Melody of Comfort virtual clothing brand has ‘90’s style swag borrowed from the Martin show.
Photo provided by Melody of Comfort
“If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.”
Internationally acclaimed poet and author Maya Angelou once said those wise words, and they are a perfectly apt description for local husband and wife, Antonio, 39, and Pernishia Avery, 38, who actually have those very words of Angelou on their clothing brand website, https://melodyofcomfort.com/.
Launched in 2017 (but rebranded and relaunched on Monday, August 23) the native Detroit couple wants to give the community some ‘90s, Martin TV show-style vibes in their online clothing store that sells sweatshirts and more.
“When we started in 2017 (this was) something new for us; we didn’t know what we were doing but we had a love for the ‘90s,” the millennial couple who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s,” Antonio Avery said. “We wanted to incorporate the love for the city and fashion from back then.”
He added that their passion back then was present, but they didn’t know how to execute their business plans, which have since been greatly approved.
One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the mad love their clothing brand receives from customers who support them through it all.
“A lot of people liked it and wanted to sport it — it is a learning process for us and took time to come up with a better product,” Antonio Avery, a former rapper, said, adding that the brand idea came easy. “I was just sitting here when we decided to come up with a brand and tossing names out and trying to think of what would stick and work for us. (It) just came to me, the Melody of Comfort.”
Pernishia Avery told the Michigan Chronicle that she too has a musical background as a singer, and they wanted to incorporate that musical element into their clothing line.
She added that the ‘90s and the Martin show was “iconic.”
“The print is based off that iconic logo,” she said, adding that their hooded sweatshirts, which rock the words “What Up Doe,” along with a sleeve embroidery patch.
The main sweatshirt colors are blue, red, black, and gray. They plan to launch new colors in the fall, especially during “hoodie season” this season.
Their tagline, “When deciding what to wear … listen to your heart,” is something they’ve been doing since growing in confidence with their brand for themselves and the next generation.
“We are looking to create a legacy for our two daughters,” they post on their website, adding that their mission is to provide a quality product while “embracing cultural moments from our past” and aiming to “keep it All Detroit, All the time.”
Pernishia Avery said that with her daughters as an inspiration for the future of their business, she is also motivated by the past.
“My inspiration comes from a long list of entrepreneurs in my family like my mom (Nola), dad (Preston), and my aunt who owned her own restaurant, “Sweetie Mae’s Soul-food and Barbecue” in the ‘60s-’90s.
Antonio Avery said that Black culture, style, and swag are infused in their urban style, which many in other communities crave, in addition to comfort.
“They’re gonna feel great when they wear it,” he said, adding that the vibrant hoodies “pop” and will make people feel “warm inside.”
He added that the husband and wife “love our city.”
“We love what we’re doing,” he said, adding that the resurgence of Detroit is happening with the help of one entrepreneur at a time. “Detroit is coming back.”
For more information visit www.melodyofcomfort.com.
Contact Staff Writer Sherri Kolade with story ideas at skolade@michronicle.com.
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