Melanista is a unique online store dedicated to embodying and celebrating Black women through fashion.Our standout product is a collection of personalized leather handbags finely crafted to represent the strong and beautiful black women. Each handbag is a fusion of quality, luxury, culture, and pride; woven into an iconic accessory that symbolizes the resilient spirit of Black women. With Melanista, every black woman gets to wear their heritage proudly and stylishly.
Melanista (melanista.com) has 281 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 3.4 out of 5.
Also known as
melanista.com
Website
melanista.com
Category
Accessories
Location
Montebello, New York
Listed on Five Star Index
2026
About these reviews
Replies
The company replied to 100% of reviews.
Latest
Most recent review: May 2025.
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Reviews are shown as their authors wrote them. The company can reply, but cannot edit them.
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Very nice bag just a lil upset that I didn’t get it in time for Christmas and it took so long to arrive but it’s for my daughter and I’m sure she’ll love it .
Response from MelanistaJan 17, 2025
Dear David,
Thank you for your kind review!
We’re delighted to hear that you found the bag very nice, and we truly appreciate your understanding regarding the delay. We completely understand how disappointing it is when a special gift doesn’t arrive in time, especially for a cherished occasion like Christmas.
We’re confident that your daughter will love the bag once she receives it! 💖 Your satisfaction is important to us, and we are continually working to improve our shipping processes to ensure a better experience for our customers in the future.
Thank you for your patience and for choosing us! We hope to serve you again soon!
MW
Malcolm W.
The bag has great material and detail
The bag has great material and detail. Exactly as described. My wife loved it.
Response from MelanistaJan 17, 2025
Dear Malcolm,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We’re thrilled to hear that you and your wife are pleased with the bag. It’s fantastic to know that the quality and details met your expectations. We take great pride in our products, and knowing that your wife loved it truly makes our day!
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us. If you ever have any questions or need assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
We’re here to help! Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you back soon for more beautiful items! 🙏
JY
Joseph Y.
The wait was well worth it
The wait was well worth it, as I witness my wife smile when she opened I too was glade to see that smile. This experience really taught me patience.
Response from MelanistaJan 17, 2025
Dear Joseph,
Thank you so much for sharing your heartwarming review!
We’re absolutely delighted to hear that the wait was well worth it and that your wife’s smile made it all worthwhile. 😊 It's wonderful to know that our product brought such joy to both of you.
We understand that waiting for a special item can be challenging, and we appreciate your patience throughout the process.
Your experience truly highlights the joy of gift-giving, and we’re honored to be a part of that moment. If you ever need assistance or have any questions in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for choosing us, and we look forward to serving you again soon! 🙏
RK
Rahiym King F.
Although the bag took a week short of …
Although the bag took a week short of month to get delivered and the wallet still hasn't been delivered, my mom (who i bought the bag for) loves it. She gave me a big hug and said she's using it tomorrow......also I love the emails, they always seem personal and just for me.....i also love the bag and it's bigger than I expected
Response from MelanistaJan 14, 2025
Hi Rahiym,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review!
We’re delighted to hear that your mom loves the bag and that it brought her such joy! 🥰 It’s wonderful to know that she’s excited to use it tomorrow. We apologize for the delay with the wallet and appreciate your understanding during this time.
We’re also glad you enjoy our emails! We strive to make each communication feel personal because our customers are at the heart of what we do.
If you need any assistance regarding the wallet or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your support, and we hope to serve you again soon!
MI
Mike
I ordered my bag for a Christmas gift…
I ordered my bag for a Christmas gift for my wife. As of today, I still have not received the bag. I did receive the free wallet which my wife really likes, but my original order was made on December 11th.
That's over as month ago. It's bad enough that it has taken this long, but I keep getting emails from you folks trying to sell me something else.
It's very irritating to receive another email about purchasing something else when I have not received my original order.
Response from MelanistaJan 14, 2025
Hi Mike,
We’re truly sorry to hear about the delay with your bag, especially since it was meant to be a special Christmas gift for your wife. We understand how frustrating it is to wait, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.
Sometimes items can be shipped separately, which may explain why the wallet arrived while the bag is still on its way. If you’d like to check the status of your order or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’re here to help!
