Callula Lillibelle
Melanie Fraser Hart - Founder/Creative Director
At the heart of Melanie Fraser’s multifaceted career is a passion for all things creative. Melanie threw herself into the
study of art and design starting in high school, at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston. She went on to major in
theater at Bennington College and then headed west to Los Angeles, where she landed a job
with legendary film
producer Arnold Kopelson. Then, just as she was getting hungry for a new challenge, Vidal Sassoon hired her to write
his speeches. She quickly became his right-hand woman and, when she wasn’t busy helping him manage his beauty
empire, earned her MBA from Anderson School of Business at UCLA. Melanie’s next big venture was “House of Poe,” dedicated to designing gorgeous urns and caskets. Her partner was
Gregory Poe, the late West Coast fashion design icon and a descendant of, yes, Edgar Allen Poe. (Gregory’s brother
Jeff, owner of famed Blum and Poe Gallery, would later become a trusted advisor as Melanie started Callula Lillibelle.) In the years that followed, Melanie did a series of marketing
and branding consulting engagements and also gave birth to her son, Robbie. When her daughter was born, Melanie
became a full-time mom. Meanwhile, Melanie’s next idea was taking shape: she dreamed of creating a clothing line that empowered women to
showcase their femininity without flaunting it, and go from desk to dinner with class and style. Think Audrey Hepburn,
Veronica Lake, Bettie Page and Joanie from Mad Men all in one sexy, sophisticated package. Today, Callula Lillibelle is all of that and more. Working side by side with designer Edmond Escobar, Melanie draws on
her breadth of creative passions, ranging from modern furniture and antiques to theater, architecture, and beyond to
create the unforgettable look of Callula Lillibelle. Edmond Escobar - Lead Designer
Take a fascination with mysticism, science and astrology and the occult, add a sexy, savvy twist, and you’ve got the
inspiration behind Edmond Escobar’s collections for Callula Lillibelle. Edmond is passionate about opening people’s
eyes to new and different aesthetics for contemporary fashion. A graduate of Otis College of Art and Design, Edmond
worked alongside designers Todd Oldham, Isabel Toledo, David Lerner and Oscar Olima before becoming Callula
Lillibelle’s head designer in November 2011. In every collection, his signature sophistication shines.
