- 1 week ago
This week on Shop Essence Live in partnership with New Voices Foundation, we feature Melissa A. Mitchell, founder of Abeille Creations, who used her art to manifest her wildest dreams. During the show, she talks about starting out as an artist, and after an unsuccessful showing at Essence Fest years ago, she got the idea to turn her art into Fashion! Each collection is limited and all pieces are unique, so when you buy these pieces you are rocking wearable art. Watch the full episode to get a closer look at her latest collection and hear her full story!
Go to Essence's IG to shop the collection now!
Go to Essence's IG to shop the collection now!
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome back to Shop Essence Live. My name is Noni, Vice President of Video here at Essence, and this is a show where we gather every single Thursday and bring you incredible Black-owned businesses with these amazing products, all in partnership with the New Voices family.
00:19Right now, we are going to be joined by Melissa Mitchell of ABL, I'm sorry, I get my note, Melissa Mitchell of ABL Creations, and that is the architect of this incredible outfit that I am wearing right now.
00:37Let me show y'all, hold on, Melissa, okay, okay, Melissa, make sure you request to go live with me, but I want to show everyone, look how cool this is, and there's a head wrap to go with it.
00:52So we're going to be, I see you, I see you, Melissa, we're going to be shopping this incredible collection and doing a little head wrap tutorial, I am not the best at that, so I cannot wait to learn a new way to tie my head wrap, especially when my hair is as big as it is.
01:05So I'm going to add Melissa, and we're going to get into these collections.
01:10Melissa, if you can just tap the little camera icon with the plus sign so I can easily find you, that would be great.
01:18And then I'll add you to this, hold on, maybe I can do it this way.
01:22And you guys, tag someone that loves creations like this, that loves to shop Black-owned businesses.
01:29Also make sure that you are tagging someone that is a Black-owned business, and you think they would be a great feature on Shop Us and Slive.
01:36I'll be telling you guys how you can possibly be featured on a future episode coming up.
01:43All right, stand by, we're looking for Melissa.
01:47And also, make sure you guys tell me where you are from.
01:52Tell me where you're watching from.
01:54All right.
01:58And I see, look at this.
02:00I love this because you guys are already adding to the cart.
02:04Another very important thing, when you shop at Shop Essence Live and you're buying these products,
02:08you are contributing and buying directly from these Black-owned businesses.
02:14All right, so just remember that.
02:16Melissa, now we're going to get to shopping and get to know the story of this incredible line.
02:21Let me tag a comment.
02:25There she is.
02:26Hey.
02:27Hey.
02:29So I saw you in the last stream.
02:31Yeah, you saw all the comments like, I love that dress.
02:33What is that dress?
02:35You have such show-stopping.
02:37Yeah, can we deal with this dress?
02:39Listen, you have such show-stopping, like room-stopping pieces.
02:43I'd love for you to give everybody a little bit of background to ABL Creations, you, how you came up with this, and how you guys started.
02:52I have to give you like the 30-second spiel because we don't have all the names.
02:55The elevator stage.
02:56Right.
02:57Yeah, just real quick, right?
02:58Because in case the millionaires in the comments trying to invest, Morgan Mary, either.
03:03So basically, I came up with this idea that my art wasn't selling fast enough, so maybe I should start wearing it.
03:11And that pivot changed not only my life, but, you know, everybody around me.
03:16And so it really made me put the pedal to the metal and do some research to how to get art onto textile and then turn into fashion.
03:23And so I taught myself everything.
03:26Of course, I give credit to God and Google, my two Gs, my big Gs.
03:31I taught myself how to do it, and one idea led to a million other ones.
03:37And so my first big break, I want to say, was when Lupita wore it for Vogue magazine, and the rest was history.
03:44Yes.
03:45And so, yeah.
03:46That is just so inspiring.
03:49You had one roadblock.
03:50You saw one roadblock down one place.
03:52Like, y'all ain't gonna let me in here.
03:54I'm gonna come around the back.
03:55I know there's another door.
03:56I'm gonna come around the back of the way.
03:57And it makes such perfect sense.
