Basically perfect

Manila Standard Today, Lifestyle | January 16, 2012

If you haven’t heard of Tony Melillo, don’t fret. He’s not exactly the most visible man in fashion, after all. Really more of a behind-the-seams kind of guy, Melillo is the creative director of the Selena Gomez clothing line and is currently in the process of developing a new line with Vanessa Hudgens. So within fashion circles, when Melillo appends his name on the label, it’s a big deal.

Next month, Barneys New York in the United States will begin carrying ATM by Anthony Thomas Melillo, a high-end brand of T-shirts. Yes, basic tees that will cost between $58 and $82 each. ATM is his latest attempt at a signature collection—the last few times failed to be successful because of the price points and because they were unflattering to body types other than perfect.

Melillo is very specific. The fit of his garments are made for toned and muscular physiques. And we all know that there’s not a lot of people with that kind of body. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that his brand is not really a mainstream one. But on the flip side, it seems that he’s the only one who designs and manufactures clothes that are strategically longer (for those who are vertically blessed) and with sleeves that are strategically wider (for those biceps). The new ATM venture is no different.

The designer himself admits that it’s not for everyone. But he’s willing to take that risk again, positioning his wares as a niche brand. It also helps that his mass-market Gomez line, which earned a reported $100 million in 2011, is giving him enough leverage to flex his fashion muscles.

What can we expect from ATM? There are crew necks, tank tops and V-necks that dip 6.5 inches in basic black, white and gray, as well as eggplant, lavender and blue. Of course, you can expect these expensive (around P3,000 a pop if we were to convert to local currency) tees to last long. So if you’re tall, buffed and have that kind of money to spare for a T-shirt, you know where to get one.