Boston-based designer Melissa Stern brings glitz to game-day allegiances and pop fandom.
Melissa Stern’s team shirts start at $110. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Madison Trapkin
Even as a kid, Melissa Stern gravitated toward colorful and sparkly clothing. “I have always gone to the beat of my own drum,” says the fashion designer, best known for the sequined sports gear she designs under her line Mel the Clothing. As a teenager, Stern loved Betsey Johnson’s bold, whimsical pieces—ruffles and rhinestones adorned her favorites.
While she always wanted to work in fashion, Stern pursued marketing after college, copywriting for different brands. But the desire lingered, and after Stern attended the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival six years ago wearing a denim jacket she’d emblazoned with a sequin champagne bottle, she decided to finally get serious about a career as a designer. “Women were coming up to me all night asking where I got my jacket,” Stern says. “My friends were like, ‘Come on, already, when are you going to do this?’”
Red sequin boots complement Stern’s signature red Patriots top. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Madison Trapkin
While Stern’s first beaded Red Sox jerseys didn’t sell well on Etsy, sports fans took notice and started asking her to consider creating sequined Patriots tops. She did so for the 2019 season, when the team was on a winning streak, and sold out immediately. Stern was just getting started when the pandemic halted professional sports. “That shut me down for a while,” she says, but when sports came back, she was ready. In 2022, Stern hit her stride again and hasn’t slowed down since.
Mel the Clothing’s “Bling Rainbow Fringe” jacket at Bogosplit in Copley Square. / Photo by Mona Miri
Stern has since made tops representing all of Boston’s professional teams, along with others emblazoned with locations or sayings; there’s a white-and-pink “Bride” design, for instance, and another bearing Taylor Swift song lyrics. She also makes blazers, purses, and even gowns, which are showcased at Bogosplit in Copley Place. A big segment of Stern’s business is custom designs for clients who are seeking standout outfits for a special event.
Fans loved her Celtics gear during the playoffs. / Photo by Steph Larsen
Increasingly, Stern has been contacted by the families of local pro athletes: She made a onesie for Bruin David Pastrňák’s daughter this year and jackets for Tom Brady’s daughter and female relatives for his Hall of Fame induction ceremony. She also crafted shirts for Celtics player Al Horford’s five children to wear during the NBA playoffs. “I made the shirts by hand,” she says, noting that she also works with a seamstress. “I would love to have someone in-house working with me, but for now, I’m a one-woman show. It’s a lot, but creating is my passion. So I feel lucky to be able to do this.”
A version of this story was first published in the print edition of the September 2024 issue with the headline, “Hut, Hut, Glitter.”