04:00Let me just show them again.
04:01Does it not make such perfect sense, y'all, that she is an artist?
04:06Yes.
04:08I love it.
04:10All right.
04:11So I know you were describing there's an ABL.
04:15Girl, right?
04:16Yes.
04:16What is the ABL woman to you?
04:19The kind of woman that wears your collections?
04:22You know, my friend told me, he says, every time he sees somebody in my head, right, he assumes it's me.
04:26And I was like, I can't be everywhere at once.
04:28But I love to travel.
04:30I love to be full of expression.
04:32I love to light up a room, whether I'm speaking or not.
04:34And I feel like people, people who buy ABL are amalgamation of my personality, right?
04:40They either want to stand out, they have an amazing moment, they want to make a statement, they're trying to get a new move.
04:45Whatever it is, they're a magnet for.
04:47Or I believe that is what my average ABL woman is.
04:52Or man, because I have a lot of my male friends that are like, you know, I know this for ladies, but can I get a head wrap in my dress?
04:56And so I have now, I believe it's genderless.
04:59It's just energy.
05:00I believe my clothing is energy and fabric.
05:03And so whether my friend is doing yoga, whether I have a friend on the red carpet like Miss Pinky Cole last week for the BT Awards.
05:10That was you, girl!
05:12Oh, that, by the way, humble, humble plug, that was me also.
05:15Just drop that right, just drop that right on in and keep talking, like, wait.
05:19Yeah, so I like to create one-of-a-kind experiences.
05:22And what I do with my pieces is that I only release a certain amount.
05:25So, like, I only made a couple hundred dresses, and then that's it.
05:28You call me in 2025 trying to get a Manon Bodycon, you will not be able to purchase it because it's done.
05:34And so I treat each piece as if it were a piece of artwork.
05:38So I don't really sell, I don't sell a lot of prints.
05:40So everything is a walking original.
05:42So you may have, you may have dressed 22 out of 250.
05:46You know, so every piece, when I meet you, I'm like, where'd you get that from?
05:49You either bought it from Essence Shop or my website.
05:51There's only two places you can buy it.
05:53And so I'm very aware of my consumer, what they like, what they don't like.
05:58I only put out limited quantities.
06:00And so it makes people excited to purchase.
06:02And then they know that once you get locked in, that's it.
06:05I love, so you guys, basically, when you're buying an ABL creation, you're walking around in an original piece of art that is a limited time, one of a kind.
06:16That is so cool.
06:17And I love that.
06:18I'm flying up your products here.
06:19I see people already adding it into that.
06:21But I'd love for you to talk about the pieces to pieces.
06:25And yes, the head wrap tutorial is coming.
06:27I see you uniquely queen.
06:28Like, y'all.
06:29Yes, we're coming, sis.
06:30We coming.
06:30It's coming.
06:30I want my other one off.
06:32Yeah.
06:33Because you are a master.
06:34Like, look how beautiful this is.
06:36But if you want to talk about the pieces, the materials.
06:39Yes.
06:40And so we talked a little bit about how I became an artist.
06:43And so every piece has a name.
06:44So one night I was researching.
06:47I'm really into African history, not just African-American, African history.
06:50And so I found the original list of names from one of the slave ships.
06:55And I was so touched by them.
06:57I felt the spirit.
06:58Like, wow.
06:59I was like, these people will never have names.
07:00And so many of my pieces are named after those that did not survive the slave trade.
07:06They just had their names in a book.
07:07And so, like, this one is called the Manal, and the word, the name Manal means achievement.
07:12One who has achieved.
07:13And so I released that this year because I just turned 30 plus 10.
07:18And so that being a monumental year, I said, this is an incredible achievement.
07:23And so with doing so, I wanted to create a collection that would have a variety of fabrics
07:28that make you feel sexy.
07:30So the bodycon piece you're wearing right now is very forgiving, but it'll also give you
07:34a little pop.
07:35If you want to show your bum off, you can show that off.
07:39No, I will not be showing my bum off.
07:40Yeah.
07:42No, but it makes you stand out.
