The Woman Bringing Body Confidence to the Red Carpet

Melanie Davis has fast become the must go-to brand for luxury red carpet wear for celebrities with her clothing brand Body Frock, which is engineered to enhance a woman’s finest features.
Thanks to a secret sculpted lining – think a very flattering dress version of Spanx – it means that her occasion dresses are designed to deliver confidence every time. So it’s no wonder then that the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Eva Longoria, Rochelle Humes, Amber Le Bon, Darcey Bussell and Kimberley Walsh have all chosen to wear her stunning creations in front of the world’s media.

We all want to look good and exude confidence in front of the camera, so Belle decided to find out more…

How did you first get into the business?
My background has always been fashion and textiles as I graduated from the Ravensbourne College of Art. I have been in the business for quite a while and had a company called Pamplemousse for about 20 years, which was chill-out weekend wear in the nineties. It became a big household name, especially because it was super comfy, must have pieces in amazing colours.

What made you decide to then launch Body Frock in 2014?
I felt that there was a big gap out there. People would go and buy a dress and then try and find the right underwear to suit – but the right underwear never exists! It needs to be the right colour and shape for what you’re wearing, so I thought this was my route forward to answer this problem. I decided to launch fab dresses for events where people have to look their best and it would come with a colour-matched sculpting slip. It is body smoothing, rather than you put it on and can’t breathe, so it is super comfy. Because I am half-Portuguese, I set up my manufacturing there and it has become my place of creativity as well as the wonderful quality and TLC for each and every dress I create.

How would you describe the typical Body Frock customer?
She is ageless and it’s more about how she wears it. You could wear one of our dresses with a pair of cool trainers or you could wear it with some stilettos – it’s all about you. Our core audience is around 27 to 35 years old but it’s all about how you put it together and carry it off.

What are your favourite pieces from the current collection?
We’ve got some really fabulous tiered pleated maxi dresses, which are really quite sensational.

Which celebrities have worn your dresses?
We’ve had the likes of Eva Longoria, Amber Le Bon, Rochelle Humes – there’s been a long list!

Do you have any celebrities on your dream list to wear Body Frock in the future?
I would love someone like Beyoncé to wear one of our dresses because she would look seriously amazing in it. It would also be great to have the likes of Jenna Coleman and Amal Clooney wearing them.

Where do you get your inspiration from for each collection?
I think every girl who wears a dress wants to put it on and feel her best. It can be whatever trend is leading the fashion at that time but it has to be flattering. I want the girl wearing Body Frock to look in the mirror and think, ‘I look and feel my best’. I travel immensely which dominates my inspiration but whichever direction I take Body Frock in, the key is that it has to be flattering to the body. I think body, body, body all the time. That’s what it is all about.

With that in mind, what is your advice on dressing for an occasion?
My advice would be that you emphasise the best parts of you, whether it’s your nipped-in waist or your gorgeous curves. Everyone knows what are their best points and that’s the most important part to draw attention to. We will pay attention to a great neckline, making your body look as long as possible, your waist to appear neat and to also look super curvy. All of those things are taken into consideration. It’s all about the female form. Because our slips feel so good, psychologically it makes you stand straight and you feel super confident in the dress and that’s so key. You want to walk into a room and feel proud and that confidence is very sexy. Our dresses are sexy and contemporary.

What occasions do your customers often buy Body Frock for?
It’s really for the girl that has an event – whether it’s a party, wedding or dinner – where she doesn’t want to shop on the high-street as she will arrive and there will be 20 other people wearing the same dress! But she also doesn’t want to spend £400 on a dress for an event. It is an aspirational buy that will last and she can wear it again and won’t see everyone else wearing the same. We have red carpet dresses, event dresses, bridesmaid dresses and dresses purely for an occasion. 

What has been your favourite red-carpet dress of all time?
It has to be Audrey Hepburn and her stunning dress and evening coat combo! I also love the hour-glass look.

What are your plans for the future with Body Frock?
I feel Body Frock has a place out there to be a global brand and therefore, that is the route, along with a new addition of evening separates.

• Melanie has offered Belle About Town an exclusive discount of 10% off Body Frock dresses and an additional 10% if they introduce a friend to the brand. Use code BELLE10 at the checkout, the offer is valid until the end of March.
• Body Frock is sold at BodyFrock.co.uk, in House of Fraser, Asos and at various boutiques including the Body Frick studio near Paddington.