salt spring 17

photo Elsa Dillon
IT’S 8.30AM ON THE coldest morning the Coast has
experienced in two years. Milliner and designer Melanie Jeffers
of Melanie J Designs sits at a table in a popular Eumundi coffee
shop wearing high-heeled boots, lacy black stockings, a floaty
smock dress, a scarlet scarf and cherry red lipstick.
It’s clear a little bit of cold weather won’t stop this fabulous
woman from embracing her inner goddess.
As she sips her flat white she says that it’s important women
dress for themselves. “I’ve always been that person within my
friendship group who is not too scared to put on red lipstick
and wear red heels to a breakfast,” she says.
“I think as women we all tend to get caught up in life and get
comfortable. We really fear what other people think about us.
To me, it’s important to wear what you want to wear. Be
different. Be unique.”
It’s this ethos that inspired Melanie to create stunning feather
and lace creations. Bold, elegant and delicate, Melanie’s
headpieces, capes and collars are designed to empower the
wearers and encourage women to find their inner alter-egos.
“Every woman wants to wear a stunning feathered creation,”
don red lipstick and morph into something else. I think some
people are still a little scared to say ‘I’m unique enough to wear
that’ and embrace something different.”
Melanie’s passion for all things lace and feathers started with her
nanna. Melanie recalls visiting her nanna’s old Queenslander in
Mackay where the entire side verandah was always bursting with
fabrics, buttons, lace, thread and patterns.
“My nanna was a milliner and tailor. I’d go to her and say ‘Nanna,
I need a suit’ and she would just measure me up, draw the pattern
and create it from scratch. So I learnt how to sew from her, and I
loved how she would always go out in a big hat.”
Melanie and her sister were raised by their father. And while
Melanie always dabbled in her passion for fashion, it wasn’t
until she moved to the Sunshine Coast from Mackay at the age
of 30 that she finally took the leap and started her own label,
Melanie says. “I don’t know one woman who hasn’t wanted to Melanie J Designs. >
saltmagazine.com.au 81