Jelly shoes get delirious
Whitespace Manila swapped its gallery-white walls for carnival chaos as Melissa, the Brazilian jelly shoe brand, unveiled two new collections: Jelly and Delirium.
Stilt walkers towered over guests while a makeshift carousel added to the spectacle. The shoes—glossy, translucent, and dipped in every candy shade—looked as if they had been plucked straight from a parade float.
The two collections reach into Melissa’s archive while pushing it somewhere new.
I’ve been a Melissa fan since the early 2000s, back when the brand didn’t have its own boutique here. I fell in love with its scented jelly bags before I fell for the shoes—when I first saw—smelled, rather—them on the racks of Maldita.
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From there, my collection grew. I fell especially hard for the collaborations: Vivienne Westwood, The Little Prince, and Marc Jacobs—each one adding another reason to bring home a pair.
That same mix of nostalgia and playfulness runs through the new collections, which revisit Melissa signatures while giving them a fresh spin.
From the fishing boat to the runway
Since launching the Melissa Aranha sandal in 1979, the brand has transformed the humble fisherman’s sandal into a fashion statement. The Aranha 79 II returns in bright colors and different finishes, with its familiar woven upper giving the silhouette a distinctly retro feel. It can be worn with dainty socks and a mini skirt, or allowed to peek out beneath wide-leg trousers. With a flowing dress, its cage-like shape adds a sharper edge.
Phem Barranda kept things simple in an all-white ensemble, letting her colorful Melissa Possession sandals provide the contrast.
My pick? The Melissa Agata, with its wedge heel, transparent construction, and woven upper.
Delirium takes flight
Then there’s Delirium, the fall-winter collection, which takes a more exaggerated approach to Melissa’s silhouettes. The Melissa Possession Platform II and Melissa Camp Sandal play with proportion, while the Melissa She II and Melissa Bowling Bag bring the jelly treatment to accessories. Aira, Mule Hype II, and the Airflow Bag round out the collection.
Daryl Chang wore the brown Melissa Camp with black shorts and a black-and-white striped top, letting the shoes stand out against the graphic simplicity of the outfit.
And in true carnival form, the fun continued with a photo booth, ring toss, claw machine, tarot card readings, and pouch customization.
The festivities may have been temporary, but the mood lingered. Old favorites got a fresh spin, new silhouettes pushed the jelly shoe in unexpected directions, and fashion had a little fun along the way.
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