Jerseys were reworked into togas, gladiator helmets were paired with dual toned denim and cropped hoodies were overlaid over top of corsets.
Synthesizing elements of modern day and antiquity, No Sesso created a refreshing collection reflecting a contemporary Renaissance. Check out photos from the presentation below.
From her Compassionate Baby T drop with all proceeds having gone to mutual aid, to the traditional Thai references in her colorful upcoming spring line, everything Robertson does is “in service of the Matriarchy.” When Robertson-Macleod explains what that means over the phone one night, her vision of a brand that is not just a product, but a feeling, becomes all the more striking.
Claire Robertson-Macleod—Tank Air has always been inspired by my mom, my aunt, and my grandma; the Thai women in my family. When I started it, I wanted to make pieces of clothing that felt how I felt when I was around them growing up. I always felt empowered. I was always around powerful female figures that did whatever they wanted. Starting Tank Air was a tool for me to try to push those feelings, but through clothes.
So when you say “in service of the matriarchy,” you’re kind of saying in service of your mom, your grandmother, and your aunt.
I think great brands stand for something more than just their products. Their values come out in the way they present themselves. Because I had these women in my life that I can look to and remind myself of how I wanted to be, I wanted Tank air to be a reminder for other people who may not have had that. Or even for myself, when I need that reminder.
On the Tank Air website there are some words I really like: Bold without being loud, sophisticated without being boring, playful without losing depth. Are those descriptions of your family?
Yes, except that they are bold and loud. In terms of clothing, my mom and aunt have the biggest personalities. They were loud through their voices though, not clothing. I reference a lot of pieces from stuff that my mom has worn.
When you say referencing your mother’s clothes—when I was little, I used to ravage through my mom and grandma’s closets and put on fashion shows for them.
I used to do that when I was younger, but unfortunately when my parents got divorced and my mom moved out, I don’t know where a lot of those clothes went. I have so many photographs of her and my grandma when they were longer. A lot of those photos end up on moodboards. I also reference them when I’m styling and putting together outfits. My mom has given me slash I’ve stolen, a lot of her jewelry.
Does she know that or will reading this be a surprise?
No, she knows. I’ve sent her photos and she’s been like “Are those my earrings?” and I’m like, “Yup!” Also, I have a twin brother, and my mom was always dressing us in traditional Thai clothing, so I’m always referencing traditional Thai silhouettes. My mom was really good at mixing traditional and modern. I’ve been inspired by that. When you think of traditional Thai, or any traditional country’s clothing you don’t always think “fashion.” But my mom was really good at modernizing it and making it chic.
You were born in Thailand but also lived in Hong Kong and London. Your’e also half English. How has all of that shaped your identity?
I know this is weird—I grew up in Hong Kong and all my friends were international. They were either like me (mixed), Chinese, or Thai. Hong Kong is such a metropolitan place, I mean my dad, who is white, lived there for 40 years and never felt out of place. I’ve always was so proud of being Thai, and I always led with “I’m Thai,” instead of “I’m English.” It wasn’t to fit in, it was just something that I loved. When I came to America, was when I felt, I don’t know – one of my best friends here is half Chinese, half American. She was always so quiet about being half Chinese. So, I think where you grow up and how accepting people are of you gives you that opportunity to explore your culture. I could fully embrace Thai culture and her experience was the opposite.
In Hong Kong you had room to explore, but America is trash. A lot of the work you’re doing with Tank Air is about creating a space where women can be all that they are. How important is community in that conversation?
I think it’s really important. Brands these days have to connect on much more of a personal level with their costumers and followers. It’s so imoprtant. With social media, you’re able to do that. I have costumers dming me all the time, also because Tank Air is so small and it’s just me they have no one else to talk to. So... I speak to my costumers every single day.
In an article you did for Vogue, you say that brands are starting to imbue identity into products. That really struck me. I see a shift in the way brands are relating to the world. They’re not selling insecurity they’re selling their persona and their voice. That’s exactly what you’re doing.
I really hope so. We’re trying. It’s so nice seeing brands be less afraid to voice their beliefs. Before it was all about not-alienating your costumer but it’s really nice now that some brands are speaking up for things that they believe in and not being afraid of alienating people who don’t believe in the same things as them.
