Feminine, flirty, and versatile are just a few words to describe Ooshie, founded in New York City by Melissia Hill. Hill wanted to create an elegant, one-size fit resort line for women of all walks of life to enjoy. Whether on vacation or close to home our designs transports you to a place of comfort and effortless style.
‘’Based in New York city, We strongly believe that the essence of style and beauty starts with your attitude, clothes just enhance what is already there. When you feel good, you look good!” -MH
Melissia Hill developed her love for fashion during her teenage years living in Los Angeles. Janet Jackson and Madonna were bigger than life at that time and everyone was wearing black lace gloves and
‘’I remember skipping class but not to go with friends to the beach but to go to the library to look at fashion magazines. Elle was my favorite. My skipping class to go to the library to look at fashion magazine made no sense to my mom once she found out (smile).’’
After high school,
Ooshie
Being the CEO of Ooshie gives me
platform to work with other female leaders to help improve and change our world for the better
What is your favorite aspect of becoming an entrepreneur?
My favorite part of being entrepreneur is discovering new ways of executing my vision for Ooshie. There’s no manual to entrepreneurship; it is a fearless and creative focus that forces you to tap into your creative side and brings out the hustle inside of you. When you’re a mompreneur… well that brings out the true beast in you!
How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?
Ooshie is my love letter to women; the core value of my brand is to give women the permission to dream a bigger dream and walk in the world feeling full of magic and possibility. I want women to feel beautiful and unapologetic for their femininity and for wanting to live out their dreams. At Ooshie, we want women to feel empowered: to feel beautiful and good enough and strong and that doesn’t always mean putting on a two-piece suit or a white button up.
What is your favorite part about being a designer?
My favorite part about being a designer is taking all of my fantasies and putting them into my designs; which sometimes can also be my least favorite thing too, mostly because fine-tuning the ideas and turning them in a design can be overwhelming.
I love when I have my girlfriends over to my studio because it often times turns into a dress party and photo shoot (laughs). I get a chance to see how my designs make my friends feel: it changes how they move, laugh and dance. Watching them transform are some of my proudest moments.
Did you create Ooshie all by yourself? How?
Yes, I literally just jumped and took a leap of faith. I did not have a business plan or even a clear vision of what Ooshie would be in the fashion world. I just knew I had a story to tell. It’s a good thing that I just jumped into it because if I sat down to write the perfect business plan, I would still be working on defining my target market. I am still learning and I have learned a lot; but for me, acting on and creating my vision was much better than trying to learn all of the business aspects first. My vision of the brand and the woman I am designing for became clearer over time and that is why I decided to make Ooshie a resort brand instead of a ready to wear collection.
I drew my first sketch and took it to a pattern maker and said “make this”. I quickly learned that there is a bigger process. I joined design forums and asked a lot of questions. Once I figured out what I needed to know, and that can be different for everyone, I was able to Google my way and learn by trial and error.
Can you give 5 entrepreneurial tips to women who want to start their own fashion / clothing line.
- Research the market and find out what’s missing and do that!
- Doubt gets you nowhere
- Social Media is a very powerful tool. As much as I dislike how engulfed we are by it, use it to your advantage! It will answer a lot of questions for you while you are building your brand. Be clear on what questions you’re asking and be intentional or you will get lost in the click trap…
- Talk about your brand and ideas to whomever will listen. Listen to how other people talk about their brand and ideas because you can gather valuable information from “ear hustling”.
- Know that anything of value takes time to build. Enjoy the process.
How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
The more I learn about running a successful business, the more I realize that 90 percent of having success is a inside job. Meaning, success is a mind set; when your mind is focused and clear its easier to enjoy the journey and process and to learn from the ups and downs. You start to see that there are no such things as problems and failures only solutions and lessons. For me, my self improvement is based on working even more on my inner world and my mind set.
What sacrifices have you made make during life as an entrepreneur and leader?
Whenever you are on a path towards your vision, goals and dreams, focus is key. Working and focusing on that path can often times feel isolating. Having to forgo social events and nights out with friends in order to work on my business has been a sacrifice because I miss spending time being social and having fun with my friends. The biggest sacrifices I’ve had to make are missing out on some of my son sports activities and games, having an active social life and sleep.
What are your goals currently?
My goal is to make Ooshie more than a women resort line but, a lifestyle brand. My mission for 2019 is to continue to create and produce beautiful pieces, launch our Ooshie Swim line, and expand globally in a curated way. My vision for
What is the best advice that you would like to share with Woman on Topp Readers?
Be kind to yourself during your journey. We forget to connect and take care of ourselves in our busy lives, especially the
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![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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