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