07:44But it gives you, it hurts every curve that you want to or not get hugged.
07:48It does that.
07:49And so even the shirt that I'm wearing, it's a very free, breezy.
07:52And so I created a collection that could easily translate from summer to fall to winter.
07:58And so I'll be wearing this with a really cute furry pink sweater.
08:01Come home for me in a few weeks.
08:02You can wear it boots, you can wear it with skirt, you can wear it with leather, you can
08:06wear it with fur, all the different textures.
08:08And so when it comes to the kimono, you can either wear it to bed, you're trying to make
08:13your partner feel sexy and turn it around.
08:16Or I've done this where I've worn nothing under it and wore it as just like a kimono,
08:20like traditional Japanese kimono and wore it with a really nice belt and a heel and a head
08:24wrap.
08:24And boom, stop the traffic.
08:27So it's so versatile.
08:30It's exciting.
08:31The materials make you feel alive.
08:33And it photographs very well on the red carpet, if I do say so myself.
08:37If you do say so yourself.
08:39I mean, these pieces are just.
08:42And the material is just so well made.
08:44Get into the material.
08:45Yeah.
08:46Get into this material.
08:47The material is just so beautifully well made.
08:51I do want to give the people what they're asking in the comments, which is a head wrap
08:57tutorial.
08:57All right.
08:58Help me out.
08:58Help me out.
08:59Here we go.
08:59You got a piece at home.
09:01Try it with us.
09:02Yeah.
09:02So what I generally do, I fold about six inches.
09:06So we're going to make a hot, I call it the hot pocket.
09:08So you see how these pieces are in here?
09:10That's the hot pocket.
09:12Hot pocket.
09:13Okay.
09:13So when you fold it with that inch, you're actually creating the hole for where the access
09:17piece is going to.
09:18So fun fact, I usually wear three to four head wraps at a time.
09:21So people are like, how you get it so big?
09:23And they wonder why I have a headache at a vest.
09:25It's because I got too much stuff on my head.
09:27This I've never heard of.
09:29Three and four at a time.
09:31Okay.
09:31Yeah.
09:31So I'm doing it now.
09:33So I'm folding it about maybe, maybe about seven inches.
09:37Right?
09:38And so I now fold from the behind like this.
09:40And now we're going to bring it up like this and just tighten the bow, but make sure that
09:47hot pocket is there.
09:48First of all, hold on.
09:49You're going real fast.
09:50Hold on.
09:50Look, I do this at the light.
09:52I'm so used to do this at the light drive.
09:54I'll be like, look now.
09:55Yeah.
09:55I'm putting on my head wrap.
09:56Okay.
09:56So come on.
09:57All right.
09:57I'm on.
09:58I'm on.
09:59I got a lot.
10:00Okay.
10:01Okay.
10:02Wait.
10:02Okay.
10:03Okay.
10:03Let me try to pull it up first.
10:05Mm-hmm.
10:06Because that can create a good foundation too.
10:08All right.
10:08All right.
10:09All right.
10:09All right.
10:09I am.
10:10This is live.
10:11Okay, you guys.
10:12I'm doing this.
10:13In real time.
10:14Yeah.
10:14There's nothing I wouldn't do.
10:16We would not do to demonstrate these incredible products.
10:19All right.
10:19Okay.
10:20Okay.
10:21All right.
10:22Okay.
10:22So you got your fold in the back.
10:24Okay.
10:24We got our fold.
10:25And so we're going to come from the back there.
10:28Tie it up.
10:30We got our tie.
10:31Ooh.
10:31You trying to go ahead of the class.
10:33Okay.
10:34Okay.
10:36So here we have.
10:37And then you just tie it.
10:39Yep.
10:39So you see our hot pocket?
10:42This little piece?
10:43So this becomes our pocket where all the access goes.
10:45So you can wear your hair if you want to and make a bow, but I usually have all my hair
10:49in.
10:49I got too much hair.
10:50I can't even see my pocket.
10:51Hold on.
10:52Okay.
10:52I got it.
10:52No, but that's good.
10:53That's good though.
10:54That'll become the foundation because I have on two wraps.
