Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Ledezma.
Melissa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, I wouldn’t say it’s my story really but I can tell you how I got here…
I used to dance professionally. Up until my early twenties and beginning of college, that was pretty much my whole life. At one point, I realized the life of a dancer wasn’t what I wanted, which crushed my mom a little bit since I was good too. And not in the way most people would say they’re good at something.But actually good. So leaving the dance world was a little difficult for me.
After that, I Put my mind to my studies. Which was also difficult since I have never been one to be a good student or like school. So, I went to the only school I could see myself in, the Art Institute in downtown Miami. I started there in computer animation and only because it was the only career I knew my dad would accept from me going to an art school (I have a very traditional father, so an art school was, let’s just say not acceptable in his eyes). Of course, I switched majors two years into interior design. Which was what I wanted to study from the beginning. I did get a lot of backlash from my dad, as interior design at that time didn’t really get much credit. It was at the cusp of people understanding it and really becoming an established profession. Most people thought that all you did as an interior designer was pick furniture and pretty fabrics for your curtains. When in reality, it’s a really demanding career. Where you actually need to know what you’re doing which of course requires extensive studying. People forget they walk in and out of spaces all day and that those spaces they’re walking in and out of were designed by people like me, other interior designers. Anyway, I finished my undergraduate degree in interior design and to my surprise continued for my Master’s in architecture at The University of Miami. During my master’s there, I worked as the interior designer for National Geographic fine art galleries and helped design four of their initial galleries. When that was finished, I decided I would move to New York and finish my master’s at Parsons. I only lasted six months before I came running back home to Miami. It’s a strange thing Miami. When you’re born and raised here all you talk about is leaving. And when you finally do, you spend every day wanting to come back. So apart from Miami not closing during Covid, it’s understandable why everyone moved here.
I came back to Miami and went back to UM to finally finish my graduate degree. When I graduated, I immediately started working for the Hard Rock as memorabilia designer to all the hotels, cafes, and restaurants worldwide. What is a memorabilia designer? I’ll explain what that is since I always got the same question while in that position. I worked directly with every and any piece of musical history that has passed the Hard Rock. All the musical artifacts you see when you walk into any Hard Rock location were specially curated and designed by someone like me, a memorabilia designer. So elaborate showcases or installations that feature different pieces of memorabilia is what I designed and then choose, based off location, the pieces of memorabilia that would be displayed. I had first-hand access to never before seen handwritten letters of Tupac from prison, the actual bus from the Beatles, Vân Halen’s Lamborghini and Ferrari as well as almost all of Jimi Hendrix’ guitars. I mean it’s a warehouse full of more than 90,000 pieces or musical memorabilia. So, it was it was pretty cool job. But at the end of the day, it was still a corporate job with all the issues and headaches a corporate job brings. So, a year later I left the Hard Rock to start my own business. I started what I call a design house under the name of House Twenty Two. A design house is what you would consider a studio or as it’s called in France, an Atelier. An entity, for lack of a better word, that encompasses all areas of design. It could be art, architecture, fashion, interior design. Practically anything in the creative or design world. I started this design house because I didn’t want to limit myself to one specific area of design. I love interior design but I also love fashion. And if you know a little bit about fashion or interior design, you know it goes hand in hand.
So, I began House Twenty Two which has its current focus in fashion in the form of 100% silk loungewear. I say loungewear because the majority of the collection is loungewear. There are however, 2-3 statement pieces that fall out of the scope of loungewear. We focus on micro collections. Meaning there are less than 100 pieces per style and once a style is sold out, that’s it! It won’t be coming back. So, you need to grab it while you can. My main idea for this was to bring back the elegance of being at home. Where every one of my pieces gave you the comfort of home yet also the sophistication of a well put together outfit for a night out. Versatility, luxury, and comfort are the main feelings one should get when wearing House Twenty-Two.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think anyone can say yes to that question. I believe starting your own business is the most stressful yet immensely gratifying thing I have ever done.
Every day is a new issue you have to deal with and every day you’re wishing the day had more hours and how amazing it would be if you could split yourself into five different people to get all the work done. But as I said, immensely gratifying once you can pull it all together. The amount of personal growth on its own makes it all worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As previously mentioned, I just launched House Twenty Two. We currently have a focus on fashion with a 100% silk loungewear collection. I am most proud of this collection because it took a lot of hard work to get here. This was a year and a half in the making. And to finally see it come to fruition and see the response it’s getting is to me the best part.
What really sets us apart is the attention to detail. I don’t just mean the detail on the garments but the detail that went into every single piece. This collection has me in every stitch. What I am offering my customers is not just something to cover their bodies but a piece of my life, a piece of a lifestyle different than their own, and a piece of timeless elegance. My styles are a modern take and an ode to basics. That’s why we only do micro collections. To offer that exclusivity and that coveted piece that can last longer than the new trend. Silk is an extremely durable fabric. So you can get a few wears out of it before fully having to dry clean. Which means it lasts longer and eliminates our participation in fast fashion.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
This is a tough question. But I’ll say what all locals are thinking and constantly talking about.
As you know, I was born and raised here. So I have seen the changes Miami has gone through in my lifetime. Including its most recent and I believe dramatic change, what I call the “Covid change”.
Before the Covid change Miami was vibrant, a little more laid back than most big cities, and indescribable in a good way. Miami was and remains extremely diverse in every sense of the word. Which is what I believe made Miami what people are now starting to come here for. Good food, great parties, boats on the water every weekend, and having this amazing city right on the water while also having a lot of space to breathe when compared to other cities.
Miami now in 2022? No words.
Don’t get me wrong, Miami is home and I’ll always have love for my city, but I’m sure if you ask anyone else that was born here, they will echo my sentiments, we miss the 2019 Miami.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.HOUSETWENTYTWO.COM
- Instagram: @house_twentytwo
