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Fashion for the fuller figure
DW (English)
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9/10/2024
Plus size fashion celebrates all body types with stylish, bold designs. It’s a creative and inclusive, embracing every curve with elegance and confidence. Meet Melissa Poulton, Namibia’s plus size fashion designer.
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Transcript
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00:00
Who says large women can't look and feel beautiful in glamorous gowns?
00:06
From intricate couture dresses to the coolest everyday outfits, Melissa Poulter knows how
00:11
to make a statement.
00:14
Before we get to know how Melissa became the Namibian plus-size fashion designer, let's
00:18
ask her why she's known as the Queen of Ruffles.
00:23
Most of my designs, you would find pleats, ruffles everywhere.
00:28
I love the whole big, dramatic dresses.
00:31
The ruffles are so free.
00:32
They're so free-flowing.
00:33
You already see it from far, you know, like you notice it.
00:36
In the Namibian fashion industry, I am the only designer that really, really taps into
00:42
ruffles, pleats, at every fashion week.
00:45
When you see my collection, you'll know that big dresses, the drama, it's House of Poulter.
00:52
Beyond ruffles, Melissa is also renowned for designing for fuller figures like her own.
00:57
Why is it such a popular line for her?
01:00
Namibia has a lot of plus-size women.
01:02
I'm a plus-size woman myself.
01:04
A lot of ladies would ask me, where do you buy this item?
01:07
I really want this item.
01:08
And it's very difficult to find clothing in shops.
01:11
Most of the items that you find are very basic.
01:13
I feel like when stores design for plus-size women, they design so that they can hide their
01:19
body, but I feel like you shouldn't hide your body per se.
01:22
You shouldn't look like a tent.
01:24
It should be flattering.
01:25
And plus-size women also want to look good.
01:27
We want to be glamorous too, and it's like me basically designing for myself.
01:33
In an industry renowned for its focus on skinny, has becoming a plus-size designer been a difficult
01:38
journey for Melissa?
01:40
It is quite challenging for me because I've always designed for the smaller market.
01:45
When you go for your studies, they teach you the patterns for smaller figures, and I think
01:51
it took me quite some time, you know, to finally feel confident to be able to do pattern
01:57
making for plus-size women.
01:59
Melissa's designs are inspired by the four elements and the environment around her.
02:04
Let's find out about her latest summer collection.
02:08
All of my collections are based off of nature.
02:11
I want to be of those designers that don't design because of trends.
02:15
What color palette is trending?
02:18
What type of sleeve?
02:19
Da-da-da-da-da.
02:20
I'm not that designer.
02:21
I want to be unique.
02:23
Melissa's latest fashion offering is the Jacaranda collection inspired by the Jacaranda tree.
02:30
How did she end up working with award-winning rapper Latoya Mwambola, also known as Lioness?
02:37
I did a collaborative part with Lioness.
02:39
She's a Namibian rapper, and she's a fashion icon as well.
02:43
I actually approached her first.
02:45
I told her, I really want to do a garment for you.
02:47
She also really wants to work with me.
02:49
I do most of her performance outfits.
02:52
Her part was chapter one, from the root to the bark to the leaf.
02:57
I wanted the dark part to be a very sexy, revealing type of collection, if you understand
03:05
what I mean.
03:06
I felt like her design style would suit more for that.
03:13
This is the Jacaranda collection, part two.
03:16
I wanted the dresses to represent the flower.
03:19
I grew up with the Jacaranda tree.
03:21
My whole neighborhood is full of the Jacaranda tree.
03:23
As a child, I was just fascinated by it.
03:26
As I come back home, then I see all of these beautiful trees with the purple here.
03:30
It's almost like as if the flowers are waving at me, you know, like as the wind goes through
03:35
it.
03:36
It's so special for me.
03:37
Melissa studied fashion design in Cape Town and started her own fashion house in Vindhook
03:42
in 2012.
03:44
But where did her love for designing clothes begin?
03:48
It started when I was a little girl, when I watched the movie 101 Dalmatians and I saw
03:54
the beautiful character of Cruella de Vil.
03:57
My heart just lit up.
03:58
I didn't want to necessarily be the evil part of Cruella.
04:02
I wanted to be this glamorous person that creates beautiful dresses.
04:06
And ever since that small age, I've really just worked towards that.
04:13
Now Melissa is working furiously to finish the garments for her latest mini capsule collection.
04:18
Why is she under so much pressure?
04:21
So the shoot that I'm doing tomorrow, it's basically a video shoot and my catalog shoot
04:27
as well.
04:28
For this range, I tried to focus more on the couture part of it all.
04:32
And now I'm doing the ready-to-wear range.
04:35
A little bit of stress, you know, because I'm currently busy finishing the last final
04:39
touches.
04:41
But overall, I'm very excited for this.
04:43
Melissa's designs are all about being bold and beautiful.
04:47
So it made perfect sense for her to launch her 2023 winter collection at Drag Night Namibia.
04:52
But how did this all come about?
04:56
Lisa Ellis, one of my artists that I dress, she's very for the LGBTQ community.
05:03
And she's the one that hosts Drag Night.
05:06
And she told me the theme at that time was monochrome.
05:09
And I was like, wow, monochrome, the zebra print.
05:12
For the Into the Wild collection, the drag queens, they're so free.
05:17
And I loved how they told the story.
05:18
I loved how they brought out the drama in the garments, bringing out the story of being
05:23
into the wild, you know, being set free, basically.
05:28
Freedom, strength, and independence is Melissa's motto for life and for design.
05:34
And whether she's creating outfits for a glitzy event or everyday workwear, she likes to remind
05:38
us that big is also beautiful.
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