Melody Ehsani

There are designers known for trends, and designers known for statements. Melody Ehsani is definitely using her medium to make a statement. Her shoes and accessories bring out the inner glamrockdiva in all of us, judging by her clientele. Erykah Badu and Rhianna are known for their risk-taking eye for style, but none of that could be possible without the eclectic designs of Melody Ehsani.  A native Los Angelino, Ehsani infuses her Persian roots and eye for design to create pieces that will be trendy enough to make her rich, and stylish enough to define an era. Hollywood Cole stopped the busy fashion designer to get the latest:

BLVD: Thanks for taking time to talk to us. What have you been up too lately Miss Busy Body? Have you been to many concerts, fashion shows, or done much traveling?

Melody Ehsani: Yes, all of the above.  I love the summer, all the shows are in town. Just went to Cirque Berzerke which is an offshoot of Cirque Du Soleil, very inspiring.

BLVD: We see you’ve been working on a new collection, is there a name for it? Where did the inspiration generate?

M.E.: I don’t really name my jewelry collections, I’m constantly working on new designs, but the inspiration stemmed very much from nature, animal totems, rock n’ roll and sacred geometry.

BLVD: Do you have themes for your collections?

M.E.: Each collection naturally has a theme. I never decide on a theme and then work it out, it usually works the opposite way for me. I’ll create a bunch of pieces and after I’m done, I see what the most dominant thread of inspiration came from.

BLVD: What have you been most excited about as far as your company? Who is your muse (do you have one)?

ME: Im excited most about just having the opportunity to do what I do. People may look at it as just fashion, but its much deeper than that. I get to use fashion as a vehicle to do whatever I want in the world. Its a great service opportunity.
I dont have a muse. Sometimes, I’ll call on souls that have passed to the next world for assistance or inspiration.

BLVD: How old were you when you began collecting art, and what was your first piece?

M.E.: The first one I can remember was in the third grade. I invented / created a pair of earrings that were also secret headphones. So that you could inconspicuously listen to music and still look chic. I pitched it at my show-and-tell in class.

BLVD: As a young girl, what inspired your creativity?

M.E.: Music videos were a huge source of creative energy for me, but we NEVER had cable growing up, so Music award shows were what I lived for. The Billboard Awards, World Music Awards, Grammys, MTV awards; I loved all the performances. I also loved the show “In Living Color” because it was felt very fun and authentic. It seemed effortless to me, I loved that.

BLVD: Do you feel the pressure to outdo what you’ve done previously?

M.E.: I don’t know if I feel like I need to outdo myself. I feel like I did everything at once. So because I did it all, I’ve been allowing it to play out its course and learning how to not over think it.  During this process I’ve learned a lot and am now ready to come with it again. And because I’ve grown I know that anything I make now will be different and more evolved than before.

BLVD: Who was your first celebrity star who rocked your designs?

ME: Erykah Badu

BLVD: You say your parents wanted you to have a more corporate/professional career. How do your parents feel about your new found success? You’re Persian, how do your culture and childhood experiences play into your creativity?

M.E.: Of course now they’ve come around to accepting me only because at this point I’ve accomplished some measure of “success” according to what “success” looks like to them. I think culture is very complex in general.  I can say that it does play into my creativity on some subconscious and conscious level. I think that breaking with old cultural myths is actually where I learned the most.

BLVD: Where do you work on your collection? Do you have a dream team of stylists and artist you work with?

M.E.: We have a studio space that we work out of. I do have a dream team of stylists that I work with. Some of them are my closest friends outside of work. I’m also blessed in my day to day to have a great team that is an integral part of building on the Melody Ehnsani Vision.

BLVD: Other than your website, where can we purchase your pieces? Any stores online or store fronts?

M.E.: Online you can visit www.karmaloop.com .  If you’re in Los Angeles you can visit Traffic Boutique. Both  those sites carry the entire collection. Our items are carried at a number of retailers across the U.S., Japan and Europe.”

BLVD: Do you ever plan to visit Houston, Texas?

