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“I see fashion and style as more than a garment and silhouette. I see it as an entire personality, a whole lifestyle,” says Melissa Miller, the artist and designer behind Key West, Florida’s innovative Wishbliss Boutique. “Terrific style can be as simple as a T-shirt and jeans paired with the perfect shoes and bag. It is the perfect self-expression—it is walking art.”
Melissa has been working toward opening her own boutique since she first shopped the unique boutiques in her hometown of Trumbull, Connecticut. Her journey began when her skill as an artist (she won her first drawing contest at the age 7)—coupled with her eye for fashion (she began styling her family at the age of 11)—gained her acceptance to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where she studied fashion design while working as a watercolorist for an etching artist.
It was while attending SCAD that Melissa found her foundation in design as well as the drive to create pieces that were beyond the expected. “There was one professor who really took me under wing and challenged me. I would hand her projects and she would say that the project deserved an A, but because it was me, she was going to give me a B unless I could improve it in 48 hours. I definitely appreciated it because she made me work beyond what was necessary. I always carry that with me, that I can’t let her down.”
After graduation, Melissa moved to San Francisco and found work as an assistant designer at the small clothing manufacturer, Aqua Blues. This environment allowed her real creative freedom. “I was getting involved probably more than I should have been,” she laughs, “and when questions were asked in meetings, I would offer opinions.” Within five years, Melissa had risen to head designer in the dress department and manager of the sports department, creating lines that were sold in Target, Rampage, Wet Seal and other junior fashion stores. Melissa was then recruited to be the head designer and merchandiser for Stella Star, a junior clothing manufacturer who sold to the likes of Urban Outfitters, Macy’s and Nordstrom. It was during her four years as a designer at Stella Star that Melissa traveled the world sourcing trends, designing and overseeing production in China, Japan, Hong Kong, London and Amsterdam.
But it was her husband’s job that truly changed her life.
Melissa’s husband Thomas, an art director for various national publications, received a job offer in Key West, Florida, and the couple decided to relocate. “Moving made sense to me because I felt very stale in my career and it wasn’t my passion to be in the junior market,” Melissa says. “I wasn’t doing anything that creatively kept me up at night.” Living in historical Key West inspired her to come up with ideas for a boutique mixing the old and the new. “I think the contrast of vintage and contemporary is so interesting and can be done in exciting new ways,” Melissa says. “I also wanted to create a boutique where you could come in and leave with a whole look, and not just pick up one piece here and there.” After many months of research and buying trips all over the country, Wishbliss Boutique opened its doors at 1102A Duval Street on October 25, 2007.
Wishbliss Boutique very much reflects Melissa’s personal style and focuses on smaller designers who use organic fabrics, so the items are unique and difficult to find anywhere else. “The vibe of Wishbliss is that you are in your best friend’s closet and can try on anything you want,” says Melissa. “The most gratifying moment I have had is when a lady walked into Wishbliss said: ‘I feel like I have just been locked in my best friend’s closet!’ It made my knees weak and heart flutter.” |
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