How do you balance trying to promote your business in the structure of influencer culture with all these more meaningful goals and values that Tank Air has? Does it come naturally or is it like a balancing act?
Yea that’s been the hardest thing. We’ve found that the only thing that helps us sell clothes is influencer marketing. It’s gotten to the point where influencer marketing isn’t anything to brag about. It’s so over saturated. It can make and break a brand. until now we’ve tried just to gift to people that I would really want in Tank Air.
Well by gifting you’re essentially inviting people into the Tank Air community. What do you look for in someone that you’re gifting to?
Ok so, very early in the beginning I was so desperate so I was gifting to whoever would respond to my DMs. So, there are some people who are in the Tank Air community that maybe aren’t super Tank Air but we still welcome them. Now, we try to gift more to artists, musicians, people that are pursuing something like writing or art. I mean there’s nothing wrong with influencers, it’s a full-time job. No shame. I just try to be careful with who I gift to. There are so many fast fashion brands that just copy, copy, copy.
Has that happened yet?
Oh my god, yes. I had one lady that put photos of ME wearing the silk ruched top on her website to sell a copy of it. I was like? That’s me. So yea, we try to look at who else the influencer is making content for. And if they work with fast fashion brands, I try not to gift to them.
What’s the story behind your Compassionate T?
When it came time to release was in the middle of Covid. It was the time when the hate crimes against Asian people were just sky rocketing. Especially towards elderly Asian American women. I just couldn’t believe it was happening especially with D*nald Tr*mp just saying the worst shit. And so, when we released that we donated 100 percent of the proceeds. 50% went to the Asian American Foundation that was fighting the hate crimes, and the other half went to the Okra Project.
The shoot we did for this story…they really nailed it.
When I think of who the Tank Air woman is, that’s Erika. And also, the model, Yotti. Erika is half Japanese and half English. I met her through Tank Air. We became good friends and just have been friends ever since. When it came to them working together for a Tank Air shoot it just came so naturally.
If you could describe a Tank Air girl, like Erika, in three words what would it be?
Sense of humor, passionate about something and independent. Hot. Don’t put that last one in.
Unsurprisingly, with such a pertinent and powerful mission statement, Melissa has garnered attention, success, and the opportunity to continue growing. And this month, Melissa took a major step in that direction by launching their second US shop, Melissa Clube, located in Los Angeles. For the new location, they have emphasized further their eco-friendly efforts, with shoe recycling bins that allow for worn products to be repurposed as new ones.
Additionally, building on the significance of the specific space and its location, the brand teamed up with local creative directors, M Czerwinski and Cybelle Bradford, on a project titled Meet Melissa—a series of 30 portraits that capture LA’s young, creative community, featuring an array of Angeleno artists and activists from Lil Miquela to Gabrielle Richardson.
We got the chance to chat with M and Cybelle about the city of angels, their creative process, and how they stay active when it comes to sustainability.
In your opinion, what makes Melissa well-suited to set up shop in a city like Los Angeles?
CYBELLE—Melissa is ready to be transformed and to become. It’s an enthusiastic company that’s more interested in collective groups holding their own individuality than pushing a style onto a certain person and urging tropes to exist.
M—It’s a sick brand in general, the plastic material and colors are perfect for a hot climate like LA. It’s FUN, LA is FUN, [and] I think fashion here is experimental and colorful in the same way Melissa is. Also, I like how focused they are on sustainability. And not in the woo-woo American way like, we are just doing this for marketing way, [but] sustainability has always been integrated with their brand. Their shoes are 100% recyclable and they are focused on approaching sustainability with every part of their production. I’m hesitant to work with brands because you don’t always know what you are supporting, but I really f*ck with them.
When selecting the subjects for your Meet Melissa series, what was it that drew you to this specific ensemble of young Angelenos?
C—People with heart! With a grasp on life and a curiosity to become people who are, for lack of a better phrase, en route to being themselves... and ready to show up as that on set! It’s a beautiful thing.
M—Angela creates rugs that have a message of anti-establishment and reflecting on the problems that arise with the community’s livelihood under capitalism and control under a police state. Victoria is also from the area, and makes beautiful animations and paintings that deal with feelings of isolation and anxiety and relationships. Lexie started a fully vegan burger joint, Monty’s. Gabrielle creates Art Hoe and the Brown Butterfly project. Really just people who are shaping the LA community and in my opinion are changing the cultural landscape in a positive way. The brand has been building on its sustainability efforts, and we see this becoming even more evident in the new LA store.
