“The kind of woman I envision wearing one of my dresses is a woman who is
confident in her own skin. When she walks into the room, she owns it. She feels
smart, beautiful, and her strength shines.”
Story
Melina Cortes-Nmili, founder, Lalla Bee
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_180x.jpg?v=1635269157 180w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_220x.jpg?v=1635269157 220w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_300x.jpg?v=1635269157 300w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_360x.jpg?v=1635269157 360w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_460x.jpg?v=1635269157 460w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_540x.jpg?v=1635269157 540w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_720x.jpg?v=1635269157 720w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_900x.jpg?v=1635269157 900w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_1080x.jpg?v=1635269157 1080w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_1296x.jpg?v=1635269157 1296w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_1512x.jpg?v=1635269157 1512w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_1728x.jpg?v=1635269157 1728w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I1_2048x.jpg?v=1635269157 2048w)
The Vision
International designer Melina Cortes-Nmili’s road to fashion has been anything but conventional. Part entrepreneur and part designer, Melina has never taken the standard path. Frustrated with the frantic, flash-in-a-pan pursuit of the latest fads, Melina had a vision for a new take on a timeless concept - “beauty that transcends the trend.” Said in a simpler way, she believes in a luxurious, classic, yet contemporary design that always looks beautiful, and never goes out of style.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_180x.jpg?v=1635269262 180w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_220x.jpg?v=1635269262 220w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_300x.jpg?v=1635269262 300w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_360x.jpg?v=1635269262 360w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_460x.jpg?v=1635269262 460w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_540x.jpg?v=1635269262 540w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_720x.jpg?v=1635269262 720w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_900x.jpg?v=1635269262 900w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_1080x.jpg?v=1635269262 1080w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_1296x.jpg?v=1635269262 1296w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_1512x.jpg?v=1635269262 1512w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_1728x.jpg?v=1635269262 1728w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I2_2048x.jpg?v=1635269262 2048w)
The Goal
Melina’s story is far from typical. While others were pursuing degrees in fashion or fine arts, she pursued her MBA. From the beginning she realized that it would take a solid business foundation to make her dream a reality. Armed with perseverance and tenacity, for two and a half years, she dedicated endless hours to learning the fashion ropes. She met with experts, researched the industry, and sourced fabric samples from across the globe. Finally, after more than 30 months filled with overcoming her fair share of obstacles, Melina launched Lalla Bee and unveiled its first capsule collection in 2016.
Melina has participated in important Fashion Shows including New York Fashion Week and Boston Fashion Week.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_180x.jpg?v=1635269369 180w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_220x.jpg?v=1635269369 220w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_300x.jpg?v=1635269369 300w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_360x.jpg?v=1635269369 360w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_460x.jpg?v=1635269369 460w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_540x.jpg?v=1635269369 540w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_720x.jpg?v=1635269369 720w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_900x.jpg?v=1635269369 900w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_1080x.jpg?v=1635269369 1080w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_1296x.jpg?v=1635269369 1296w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_1512x.jpg?v=1635269369 1512w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_1728x.jpg?v=1635269369 1728w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I3_2048x.jpg?v=1635269369 2048w)
The Origin
Born and bred in the vibrant Dominican Republic countryside, Melina embraces the diversity of colors, textures and patterns of her childhood. From her design studio in Boston, lalla bee’s structured silhouettes, colorful palettes, and painstaking attention to detail reflect the values and struggles of her past. Rather than following the latest trends in fashion, Melina’s designs are intentionally timeless. Melina's designs are ethically made from quality fabrics sourced directly from the finest factories across the U.S. and Europe.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_180x.jpg?v=1635269450 180w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_220x.jpg?v=1635269450 220w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_300x.jpg?v=1635269450 300w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_360x.jpg?v=1635269450 360w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_460x.jpg?v=1635269450 460w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_540x.jpg?v=1635269450 540w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_720x.jpg?v=1635269450 720w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_900x.jpg?v=1635269450 900w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_1080x.jpg?v=1635269450 1080w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_1296x.jpg?v=1635269450 1296w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_1512x.jpg?v=1635269450 1512w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_1728x.jpg?v=1635269450 1728w, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0577/4101/7276/files/I4_2048x.jpg?v=1635269450 2048w)
The Seed
Like the self-made women who raised Melina, lalla bee’s dresses tell a story of strength, effortless beauty, and unwavering confidence.
Melina lives in Boston with her husband. The couple has a son and a daughter.