Fad*ish- fashion and design

If Dorothy (from ‘Wizard of Oz’ fame) clicked a pair of Melissa plastic heels together, do you think she would wind up back in Kansas? Probably not. Most likely, after the pink pixie dust settles, she would be in the magical land of Brazil. Grenedene, Brazilian plastic shoe company, has been peddling their brand of Melissa plastic shoes since the early 80’s. And thought I was too young to be “all brand conscious” when I was hassling my mother for a pair of bright red jellies, I do remember owning a pair. I also remember that to my mother’s dismay, I wanted to wear them every day, for every occasion, regardless of rain, shine or fashion faux pas -- but I digress.

Melissa has taken the jellies to heights I never thought imaginable for a plastic shoe. Though most people I know gave up jellies when they were old enough to know what a foot fungus was, Melissa shoes would have you seriously considering breaking out the Gold Bond Medicated Foot Powder. For decades (literally) they have been charming the world with their whimsical footwear, and have even teamed up with the likes of J. Maskrey and Vivienne Westwood. A global brand, their distribution reaches from the Americas to the far reaches of Europe.

I know what you’re thinking. How does a company produce enough plastic to plaster the feet of the world? Even if you weren’t thinking it, the answer is: Grenedene is one of the world’s largest footwear manufacturers. After years of stretching the capabilities of plastic, they created MELFLEX^TM, which is supposed to be the holy grail of plastic footwear substances. It is odorless, hypoallergenic, and comes in a variety of finishes—from matte to velvet (yes velvet). And when it comes to style, their creative team makes sure jellies imitate all the popular styles in footwear. The pointy ballet flat, the classic mary jane, and even the punk rock bootie are part of the approximately 400 new products they launch annually and the 176 million pairs of shoes they pump out per year. Proving to a world of ‘grown-ups’ that plastic shoes can be more than just a childhood icon– they can also be profitable.

For more information on how you can get your pair of Melissa, visit their website at www.melissaplasticdreams.com.

*ms.b

Labels: Diaries of a Shoe Whore