciting event will showcase Melissa's move into more sophisticated high fashion, all the while holding onto the feminine silhouettes and special detailing that she is known for. This show will be beautiful, fun, and
most importantly, memorable.

Melissa May
Incroyables by Melissa May
303-667-7980
incroyablesbymelissamay@gmail.com

###

Sponsors: The Fabric Lab, The Shoppe

Style Wars

2009-07-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for something amazing to do this Friday, the 31st, I have the perfect event! Every month The Denver Art Museum puts on an event called Untitled where they have a bunch of events inside the museum that fit around a theme. This month's theme is Old School. To go along with this theme, The Fabric Lab is having an event called Style Wars where several local designers are given one rack of supplies, one model, and twenty minutes and told to make something fabulous! I am one of the designers and am super excited about this! The event is free with admission to the museum and begins around 6 PM. Trust me, this will be awesome!

June Soundtrack

2009-07-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some songs that inspired me to design in June. The month went by far too quickly.

D.I.Y. Fair

2009-07-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has even stepped near the Colorado Blvd/Colfax area has probably heard about this event by now since we are practically shoving fliers in everyone's hands, but for any of you who have not been told about this yet- Colfax is having a Block Party the evening of July 4th. Events begin around 6, but some vendors will be setting up around noon.

Featuring a fun DIY fair in the parking lot of Rock Bar- as well as a fashion show, music, crafts, and lots of free drinks and activities, this event is going to be huge! Along with being a really fun event, I plan on marking down some of my clothing to insanely low prices ($20-$30 for most things!) so you can get a super cute summer dress for cheap. Birds Nest Accessories, my feather headband company that I run with my mother,will also be there selling brand new designs that are adorable as well as affordable. For more information go to www.thefabriclab.com

Saturday

2009-06-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

This Saturday was a crazy crazy day- but in a great way. It started off with me checking my email to find out that I am a finalist for Denver's Fashion Group International Rising Star Award. Just to be a finalist is awesome, but you better believe I'm going to build an amazing portfolio because I want to win! I don't do things halfway. Now I have to sew even faster so that I can do a couple photo shoots before the judges panel in July.

After shipping a dress order at the post office, I picked up last week's Westword and casually thumbed through it in the car. Then, my eye caught the mention of my name on one of the first pages. My first reaction was that Kenny Be had made up a name and it happened to be my name, but then I looked at the picture and realized it was supposed to be me! He had rendered one of my dresses on a Rockies player to create "Colorado Frockies". It is hilarious! In the color version, he changed the color of the dress from yellow and red to grey and blue, which I'm not thrilled about, but I do understand the reasoning.

Then, at night, I went to The Fabric Lab to see a collection of Star Trek jewelry that made me wish I was a Trekkie. They were absolutely adorable, definitely check them out while they are still on display.

Let me end this blog with this note: My 2009 Signature Collection is being released August 15th. There will be fancy food and drinks and a full runway show with some of the prettiest dresses I've ever created. Please save the date and I'll write more about it in a bit.

Beads, 303, and Westword

2009-06-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

Friday night's Bead for Life show went wonderfully. The models were so professional and looked absolutely beautiful. The hair stylists at Tuana wove strings of beads through their hair for an African-inspired look. Getting to look at and touch the beads was interesting because they feel just like regular beads even though they are made from paper. I don't have any more fashion shows coming up in the next few weeks, which leaves me time to prepare for some July events.

First, 303 Magazine decided that they would like the featured designers from the July edition to put on a fashion show for the release party. I'm very excited for this, but also scared because they want 15 pieces from each designer and I only have 3.5 outfits done. I'll get it done somehow though.

The evening of July 4th is the Block Party down at Colfax and St. Paul. My mother and I will join many other local crafters/designers to showcase and sell our creations in the Rock Bar parking lot. Come get the first dibs at our new feather headband line and at my clearance dresses!

Another event is with the Denver Art Museum's Untitled event for July. The plan is to have local designers come and compete with each other to create the best outfit under 10 minutes with only the items given to us. There will be plenty of designer trash talking, so it will be super fun.

