Streetwear was once considered counterculture, but over the last decade, it has redefined fashion. The combination of exclusivity and creative expression has pushed streetwear to the forefront of the fashion industry. The global streetwear market was estimated to be worth $185 billion in 2019 — 10% of the global apparel and footwear market. Like other subcategories of fashion, streetwear has been run by and catered to the tastes of men. However, despite the boy’s club atmosphere of the industry, women have been relentless in carving out lanes in streetwear. Following in the steps of Streetwear Essentials talents like April Walker and Leah McSweeney, Melody Ehsani has emerged as one of streetwear’s biggest names. Her designs and collaborations have been some of the most coveted drops.
Building a Brand
Ehsani didn’t set out to become a streetwear visionary. The Los-Angeles based designer once studied philosophy and sociology as an undergraduate. She enrolled in law school with an eye towards social justice and equality, but that path didn’t feel right. “I did a million law internships and was left completely disenchanted by the field and the process,” Ehsani explained in an interview with Fashion Magazine. She contacted a medical intuitive who told her she had a knack for product design.
Ehsani began taking classes at the Art Center in Pasadena and launched ME., a streetwear and lifestyle brand, in 2007. Ehsani’s eye for jewelry design stood out. Ehsani’s early designs were built around a throwback aesthetic featuring bamboo earrings and custom nameplate rings and necklaces. She fulfilled orders by herself via MySpace and shipped them out of her apartment.
Breaking Through
Ehsani’s designs cultivated a following, and Reebok tapped her for a collaboration. In 2012, the Melody Ehsani x Reebok Betwixt Mid hit stores. The shoe featured a faux python patterned upper and gold spikes. The drop was a success and led Reebok to collaborate with Ehsani on more releases. Ehsani used the win to open up a flagship store in L.A. on the famed Fairfax Avenue in 2012. The opening established her as the first woman to operate a store along the famous strip. She opened a second location in New York in 2018, but the store was a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic and shuttered in 2020.
In 2019, Jordan Brand asked Ehsani to collaborate on a Jordan 1 Mid for their “Fearless Ones” collection. The following year, Ehsani and Jordan brand teamed up to relaunch the Women’s Air Jordan OG. Both collaborations sold out instantly and are among the highest-priced sneakers on the resell market.
Remaking Foot Locker
In March of 2021, Foot Locker announced that Ehsani would become the first Women’s Creative Director of the company. The partnership would feature Ehsani-designed capsule collections exclusive to the sneaker retailer. The position is the first of its kind for Foot Locker, marking the industry refocus on marketing to its female consumer demographic. Ehsani’s first drop was a nod to her early roots in social justice and equality. The collection features tracksuits and sweats emblazoned with feminine silhouettes playing basketball and a collaboration with the female-owned fashion house NorBlack NorWhite.Ehsani’s second capsule with Footlocker, “Vibrate Higher,” was a direct ode to feminism. In an interview with Essence, Ehsani discussed her mindset through the design process, “our focus is always about elevating consciousness and cultivating empowerment. ‘Stop waiting to be who you already are’ is one of our mottoes.”
Our Favorite Melody Ehsani Collaborations
Melody Ehsani x Air Jordan Women’s O.G., released March 14, 2020.
Melody Ehsani x Air Jordan 1 Mid S.E. “Fearless,” released November 15, 2019.
Melody Ehsani x Reebok “Love,” released August 2012.
Melody Ehsani x Allen Iverson Reebok Question, released 12/2/2016.
If you’d like to explore a career as a Creative Director or learn about other opportunities in the streetwear industry, download Yellowbricks’ Ultimate Streetwear Career Guide. Interested in learning from women who’ve carved their lane in the streetwear industry, check out Parsons x Complex’s Streetwear Essentials online course.