10:56Okay.
10:57So what you're doing now, you try to flip where the white isn't showing.
11:00And so now I'm going to put one half into the hot pocket.
11:03So we have that there.
11:05Oh, just like that.
11:06Huh?
11:06Okay.
11:06Yeah.
11:07It's super easy.
11:08See, I, man, listen.
11:10So we got one half.
11:11I just make it so complicated for no reason.
11:14It's okay.
11:14We're going, we're going, you're going to FaceTime me.
11:16And this is, no, I mean, this is the best.
11:19Yeah.
11:20It's working.
11:22Oh, first of all, hold on.
11:24This is life-changing.
11:25Okay.
11:26Look what I just did.
11:27Read the second one.
11:28Yes.
11:29Oh, I already did.
11:31Yeah.
11:31So yeah.
11:32So what I do is if I have on an outfit, I may have on like two or three patterns.
11:36So I'll peekaboo the third, the second and third one is under.
11:40So now you can see the whole full colorful story.
11:43I want to like pop.
11:45Oh yeah.
11:45So that's pretty much it.
11:47You can make it as big or small as you want.
11:50And then I'll go in and shape it up a little bit depending on.
11:53So I usually hit the roof of my car when I wear this.
11:55So I have to like crunch down a bit.
11:58What?
11:59Yeah.
12:00All right.
12:01So this is my new favorite head wrap technique.
12:05Yes.
12:05Not that hard.
12:07And the thing is.
12:09It's the material also.
12:10Yeah.
12:11I just did a lot of study this is that it's stiff, but it's also soft.
12:14So it's soft enough to be good.
12:16You're not too harsh.
12:17I still recommend putting a silk scarf under, but the material is very forgiving, but it's
12:23stiff enough to almost take form.
12:24So it kind of stands on its own.
12:26This is so good.
12:27And you know, with this too, what I find with my other techniques, it just falls off.
12:33It starts to go zoop.
12:35It's the material, girl.
12:37Oh.
12:38Material.
12:39Yeah.
12:40It's the material, ladies.
12:41Because before it was either too silky, or it was too stiff, or it was too dry.
12:46So even when I sweat, you know, in my hair during the summertime, it is very forgiving.
12:51Child, I don't want to fall down.
12:52It's very forgiving when it comes to, when it comes to sweat, when it comes to your hair
12:56swelling.
12:57Like I have, right now my hair is all in pin curls.
12:59So it has all that.
13:01So all that in there.
13:02Oh yeah.
13:03So good.
13:03All right.
13:04I see the cart going crazy.
13:06I see y'all adding the collection.
13:08Now, if you go to, if you go to the full store, there's a variety of sizes.
13:14If you want to tell people what the size range is, that would be great.
13:18And there's also even more collections that you can shop from ABL Creation.
13:23So make sure you check out the full store.
13:26Yay.
13:27Well, I'm super excited.
13:29And don't forget guys, this is live for a reason.
13:32You want to ask any questions at all.
13:34Make sure you do that here.
13:36Really, really great.
13:37And then also, so we did talk about you being a part of the New Voices family.
13:42I'd love for you to share what that has been like for you.
13:46Wow.
13:47I think my essence story began like 2017-ish.
13:51I just began painting.
13:53I had gone to Essence Fest, then sell nothing, right?
13:56I'm like, now this has been on my dream board.
13:58In my mind, I'm like, I'm going to be an Essence girl, all these things.
14:01And then an editor ended up DMing me and saying, hey, we've been watching for a while.
14:05We love what you do.
14:06We're bringing something to the city called My City Four Ways.
14:09We would love to feature you.
14:11So I ended up being one of the first featured artists in Atlanta when they brought it to the city.
14:15And that's when my full story began with the Essence family.
14:21And so here we go again.
14:22I had to revamp my whole business model because I was using a different platform.
14:26And everybody kept saying, you got to get on Shopify.
14:27I was like, well, how much does Shopify cost?
14:30And so a little birdie was like, there's a thing with new voices.
14:33They have an Afropunk Shopify partnership.
