Pillow Talk with Melisa Beleli
Melissa Beleli and I
My previous blog in the “Exclusives” section, featuring inspiring women and men that I have met throughout the year, was loved by so many of you and I’m thrilled about to release my second post where I got to sit down with a girl who inspired me in my new social media adventures as well as in the interior design area.
I met Melisa Beleli in the Spring of 2019 at an event and we clicked right away. Can you believe that we spent most of our lives living in Geneva not very far from each other? Small world...
She is a 21 year-old influencer in London with an impressive 177k + followers on her Instagram account. Passionate, hard working and everything but pretentious, she immediately offered me help as I had just set up my social media accounts and obviously had a thousand questions for her.
Melisa Beleli and I
It’s inspiring to see young women today being so active and motivated to run their own businesses. It takes courage and Melisa has a lot of that. She started her YouTube channel just for fun when she was 14 years-old and is today a recognised influencer both in English and Turkish (Melisa is originally from Turkey).
“Passionate, hard working and everything but pretentious, (Melisa) immediately offered me her help as I had just set up my social media accounts and obviously had a thousand questions for her.”
She is Head of Marketing at her beautiful family business Heritage Genève, who fabricate the most exquisite cushions: I fell immediately in love with them when she showed me the collection and needed to have them in my home.
They are all handmade and very exclusive. The colours are fabulous and I am no stranger to colour- from my home to my wardrobe, I can’t get enough. Heritage Genève also sells the fabrics separate so some can be used for upholstery or curtains.
I love the fact that you can mix and match the cushions and they are double-sided so you can change them around when you feel like it.
Not only have I learned so much from Melisa about what it means to be an influencer but I also fell in love with a new decor brand… the interior designer in me is buzzing!
We met for coffee at Café Royal recently and started chatting about fabrics and social media, so I took the opportunity to ask Melisa...
“I make sure to give women compliments that recognise their hard work, making sure that they know that the little things don’t go unnoticed.”
What are your goals for 2020?
Melisa: To be more mindful and remember to enjoy the now.
How do you empower other women ?
Melisa: Compliments that recognise their hard work, making sure that they know that the little things don’t go unnoticed.
Your boldest moment ?
Melisa: Starting my YouTube channel at 14 years-old when the whole class was making fun of me.
Influencer vs Cushion designer, which one is taking over ?
Melisa: I think it’s quite equal now, some days will be pure influencing work, some days will be on Heritage. Both need a lot of attention and I try to juggle both prioritising day by day.
Where do you visualise your cushions if you had to decorate a room ?
Melisa: The beauty of the cushions is that they’ll fit any environment. They’ll blend in with a colourful sofa and pop out on a white sofa. For me, I think I love them best on my beige sofa at home, I can switch them around and change the mood instantly.
In which design houses or boutiques would you like to see your cushions ?
Melisa: We’re currently retailed on our own website and Wolf & Badger’s. Would be so nice to see our cushions at Liberty’s, it’s been the dream since we started.
What makes your cushions stand out from the competition ?
Melisa: Every single embroidery and thread of IKAT is handmade. The fabrics have beautiful stories, the Suzani, for example, is prepared with the family and made for bride’s dowries. We combine both fabrics and add some dried lavender coming from Provence amongst the feathers for you to smell each time you lay on them. A true luxury in our opinion.
Visit @melisabeleli and @heritagegeneve