Think Julien Macdonald + Melissa Odabash, think glitz, glamour and glamazons, so where better for Grazia Daily to meet the design duo than in the gorgeous surroundings of Greece. Arriving via helicopter, naturally, they landed at Nikki Beach, Porto Heli, a seafront five-star hotel, to shoot their latest campaign - and we tagged along for the ride.
Odabash & Macdonald is everything a girl needs for poolside-to-party chic. Now in its fifth season, Julien and Melissa have combined their talents to ensure jet-setters look impossibly stylish while lounging on their yachts. And it’s clear that this is a match made in fashion heaven. During the trip, we were privy to their fun and fabulous friendship - whether taking a boat trip or partying by the pool, there were laughs aplenty. So where did it all begin?
Rewind ten years and Julien, as creative director of Givenchy, hosted a lunch at the Ritz for London’s most glamorous women. Melissa, former model turned designer, was one of those women and the pair hit it off instantly. “We’ve been friends ever since,” the designer reveals when I join them for our pool-side interview.
But it wasn’t until years later that they decided to channel their chemistry into a collaboration. As Julien explains, “Melissa’s customers were requesting beachwear that’s glamorous enough to wear on a night out, so I said let’s do it!” The capsule collection of couture kaftans arrived on Net-a-Porter and within one week, every piece had sold out.
Melissa credits their success to a joint passion for “making women feel amazing, whatever shape they are”. The designers are proud to dress a variety of sizes, as well as ages, with the jet-set likes of Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift and Jennifer Aniston as fans. In fact, here's only one A-lister Melissa still dreams of ticking off her hit-list: Angelina Jolie.
For Julien, it’s Rihanna who rocks the best beach look. “Whether she’s going boho or ghetto fabulous, she looks amazing. She goes for it and doesn’t care what people think of her.” But arguably their favourite client is Elle Macpherson. “She’s curvy!” trills Melissa, who herself looks supermodel-esque as she relaxes on a sun lounger in a flowing white kaftan. “We need to show young girls that looking healthy is much sexier than being skinny”. Amen to that.
For 2016, the collaborators were inspired by tattooed men during a joint trip to Miami. “Tattoos are typically masculine so it was an unusual choice,” confesses Julien, “but I asked Melissa to trust me.”
Luckily she did and the result is super feminine. The intricate embroidery which Julien is famous for looks less manly tattoos, more exotic motifs and when teamed with Melissa’s holiday-ready kaftans, slinky maxis and sexy cut-out swimsuits, the result is va-va-voom. The collection, which made its catwalk debut at the Grand Prix earlier this month, also includes two bikinis which Julien begged to be included. “I just love sexiness!” he says in his sing-song Welsh accent.
So with these two strong characters channelled into one collection, how do they avoid clashing? Julien jokes their working relationship is something of a comedy sketch. “I love bling, Melissa doesn’t, so I’ll ask my team to create kaftans covered in crystals, then Melissa arrives and takes them all off! Most designers would freak out but I let her off.” It all comes down to a happy compromise. “I just sneak a few sparkles into the corner", he grins.
Meanwhile, Melissa has one sure-fire way to guarantee each piece is a success. “I wear it myself,” she reveals. “If I get anything less than five compliments, it comes out of the collection.”
As a beachwear pro, of course we wanted to hear her one holiday essential. “A simple white kaftan. It’s ideal if you want to look elegant without standing out and you can wear it for years to come. Of course, Julien will say the opposite!”
Yes, Julien is all about the OTT. “A holiday is the opportunity to go crazy! It’s the time to celebrate prints, colour-blocking, bright coloured kimonos and statement jewellery. You want to go for a boozy lunch with your girls, plan a fabulous outfit, then slap on the lipgloss for a fabulous beach party.”
Perhaps it’s this balance between simplicity and glossiness that makes Odabash & Macdonald such a triumph. Mega-fan Rosie Fortescue agrees that they’ve nailed a winning combination. “Julien’s embroidery and attention to detail is incredible and Melissa makes the chicest kaftans so you get the best of both worlds. They’re also really good fun and are constantly bouncing off each other”.
Rosie was lucky enough to share a table (and endless champagne) with the designers at Nikki Beach, Porto Heli’s swanky White Party that evening. The turquoise pool was transformed into a catwalk, creating the perfect backdrop for Greece's most fashionable to party the night away.
“I love their kaftans," she told us amid the throng. "I wear mine with sandals for a day at the beach then you just need to change into a pair of wedges for an evening out. They’re fashionable and glamorous but still wearable.” And the proof is in the pudding - Rosie was looking as fresh as a daisy the next morning sporting an Odabash & Macdonald design.
The hotel certainly made a perfect base for such a lavish trip. Situated in the picturesque, cosmopolitan village of Porto Heli, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa is a 25-minute helicopter ride or a scenic 2.5 hour car journey from Athens. With a private beach, state-of-the-art rooms and commanding views over the Aegean Sea, it's little wonder the resort is spearheading the transformation of Porto Heli into the 'Greek Riviera'.
Now all we need is a really big yacht...
Nikki Beach, Porto Heli is now open to guests. For more information, go to www.nikkibeach.comAnd for your own taste of Melissa Odabash, visit www.odabash.com