Melinda Nizeti is the creator and designer of the label NIZETI based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Launching the brand in 2007, Melinda established the NIZETI name by creating statement-making handbags with a recognisable design aesthetic. Five years on, Melinda and her team have opened the first NIZETI boutique in Sydney and expanded the label to include apparel. 

Having worked in retail since she was sixteen, Melinda appreciated that quality Australian designs are the future of the fashion industry. Experience in high-end fashion boutiques with established foreign labels prompted her realise that there is a niche in the local market for a uniquely Australian brand that has international appeal. Melinda’s initial vision for her label was to create handbags that are both luxurious and wearable. Her designs skilfully manage a combination of sophistication and functionality with high-quality leather and perfected details.

“I always consider what will work for women in contemporary life,” says Melinda. “To me its all about luxury without formality, femininity without sacrificing versatility and design.”

Melinda began at local shopping malls and designer markets with her initial collection and launched the NIZETI online store. After gaining word-of-mouth in the local Sydney fashion scene, she expanded her handbag collection and began to broaden her horizons. This year, NIZETI launched an apparel collection to compliment the handbag line that features her trademark leather, hardware and studs.

 “It was important for me to expand the brand. While I love handbag design, I felt that NIZETI could be so much more,” she says.

 The introduction of the NIZETI apparel line demonstrates Melinda’s playful and subtly edgy design approach. The mix of everyday basics with exquisitely tailored silk dresses and jackets creates an apparel line that is feminine but with a unique twist that remains true to the label’s contemporary aesthetic.

“From the beginning I had a clear direction for the label and I wanted to make sure that the apparel line stays true to the NIZETI look. I designed all the pieces to be classic, but with an unexpected edge.”

In order to make the NIZETI brand more sustainable, her apparel collection is custom designed and locally made. This approach ensures the uniqueness, sustainability and quality of all the items in the NIZETI apparel collection. 

 “Launching apparel means the continued growth of NIZETI as a luxury Australian brand,” says Melinda. “I want to extend my long term vision of modern sophistication and uncompromised quality.”