I have some more events coming up, including the release of my 2009 Signature Collection in August, but I will write about those when I have more details.

One last thing- I went to the Westword Music Showcase Saturday and was thrilled at how great it was. I saw some of my favorite local bands and got to see a few that may be some of my new favorites. My favorite set of the day was Bela Karoli! Here is a playlist of songs that inspired me to design throughout May:

Early June updates

2009-06-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

The end of May was spent working long into the nights creating new clothing for my shoot with 303 Magazine, so naturally, my time spent online was limited. In true Melissa fashion though, the days after have been just as busy. I have enrolled in a business class, been placing Etsy orders, and have begun creation of my 2010 Signature Line to be released August 15th. I have also been planning several photo shoots to build up my portfolio. Here is a bit of an update of what I had/have going on this week:

May 31st- 303 Shoot featuring local designers. I posed with my model Christy, makeup artist Katelyn Simkins, and 3rd Avenue Salon stylist Vered in a super snazzy office space. Watch out for the July issue to see the spread! We looked super fancy.

June 2nd- Ice cream themed photo shoot with photographer Ashton Ray Hansen, makeup artist Katelyn Simkins, and models Carleen and Megan featuring two pieces from my Spring 2009 collection.

June 12th- Beads For Life Fashion Show

Runway for Life, an evening of African fashion, music and entertainment set for June 12, is the latest in a series of fundraisers benefiting Bead for Life. The organization offers impoverished Ugandan women a chance to receive health care, housing and education with profits from the sale of jewelry they make from recycled paper. In recent years, more than 200 Bead for Life parties have been hosted in Denver-area homes and offices; this party is a chance to meet, mingle and raise money in a bigger setting. Doors open 7 p.m.; show at 8 p.m.; music to follow. Cluster Studios, 3881 Steele St.; Tickets are $15 ($20 at the door); or $25 for VIPs; call 303-554-5901. Beadforlife.org

June 12th- DAVA

Outdoor Fashion Show organized by Brandi Shigley from Fashion Denver
Friday June 12th at 7pm, featuring 7 local fashion designers during the East End Arts District Summer Artwalk (www.eastendartsdistrict.org)

Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA)
1405 Florence St
Aurora CO 80010
Mon-Fri: 11:00 am-5:00 pm or by appointment
303.367.5886
http://davarts.org

June 13th- Art Opening at The Fabric Lab

City Folk Art by Zshanna Kristoff 7-10 PM

303 Magazine

2009-05-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

I'm so thrilled to have been asked to be a part of 303 Magazine's Local Issue for July. The magazine will be pairing local fashion designers with hair stylists for a spread that shows Denver how great the talent is in their own state! The other designers featured are Fallene Wells of Let 'Em Have It, Tricia Hoke, and Armondo Guerra. I'll be making cocktail dresses showcasing some of the design features that I feel make my designs me. So excited! More as this develops.

A bit of a catch up

2009-04-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've been super duper busy lately, a little too busy to keep up with writing. I'm going to be a good girl and post more often though. I might even start to post weekly the new items I have created. So many good ideas, I just hope I can keep up with them.

So here's a bit of a catch up on what I've been up to.

April 9th: I got a call out of the blue from Anastasia at Anastasia's Collection in Cherry Creek North to bring some of my new designs into the store. I'm hopeful that her clients will enjoy my style and that I can continue to work with the store. If you are in the neighborhood, check out some of my new designs, including some adroable new leather-looking ruffle jackets.

April 19th: The FM Release Party FINALLY! This was the third try at having a release party for the 6th issue of FM in which I was the featured designer. The first try got postponed for many reasons, then the second try got snowed out. Luckily, the third time went well and we had a rockin fashion show! The theme for the magazine shoot was a glimpse into a night of partying, so I took this idea for the fashion show and created 15 looks that were very dark and rock 'n' roll- perfect for a long night of partying all night long. Check out the mag at www.fm-mag.com. To see pictures from the fashion show visit www.xrocksthespot.com.

