„There is no specific myth or ritual actually.“
MelleSan is a French designer, whose every creation is carefully handmade and has a soul of its own. Seeking inspiration in Native Americans, Lapland, South American tribes, shamanic rituals, religions and darker worlds, she uses and explores the potential of materials such as feathers, metal, woods, synthetic fur and other raw gems. After having won the WHO’S NEXT Paris exhibition’s young designers contest the only way is up for the talented designer and her stunning creations moving in spheres of true magic.
KALTBLUT: How did you know you want to be a designer?
MelleSan: Becoming a designer is not something that I had planned or looked for in the past, I didn’t go to a fashion school either. It all started out of a game with friends back in 2008. I made feathers headpieces because I couldn’t find any at that time anywhere and then we went to the woods to shoot them on a fun week-end afternoon. Next they ended up on the web and out of the blue I won a designers contest to exhibit my work!
KALTBLUT: What kind of inspiration do you find in Sweden and what kind of inspiration do you find in France?
MelleSan: Sweden is much more inspiring to me than France. The landscapes are amazing, very impressive and mysterious nature. The Swedish culture can be very inspiring too but I don’t know it well enough yet, I need to spend more time!
Swedish people’s looks on the streets inspire me a lot as well, people are very creative there.
France doesn’t impress me so much anymore, I’ve seen it forever so I’m not sure I’m still able to see the beauty of it. Even though I live in a nice neighbourhood in Paris (Montmartre) that is very inspiring, like out of an ancient time, it looks like a small village and there’s some kind of artistic “soul” floating in the air.
A lot of artists lived and died in Montmatre, I believe they still haunt the area!
KALTBLUT: I know that you are influenced by Native American folklore and all kind of folklore. Is there a specific myth or ritual u relate to?
MelleSan: There is no specific myth or ritual actually. But I’m the kind of person to believe in old legends and ghosts!
I’m also both attracted and terrified by black magic. These fields I should take time to explore more when I do get a chance to find time to!
KALTBLUT: What materials do you prefer to use and why?
MelleSan: I like to use leather. Leather is nice to work with and I like the “touch feeling” of it, like touching skin, I think there’s something sensual about it. Each piece of leather you can work on is unique. It’s imperfect and I like that. I also want to use more silk in my upcoming work, something lighter and precious. I also like the feeling of silk contact on the skin.
KALTBLUT: How did you experience the generation of the 90s?
MelleSan: I was born in the eighties and grew up in the Ninties. It was nice times. People were more naive and innocent then. We had no clue about fashion at that time, looking back on pictures of how our parents used to dress us up but it was fun times!
I think we were more lucky than kids now, less worried about life, more living in the moment and enjoying, that’s my feeling.
KALTBLUT: What does the term Love mean to you?
MelleSan: Love to me is something you share with people that are special to you, unique feelings you cannot put words on, or compare. Love is also more abstract, like the love you can have for things in life, for art for example.
People that devoted all their lives to art, or a project, this must be real love ( or a little bit of craziness too!); but love and madness are linked somehow in my opinion. Love cannot be something reasonable.
KALTBLUT: What do you dream of (asleep or awake)?
MelleSan: I dream of a happy and sweet life somewhere in the countryside with the people I love. Away from big cities, in the nature. I also wish I can go on with my creations for some time and be more and more creative.
I have become addicted to creation, it’s like a drug now and a therapy for me to express my inner thoughts through my art work.
Interview by Amanda M Jansson for our issue: HONK!04