14:36You might want to apply.
14:37I applied the last day.
14:39Didn't think my application got in, but it did.
14:42And I was selected.
14:43And not only did I get a wealth of knowledge, mentorship, business acumen, accelerators, all those things.
14:51I met a lot of lifelong friends, not only co-mentors, not just people in my circle, but also people in Essence that have watched me grow.
14:59And the new voices family, they actually like, they look out for you like, like fairy godmothers.
15:05I get an email and say, you might want to do this.
15:07You might want to look into this.
15:09You might want to do this.
15:10And so all those might want us turn into amazing opportunities.
15:13But many times as a Black female in this industry, we just need a foot in the door.
15:18Our stuff is amazing.
15:20It's not that we're short on talent.
15:22We just need opportunity.
15:23And so the opportunities that have flowed through new voices family, you can't even put a monetary value on it.
15:29If I never got another dollar from the organization, I'm more than grateful for what I've been able to do.
15:35And it's just been amazing.
15:37I mean, I'm live with Essence.
15:38Like my favorite magazine growing up.
15:40And even now, like I got Essence stacked up in my bathroom.
15:43So when I have my me time, me and Essence, okay?
15:46So I've been rolling with Essence for a long time.
15:49I love that.
15:50And you are such an inspiration for sure.
15:53I see a lot of people in the comments saying that your collection is amazing for working out.
16:00And it's very breathable.
16:02Yes.
16:02Yes.
16:03It is.
16:04I also have pieces.
16:05I just released the collection with Foot Locker as well.
16:08But the partnership with New Voices gave me more steam for my Foot Locker.
16:13So it's not only getting this partnership was great for just monetary value, but it gives
16:18you that esteem of a global stage.
16:20So now you've got other brands like, oh, she was on Essence.
16:23I like what she does.
16:24Let me call my friend at Target.
16:26Let me call my friend at Coles.
16:27And so now you never know who's DMing you.
16:30You never know who's following you.
16:32That's why every order that I'm able to touch, I make sure that I can at least have one-on-one
16:36conversations like, are you good?
16:37What do you like?
16:39All those things.
16:39And so, of course, with my New Voices training this year, next year, I will see great growth
16:44from a financial standpoint.
16:46I have no doubts about it.
16:48You are just so incredible from all the pivots that you have made to having this incredible
16:57line, dressing people on the red carpet, dressing people on covers of magazines.
17:01I'd love for you to share, because we know we have a lot of entrepreneurs that watch
17:05the show as well, as all the consumers.
17:08If you can just share what kind of kept you going, what was the driving force inside of
17:13you that came from that Essence Fest where you didn't sell any art, but you're like,
17:17you know what?
17:17I'm going to do something else.
17:18What has been that secret sauce for you?
17:21I talk about God and spirituality a lot, but honestly, I don't know where I would be without
17:26it because that is my foundation.
17:27That's my center and my head.
17:28One of my favorite scriptures is Habakkuk 2 and 2.
17:32I'm a scripter.
17:33I'm a writer.
17:34And so I wrote a lot of the things that happened out probably 10 years ago, and I never stopped
17:39writing it, even when I didn't see it.
17:40And so, you know, one day I'll be on Essence.
17:42One day I'll be here.
17:43I'll be there.
17:43And I'm like, well, I don't know how it's going to happen.
17:45But I never worried about the how.
17:47I just focused on the what.
17:49And so when you focus on your specific what and stop worrying about how it's going to get
17:53done, I'm not going to busy myself with the how.
17:55It's almost like ordering food from the restaurant.
17:57I don't order things from Amazon and be like, well, who bringing it?
18:00What kind of car they're in?
18:01Is it a man or a woman?
18:02Is she going to have a shirt?
18:03Like, Amazon is like, girl, you ordered it.
18:05We got it.
18:06And so that's the same thing with when I was dreaming big.
18:09I stopped worrying about how is this opportunity going to find me?
18:12And so even when I got this email, I was like, how am I going to get this selection sold?
18:16And God was like, you just keep creating.
18:18Let me work on the back end.