Can you, as young creatives in a major city, speak to your own stance on sustainability, and how you are taking action?
C—It’s beyond important to prioritize and spend time thinking about your imprint. Each of us make our own calculated choices, and Melissa makes being sustainable chic! Which is compatible with the already consciously eco-friendly-group-conversation and attempt in LA.
M—Haha—living under the “American Dream Pseudo Capitalism Guise” is pretty unsustainable. We just use a TON more power, electricity, material per capita than other people around the world. It’s how we are raised—to be super gluttonous and always want more and more and comfort and luxury and it’s weird to try and think your way out of that and re-establish new habits. I’m still committed to learning and unlearning what I think I need versus what is necessary. Thinking about the lifetime of a product or good for instance, how often we replace things. I think in general I buy as much as I can used—my car, all my furniture, all my clothes, I’m looking around my apartment right now and I got literally everything off of OfferUp (a resale app). Recycle. Swapping books and clothes with friends. Every time you buy something brand new, thinking about the energy that had to go into creating that, the new materials, etc. Sometimes it is worth it to buy new, but it’s just making those choices where you can.
Melissa makes a point to manufacture products that fall under the category of gender-neutral fashion. In your own process as creative directors, how did you approach the concept of gender-fluidity for Meet Melissa?
C—My idea of love, of fashion, of life, is that it’s gender-less, unless someone else prefers any particular label, then that’s cool too. But to me.. fuck fashion with predetermined binary.. that’s so 2000 and late (lol).
M—Weird question to answer, I’m gender fluid, our assistant is gender fluid, most of the team is queer, all my friends are queer… Lots of the cast identify as gender queer. It just is that way because we are thinking that way. The constant process of letting go of filing things into categories as this belongs to a masc identity and this belongs to a femme identity, in terms of fashion, color, characteristics, etc.
After connecting with the multi-talented, diverse community of young creatives in this series—and as important members of that community yourselves—why LA? What about this city, over others, inspires you?
C—Every city inspires me. And I hope every city has its moment to shine in the ways the individuals there dream of it shining :-)
M—I somehow take things way less seriously here, and that makes me feel like there’s more creative potential in a way, because there’s less pressure and less rules. The city is SO baby. Didn’t we just barely get our economic footing in the ‘50s with car culture? Hollywood boom in the ‘20s? This was less than 100 years ago. Tradition is completely out the window. The city itself has a juvenile identity, I feel like we are making it grow up and find itself and what it could be within the collective and will overturn with generations and generations of people. Though simple, and very much about each subject, the series is incredibly playful—from the poses, to the hair, to the bright backdrops... There is something nostalgic about the series.
What inspired your aesthetic vision?
C—We’re ready to make Melissa boom in a way that is ICONIC.. Our vision is people being enthused by the varying faces of Melissa, the way they used to feel overwhelmed by inspiration from supermodels back in the day... but now actually seeing something about themselves in what they’re shown. Relating to the faces in campaigns, editorials, etc. Melissa is ready for us to resurrect the brand, now finally, in an inclusive, genuine way.
M—Thank you!! The brand is really colorful so we just went with it. Me and Cybelle gathered up images and ideas beforehand and shared with the team. We wanted each shot to feel fresh and like it belonged solely to that person as an iconic image of them and felt like every image was adding something new to the series. Cybelle styled everyone from their own wardrobes which adds to how personal it feels. Vince is an incredible photographer and super intuitive when it comes to posing, his ideas flow really naturally and he’s great at directing movement and shape. In terms of hair and makeup—Malcolm and Alexandra just went OFF and we fully trusted them 100% to do whatever it was they envisioned. Malcolm really brought out the long long hair for this campaign and I love it. We invited everyone on because we trust their vision, at that point it’s just my job on set to make sure everyone has water, food, nicotine, caffeine, good music, support, love. It’s a collective vision because everyone contributed their own ideas. I’m happy <3
Check out the real of the campaign below.
Their website, where you'll find the tee for sale, hosts enviornmentally focused news articles and informational pieces like "How to Be Conscious of Your Fashion Footprint", and even has a Compost Guide where you can keep track of your personal progress.
Help fight the good fight and give it a look.