M.E.: Yes, Id love to! I have a lot of friends from Houston that I love.

Editor’s Pick>>> AFROpop

CYBER DESIGNER APPRECIATION:21st Century Maroon Colony, 21mc

The super duo Emeka Alams and Yego Moravia are the last of a dying breed of great urban street wear designers. Inspiration from African textiles dating back hundreds of years is what makes this label standout from all the others that say “I have a fashion line”. First generation Americans, by way of Haiti (Yego) and Nigeria (Emeka), the two dig deep into the legacy of African ancestry with their awe dropping creations of tees, ponchos, and of course, music.

LOCAL LOVE: Check out what some of Houston’s up and coming talent is doing. Cheers to all the upcoming Texas fashion designers: Aston Moze, Bukky Are’ of House of Versatile Style, Afrik Couture, and shopfashionablylate.net.

SHIT WE WISH WE COULD AFFORD RIGHT NOW:High end  clothing and accesories brand, Marni, continues to spark interest with their signature graphic prints on the market. Splurging $500 for pants (and that’s on sale) along with the handbag for $800 will definitely land you in the poor house, but at least you’ll be fly (right?). The somewhat gaudy but unforgettable Vuitton tribal sandal is an all time shoe favorite for shoe afficianados.  These will knock you down about $1200. You could easily get creative and deisgn a similar mask and attach it to a strap of a nice wedge.  Although many of these looks are almost out of season, try looking out for similar high end pieces at Neiman’s Last Call or Off 5th for the clearance price.

FUN EXTRAS: E. T. Mensah’s, High Life Giants of Africa, is a classic album for real jazz lovers. Mensah pioneered the development of the swing-jazz influenced highlife dance-bands that were so popular throughout West Africa in the 1950’s and 60’s. .

LOOK ALIKES: American Apparel has a small collection of tribal design t-shirts, harem pants, leggings, and bra tops. Stop by American Apparel off of Westheimer and Dunlavy. Tell em, THE BLVD sent you!

Editor’s Note: The Designer of

See ya Later Alligator…In a While Crocodile!

Photo Credit: sartorialist.com

Steakhouses, Sports Bars, and Cigar Houses will be packed  with fathers across Houston and the nation as we celebrate  Father’s Day on June 21st. Although moms get the most love, Daddys wanna feel special too. Instead of the usual neck tie and house slippers, get creative. Build your father-of-the-year a cool basket full of man goods.

ZIRH DEFEND: is a light face moisturizer suitable for dry or sensitive skin, with SPF 15 to provide protection against the damaging rays of the sun • CAROL’S DAUGHTER BODY JELLY: just like vaseline, but in a fun bottle, carolsdaughter.com • MOLTEN BROWN RE-CHARGE BLACK  PEPPER BODY WASH $28 , grooming lounge. GROOMING LOUNGE EBONY SHAVING BRUSH $70, grooming lounge . Old Spice has been around for ages. It never fails and it smells like a man • OLD SPICE  SWAGGER $6.50, oldspice.com

Smoke! Smoke OOooon! Since dads are revered as strong, responsible, Huxtable-like guys, here’s a great gift package idea for the men we love. Since they probably don’t role spliffs anymore, get them a nice cigar set. Stuntin’ like he’s Pablo Escobar will be a great photo op for pictorial archives. Lamborghini Cigar cutter $175, cupojoes.com, Corono Roller Pipe Lighter $43, cupojoes.com, NO SMOKING by  Assouline, assouline.com, Don Lino African Cigars, pack of 5, famouse-smoke.com

You can never fail when it comes to cinema classics like Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song, Dune, Platoon, I’m Gonna Get You Sucka, The Godfather and Scarface. Rent or purchase these, pop some popcorn, and let the man in your life escape via the tube.

Music works for any occasion. Purchase some albums or CD’s for nostalgia’s sake or make a bumping playlist for his iPod. He’s sure to love it.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT SAY WORD: YOU’RE NOT THE FATHER