18:19And so I always say God is my publicist because these opportunities have found me.
18:23I've never had to apply, never had to go out of my character or my moral compass.
18:28I mean, it's just happened.
18:29And so stop focusing on how it's going to get done and keep dreaming big.
18:33And that's how it's going to happen.
18:35Oh, you are so inspiring and incredible.
18:40You guys, make sure you follow ABL Creations.
18:43They are tagged in this if you're watching live, if you're watching on the replay.
18:46Um, and make sure that you are purchasing.
18:49Remember, if you purchase from them, purchase here, shop essence live.
18:53Um, it goes straight to these.
18:54And I'm going to shout out.
18:56Let me see.
18:56I'm going to start shouting out people that buy dark, dark, dark, dark, dark.
19:01Shout out to you.
19:02You just made a purchase.
19:03I'm sorry for everybody before that, that I didn't shout out, but it just popped up.
19:07Um, and make sure that you guys are supporting.
19:10Cause these, when I tell you this is luxury, beautiful, beautiful.
19:15If you want to walk into a room and people are like, who is that?
19:18Who is, who's that girl?
19:20Who is that girl?
19:22And this is just incredible.
19:23It's like, that right for me.
19:24It's just sitting.
19:25Look at that.
19:26Oh.
19:28I'm so proud of myself.
19:29Did you send the package back?
19:30I don't know what happened to the package.
19:32She got lost in the mail.
19:33And then I don't want to admit.
19:34I'm like, people keep the track.
19:36This is so good.
19:38And another thing I just want to repeat, cause it is just such a dope concept.
19:43All these pieces are one of a kind.
19:45And she is an artist.
19:46She's a painter.
19:47So every time that you get a piece, it's one of a kind is limited time only collection.
19:52They have new things all the time.
19:54So make sure you keep, you follow them and keep checking out.
19:57Somebody said, and pants.
19:59They got pants too.
20:00So make sure that you check out.
20:02They got pants.
20:05They got pants.
20:06And I hear they are very breathable.
20:09The material is super durable and luxurious as well.
20:13So try it out.
20:15And make sure you tag the both of us in your ABL solution.
20:19Please tag me up.
20:21Yes.
20:22Cause this is so.
20:23I love it.
20:24I love it.
20:26Melissa, anything else coming up for you that you'd love to plug before we say goodbye?
20:30Oh, Lord.
20:32Help me sell this Foot Locker collection.
20:33That's my biggest baby right now.
20:35It just came out last week.
20:36Um, but no, you know, for me, I'm a person that, that does not, I don't always look at
20:40the numbers like sales are great, but the impact for me, seeing people commenting, their
20:45businesses, just keep going.
20:47Um, I just quit my job last year.
20:49People can't, you should, you should have been quick.
20:50You should have done this, but follow your own pace, your own race to run.
20:54And don't worry about what people are doing.
20:56Um, when it's your time, it will be an accelerated course.
20:59And I am a living witness that I went from paying my mother's, um, my mother's house, um,
21:05to buying my own house, to winning two different cars, um, opportunities flow to you when you
21:10become a magnet of gratitude.
21:12And so be grateful for what you have so you can get more.
21:15And so just stay in that place.
21:17And then you have to do it every day.
21:18It's not just a once in a while.
21:19You got to be grateful every day because that's when you roll into, uh, to the Starbucks
21:24and somebody pays you your food.
21:25That's when you just don't have to find $5 on the ground.
21:28It's like it, it multiplies.
21:29You just become a magnet.
21:30And that's really what happens with my clothing is that people experience miracles when they wear
21:35my things, because I stay in this place, I pour it into everything that I create.
21:39Oh, too good.
21:42There's no way anybody watching here does not want to be in an ABL creation.
21:47Okay.
21:48So make sure that you guys are buying, make sure you support and make sure you tag us
21:52when you wear your ABL creation.
21:54Melissa, you are incredible.
21:56And I cannot wait to see what is to come for ABL creations.
22:01And thank you so much for joining us here this week on Shop Essence Live.
22:07All right.
22:08Later.
22:09Bye, everybody.
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