Jeremy Scott for Melissa Shoes SS16 Collection Proves Life in Plastic is Fantastic
Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld, Jason Wu, and Alexandre Herchcovitch are among the designers who, over the years, have teamed up with Brazilian footwear brand Melissa, which specializes in fun-loving, irreverent, cheeky, adventurous shoes crafted out of plastic. From sheer jelly sandals that conjure up a sense of nostalgia to bow-adorned flip-flops, T-bar thong sandals, ballet flats with web-like cut-outs, backless oxfords with pointy toes, peep-toe wedges, lugged sole ankle booties, and retro-flavored pumps with heart embellishments above their coquettish peep toes, Melissa has put the OMG in PVC. For Spring 2016, Melissa will roll out a new collaboration with designer Jeremy Scott, Moschino’s creative director and a frequent Adidas collaborator (he was the mastermind behind the now-ubiquitous, wing-adorned sneakers).
Fashion insiders got a sneak peek at the upcoming Jeremy Scott x Melissa collection during New York Fashion Week, when models stormed the runway of the Jeremy Scott SS16 show wearing get-ups that perfectly blended the Mod and Pop Art aesthetics of the 1960s with the vivid colors and I-love-my-MTV vibe of the 1980s. In addition to rocking bouffant wigs and near-neon peach pouts, models donned the two new Melissa shoes styles designed by Scott: the Jeremy Scott x Melissa Inflatable Mule and the Jeremy Scott x Melissa Inflatable Ankle Boot (shown above).
Both shoe styles were inspired by inflatable pool toys (think donut- and swan-shaped floats, chaise-like loungers, and beach balls), which is reflected in both the colors in which they’re available (among them a Barbie-esque magenta to a fluorescent green, a banana yellow, and a vacation resort-ready turquoise) and their actual design, which incorporates a clear valve with an attached plug identical to what you’d commonly encounter on one of these toys.
In the case of the bootie, which resembles a Wellington boot but features an ankle-high shaft and a small kitten heel, the valve detail can be seen on the side of the shaft, right along the ankle collar. The mule, meanwhile, is reminiscent of the Candie’s shoes that were so popular in the ’80s (the ones Jenny McCarthy wore everywhere!), but they’re incredibly more exciting and eccentric thanks to their vibrant hues and shiny PVC uppers, as well as the valves positioned on the back of their chunky heels.
Best of all, there’s no actual need to inflate these wonders — and they’ll still make a splash!
