A dream fueled by passion and consistent hard work reaps the delicious fruits of success. The story of the brand Simon-Hartman London is a living example of it. The brains behind Simon-Hartman London is Melissa Simon-Hartman, a graduate of the London College of Fashion.
Melissa was born and raised in London by a Trinidadian mother and a Ghanaian father. She was inspired by rich cultural heritages. Her costume designs clearly indicate the mesmerising fusion of Trinidadian, Ghanaian, West Indian, and West African cultures.
Melissa established her brand Simon-Hartman in 2009. She designed luxurious footwear and stylish accessories. For every single piece, Melissa paid much attention to detail. She wanted every piece to be unique and captivating. Her vision differed from other designers; Melissa wanted her pieces to be adorned as ‘displayable art.’ Thus, she put extra effort into each piece to create it luxurious yet spell-bounding.
In 2013, her footwear line was showcased at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin. Melissa’s vision was brought to life when she received a positive response from the audience. From that point onwards, Melissa became adamant about designing and creating pieces that “Tell a story.” She wanted her collection and costumes to be “a celebration of different traditions and culture.”
But is her vision the only thing that made Simon-Hartman an ultra-luxury fashion label?
Dreams and visions do not work unless you do. That’s exactly what Melissa did; she worked on designs that spoke for themselves and attracted the attention of renowned celebrities, theatres, and productions towards her label.
Her designs have been adorned by Beyoncé in her music visual Mood 4 Eva, in the movie Black is King. She also designed a costume for Doja Cat for her musical video Woman. Moreover, her creative costumes were featured in Stefflon Don’s, Can’t Let You Go, Little Mix’s visuals of Love(Sweet Love), etc. In 2022, Melissa’s designs were again featured on Beyoncé for her music album, Renaissance’s release.
The primary reason behind the brand’s immense success lies in Melissa’s unique creation of every piece. Her handcrafted collection features an epic blend of modern and traditional designs. Besides paying attention to details and design, Melissa ensures that her costumes do not make her customers compromise on their comfort. Combining elegance, class, and comfort has played a pivotal role in Melissa’s brand’s success. It has also earned her wide recognition amongst other designers and celebrities.
Unlike other fast, high-end brands, Simon-Hartman London does not create 2 identical pieces. Each costume in her collection is distinct and takes up to weeks to develop. Just as art masterpieces are one and standalone, Melissa’s collection follows the same legacy. It is one of the major reasons why celebrities and music artists are drawn towards her brand and designs because of its uniquely individual designs.
Simon-Hartman’s designs have been featured in prestigious publications, including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The Hollywood Reporter, Metro, etc.
Check out Simon-Hartman London’s website if you want to look at Melissa’s outstanding and dreamy costumes. You can also follow Melissa on social media to take a closer look into her personal and professional life.
Instagram: @MelissaSimonHartman
Facebook: @Simon.Hartman.London
Behance: @MelissaSimon-Hartman
Website: https://www.simon-hartman.com/
