Melissa x Y/Project Fall 2022 Ad Campaign

Review of Melissa x Y/Project ‘capsule collection’ Fall 2022 Ad Campaign by Photographer Arnaud Lajeunie

Y/Project and Melissa reunite for their third collaborative collection, which is celebrated in a slick new campaign by photographer Arnaud Lajeunie with smart set design from Justine Ponthieux.

The collection sees its collaborators look to Victorian vases for inspiration. Referencing rococo embellishments and decorations, these codes are then remixed and applied to an angular reinterpretation of a Melissa’s court shoe, and executed in a translucent crystalline finish: a cutting-edge take on the girlhood dream of crystal slippers.

The campaign makes smart use of a few minimal set design and prop elements to draw out the textural identity of the designs. The models stand on an illuminated floor, which emphasizes the intricate geometry and translucency of the shoes while casting a dramatic play of shadow across their bodies. Meanwhile, they clutch large, sculptural balloons to their bodies, which take the place of clothes and provide a smooth and round textural juxtaposition to the angularity of the footwear. In reminding us of bubblegum, these balloons also recall one of Melissa’s most signature, idiosyncratic features: their 100% recyclable plastic from which their shoes are made has a distinct bubblegum scent.

While the poppy and playful Melissa might not at first glance seem like the type of brand that would make sense with Glenn Martens’ avant-garde and endlessly cool work for Y/Project, the collection and campaign quickly put these doubts to rest. Lajeunie and Ponthieux do impressive work to unite the two brand’s creative worlds into a slick and focused aesthetic that, despite its apparent minimalism, is a delight to get lost in. These glass slippers fit just right.