April 24th: I was one of seven local designers featured in a fashion show for the Denver Art Museum's Untitled event. The theme of the fashion show was "modern day psychedelic" so I created dresses that were very modern in shape but featured psychedelic prints that I created or enhanced with fabric, chains, or rosettes. I'll find pictures and post.

April 25th: A Prototype event featuring Katie Wells of Giddy Up and Tyes by Tara at The Fabric Lab. I wasn't part of the show, but I did help to MC the event (not very well, but I do try). I liked Katie Wells' collection (her stuff is adorably kooky, but I'm always impressed by how well sewn it is.)

I'm taking a week off from sewing to catch up on sleep and catch up on all the Fall collections from style.com. I'm also going to create some new feather headbands with my mother which will be at The Fabric Lab as well as at www.birdsnestaccessories.etsy.com.

Prom

2009-03-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school I desperately wanted a prom dress that did not look like the ones all the other girls were going to wear. You know the ones- the princess style electric colored ones with rhinestones and spaghetti straps that were probably purchased somewhere as wonderfully exciting as Dillards or JC Penney.

I wanted to stay true to my style, however strange that was then. I wanted to look like myself, only fancier. I searched and searched the malls and even online for a dress that was perfectly me and NEVER FOUND ONE! It was so sad. I ended up buying a $24 vintage gown and paired it with black elbow length gloves and a sassy short hair cut. I looked great and had an okay time, but I still wonder to this day what that perfect gown would have looked like.

When I was preparing my senior thesis this thought stayed in my mind and I decided to create a punk rock prom wear collection for all the girls like me who could never find that perfect dress. It had ruffles and bows and hidden cellphone pockets- but it also had rows of studs, suspender inspired straps, and painted on skulls. It was so close to being red carpet, yet I doubt anyone would be allowed to wear them to any Hollywood event. I loved them so much that I desperately want some girl to wear them so they can be enjoyed.

So in order to make this happen, I am now selling this collection of prom wear, as well as some other prom-worthy dresses (long and short) at The Fabric Lab at 3105 E. Colfax Ave. Denver for prices far below their value. I think every girl should look like a million bucks at her prom and it's even better if you know you're the only one there in that dress!

Bored of the Mall

2009-02-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

I'm so bored of the mall. You either find cheap homogenized crap...or expensive homogenized crap. Do you feel like buying jeans that make you look and feel like a 15 year old girl with her crack sticking out or are you looking for an ill fitting tee with some stupid smart ass phrase on it? I never seem to find anything I like in the malls. I'll look and look but all I see is the same stuff. Yes, I am known to occasionally find a piece of two, but then they always seem to fall apart!

Why are we so willing to put up with this? Is it because we really think we like cheap things? Or is it because we have been taught to only pay attention to the short term and see only the price tag? Either way, there's got to be a better way. Now mind you, I am as poor as they come, but I am willing to spend a little more on something that will last me longer, or even better, local and/or one of a kind. So I've been trying to make more of an effort to buy local, handmade, or even vintage when I can. Not only have I been spending about the same amount, but I also like the items better and get more out of them! Try it!

New year

2009-01-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhh...it's a new year. When I'm not freaking out about what I didn't accomplish last year, I'm planning fantastically optimistic things for this coming year. 2008 was a great year for Incroyables by Melissa May, but I think 2009 can be even better!

With the new year comes new fantastic clothing for us to wear. If only the economy could be as fun as what fashion is bringing us for spring. Versace brought us a fantastic line of partywear covered in zippers (perhaps Donatella has been ripping Incroyables by Melissa May off a bit), Prada is selling wrinkled half outfits for thousands of dollars, and John Galliano was...well...himself. Spring is also bringing you Incroyables by Melissa May's first full collection which is available to order now!

Drawing inspiration from 1960s beach movies and injecting modern silhouettes and attitudes, Incroyables by Melissa May's Spring 2009 collection is super fun and very wearable. It's also only available in limited batches- so better check it out at www.lissabean.etsy.com before your favorite style is all gone!

-Melissa