We recently connected with Melodie Allegre and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Melodie , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I developed my sense of work ethic from my father and parts from my mother. My father immigrated to the United States from France in his 30’s and worked his way from taxi cab driver in nyc to CEO of a hugely successful company through years of hard work, resilience and determination. Im lucky to be privy to morning lectures from him about life and never giving up. A certain sense of urgency was passed down to me by my mother- a woman that once inspiration takes hold absolutely needs to finish a project at hand in an almost all consuming way.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am Melodie, a textile designer living in new york city. I am the founder of Meleau a brand that uses original artworks to make towels & other home & lifestyle accessories.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I feel deeply compelled to create things – I think for a long time I tried to justify it with deeper meaning and I felt a lot of pressure around my creative process. Learning (still learning) radical self acceptance bleeds into everything that comes forward. A dear friend of mine gifted me Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Marie Rilke last winter I highly recommend this read for anyone who ever asked the question: “in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple “I must,” then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse.”
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Shanan Campanero founder of Eskayel has been a mentor, boss and friend to me over the last five years. She’s been an impactful person in my life in many ways. The work environment she has created allows a space for self exploration in a way that feels meaningful in aspects that extend much further then a job just for a jobs sake. She embodies a sense of confidence in her work that has been really helpful to observe since that is not in my nature but a skill that I am continuing to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: le-meleau.com
- Instagram: meleau__