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time, and we’re committed to resolving this for you as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your support, and we hope to ensure a better experience for you in the future! 🌟
CC
Corey Cozy C.
We Don't Believe You. You Need Our People.
The purse was smaller than expected, with loose threading in several areas. I was disappointed to learn it was manufactured in China, which wasn’t disclosed in the product description or marketing. The brand's emails and personal imagery led me to believe I was supporting a US-based, Black woman-owned small business. This felt misleading and inauthentic, especially considering the cultural elements used in their branding. The tracking process was also frustratingly vague, particularly after the item reached the US. Given the quality, lack of transparency, and overall experience, I wouldn’t recommend this company or purchase from them again. After initially submitting my review I was able to read the reviews of other customers and changed mine from two to one star. I would give 0 stars and ask for a refund if it were possible. I am thoroughly disappointed by this clear scheme to profit off black culture especially by the use of black female empowerment. Even worse, I'm completely turned off by the vague, ineffective, and deflective responses from the company to customer reviews who complained of similar issues. The majority of one star reviews have the same issues: lack of transparency, poor quality, long delivery time, poor communication and misrepresentation. That says a lot and if anything, I wish I would have read them sooner. For that, I claim responsibility for but I implore anyone who is fortunate to read the reviews to take them seriously. I typically take all reviews with a grain of salt but if there's anything I can do to remove all doubt that this is indeed a a fake company using black culture to ship poor quality Chinese goods potentially made in a sweatshop, I would. THIS IS NOT A BLACK OWNED COMPANY! I can't stress that enough. I don't even know if Michelle is real or aware that her image and family are being used in the most deceitful way possible. If you don't believe me, look at the generic, vague, deflective, response the company wrote in many of the reviews and most likely mine.
Response from MelanistaJan 14, 2025
Hi Corey,
We sincerely apologize for your disappointment and appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.
We understand how important transparency is, and we want to clarify that while we are a Black-owned company based in the US, our manufacturing does take place in Hong Kong. We strive to maintain high-quality standards, and your feedback about the purse’s size and loose threading is taken seriously.
Regarding production and shipping timelines, they typically range from 20-25 business days in total, and we understand how this can be frustrating. If you need assistance with tracking, or quality or have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
We genuinely value your input and are committed to improving our processes. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to restore your faith in our company.
OB
Orlando B.
My wife is going to love this purse…
My wife is going to love this purse once she gets it on Valentine’s Day. This bag was supposed to be for Christmas, it didn’t arrive so I figured, maybe for her birthday, still nothing. I guess the holidays are busy for Melanista. Anyways, it is here and I’m waiting on the wallet. Hopefully it will be here before Valentine’s.
Response from MelanistaJan 14, 2025
Hi Orlando,
Thank you for your understanding and your lovely message!
We’re thrilled to hear that you have a special gift planned for your wife on Valentine’s Day. 💖 We truly apologize for the delays you’ve experienced and appreciate your patience during the busy holiday season.
We’re glad the purse has finally arrived, and we’re working hard to ensure the wallet reaches you soon. If you have any questions about your order or need assistance with tracking, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
We’re grateful for your support and hope your wife loves her gifts! Thank you for choosing us, and we look forward to serving you again in the future! 🌟
BS
bunmi S.
Disappointed. Transparency is key
I have not received my bag or the wallet so I cannot speak on the quality. My issue is the company they need to be transparent. They give the impression that they are black owned and manufacture in the US, i have my doubts now because I see my bag is being shipped from China!! What else are you not being honest about. I mean you receive mails from Michelle and you think oh these people are so customer friendly and Michelle is just spam. I was thinking of ordering something else but I won't until they are honest and state categorically where the manufacture and ship from.
Response from MelanistaJan 14, 2025
Hi Bunmi,
Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. We sincerely apologize for the confusion and any frustration you’ve experienced.
We want to clarify that we are indeed a Black-owned company based in the US, but our manufacturing does take place in Hong Kong. We understand how important transparency is, and we appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve.
Our typical production and shipping timeline is around 20-25 business days, and we’re sorry for the delay with your bag and wallet. If you have questions about your order or need assistance tracking it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
We appreciate your patience and understanding, and we hope to provide a better experience for you in the future! Thank you for considering us. 🌟
