Always love a mood board. This hits on so much of what we strived for in development of Born on Fifth for Antonio Melani, from color to silhouette. Our pieces are sophisticated, chinoiserie-inspired, fit for travel and perfect for poolside, rose-drenched picnics.
My First Clothing Collection
Before we start, I need to take a minute to say !!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited.
Ok, now that that’s out of the way and to back up, you may be wondering how this came to be. I’ve long been a fan of the beautiful clothing offered by Dillard’s in-house brand Antonio Melani. From floral, Brock-esque pieces to silhouettes straight off the Italian Riviera, each spring season, there’s no question in my mind where to head for some of my key wardrobe pieces. Knowing this, my friend and Dillard’s VP Alexandra Lucie approached me as they were thinking about introducing their first influencer collection. I almost fell out of my chair when I got the call.
As I’ve honed my aesthetic the past few years, I have been approached about doing clothing lines under my own name. While I was flattered, I knew the timing wasn’t right. Last year, I got to dip my toes in on a smaller scale as two of my favorite women-owned brands approached me about doing individual dress collaborations. I so-enjoyed the creative process with those trusted brands. They helped give me the confidence to take on the Dillard’s launch.
From our first outdoor meeting in my backyard to review our high-level thoughts and concepts about what the collection would stand for, to my mood boards, rounds of samples, fittings and masked meetings, I am BEYOND thrilled with the perfectly-edited assortment we landed on. The words I use to describe my brand have always been sophisticated, ethereal and feminine and silhouette inspiration was drawn from these words. The outfits are elegant yet a bit whimsical. My home is filled with chinoiserie and florals, and we loved the idea of evoking that mood, in a wearable way.
The styles all tell a story and feel very Born on Fifth. As someone who worked on the brand team at Spanx for nearly a decade, I can’t tell you how proud it makes me that so many of you see pieces from every store imaginable and send them to me with the note “this looks very Born on Fifth.” The fact that you are able to identify my vision in such a pronounced way makes me feel like you understand the brand, and is a Godwink, if you will. I know that the timing is right to introduce these perfect pieces in collaboration with Antonio Melani at Dillard’s. If you’ve never worn the brand, you can expect supreme quality and prices that seem too good to be true.
About the Born on Fifth for Antonio Melani Collection
The collection is comprised of four dresses, including a mama and me style that comes with a hair bow too (obviously), a FABULOUS skirt set, the perfect puff sleeve tee (that can also be worn with the skirt) and the most beautiful top, begging to be paired with high-waisted jeans. When thinking about what we would offer, I really thought through every spring occasion that I shop for: Easter/Passover, travels, picnics, parties and day-to-day life. I’m consistently asked for ideas for graduation dresses, bridal recommendations, vacation outfit ideas, newborn photo-appropriate pieces, you name it. We truly have you covered.
The pieces launch next month, and as the date approaches you can tune in to my Instagram stories and check out my feed for all the updates. Per your request we will preview the line prior to launch (think the second week of February) so you can plan your buy.
Over the moon for you to see it all, for you to shop it, for you to wear it and most of all, for you to share your photos in the pieces. I can’t wait for Born on Fifth to truly be a part of your wardrobe!
If You’re In Atlanta
There will be an in-store event on March 20! Save the date. You can also buy the pieces directly from any local Dillard’s* and receive a beautiful gift with purchase, a stationery set, which features one of our beautiful dress patterns on the notecards.
*Stores include: North Point Mall, Mall of Georgia, Arbor Place, Perimeter Mall, Atlantic Station, Ashley Park, The Shoppes at River Crossing
Behind the Scenes: Born on Fifth for Antonio Melani
Trying on a sample of one of my favorite outfits in the collection!
Hard at working editing the line! We put so much thought into the pieces and hope you love them.
Can’t wait to share all of the designs and shots we’ve taken. The photoshoot for this collaboration goes down as one of my favorites of all time. I think you’ll agree. In the meantime, here are just a couple of favorite outfits from seasons past that I’ve loved wearing.
A favorite skirt and top from a prior season.
Interviewing the ever-stylish Cathy Graham in a Melani skirt.
More soon xx
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