Fashion | The Evolution of Melissa Nepton

A pretty satin top, a crisp linen shirt, a well-cut dress. This is what characterizes the timeless boho-chic style of Mélissa Nepton, a women’s clothing designer who launched her brand 15 years ago in Montreal.

The workshop in the Chabanel district is vast. This is where Mélissa Nepton designs all her collections and stores all the clothes. There is also a showroom where she receives clients.

The designer founded her brand in 2009. She had just won second prize on the show The collection on TVA. The young woman then took advantage of her scholarship and public recognition to go into business. “I remember that moment very well, I called the Simons department store, which bought eight different dresses from me, and a large quantity for each dress! I was panicked, I had to advance the money to produce them, but that’s what really got me started!” recalls Mélissa Nepton.

The designer had previously worked for the Marie-Claire group (which owns the San Francisco and Grenier boutiques, among others), which prepared her well to launch her brand. “I learned so much during those years. It was a formative experience, because I managed an entire project from start to finish. I designed, I negotiated with manufacturers, I did everything, and it really made me understand the entire cycle of creating and producing a garment,” she recalls.

Casual chic

Mélissa Nepton is a Montreal brand that dresses women who appreciate casual chic. A large place is made for natural materials: there are many dresses in linen and cotton. Blue and white stripes are very present in the summer collection and are available in blouses, shorts, dresses and pants. There are also pretty floral prints in bright colors, dresses, t-shirts and satin pants that fall well.

In 15 years, Mélissa Nepton’s inspirations have evolved. She who loved dark colors, Marie Saint Pierre’s creations and draped dresses now favors a more refined style. “I’m into something else, my clothing lines are more structured. I look for fluidity in movement, comfort, natural materials, linen, cotton, bright colors. You can see in my creations that I love the ocean and the seaside!”

Originally from Saguenay, Mélissa and her twin sister, Natasha, left Arvida to study in Montreal, first in fashion design at Collège Marie-Victorin, then at the École supérieure de la mode ESG-UQAM. They spent their last year of their bachelor’s degree in Paris, at the École nationale des arts décoratifs, which was very educational, they say. Natasha worked at Tristan, then for the Dynamite group for a few years, before joining her sister Mélissa’s brand in 2013, as director of development.

What is the secret to lasting? Is it working with your twin sister? “Of course, working with my sister is nice. There is a lot of mutual trust and we complement each other really well!”, answers Natasha Nepton. “More seriously, the secret to lasting is exporting to the United States.”

They have found good representatives in the United States, particularly in Florida, Texas and California.

“The brand is growing, things are going well, and we can finally breathe. Now, 90% of our sales are in the United States and 10% in Canada,” says Mélissa.

The brand’s clothing is sold in Quebec at Simons, in boutiques such as Unicorn, Mousseline, and directly on the website. “Our customers in Quebec and the rest of Canada are loyal. Women are ready to pay for quality clothing. Our brand is doing well, we invest in our website by creating beautiful visuals and photographs, we take care of the brand’s image. This is what is important for the years to come.”

Visit Melissa Nepton’s website