Women in Design 2019 - 18

18

Melissa
Gonzalez
CEO and Founder
The Lionesque Group

Photos by CASSIE LEE PHOTOGRAPHY and courtesy of THE LIONESQUE GROUP

Melissa Gonzalez is often described as a pioneer. Her
company, the Lionesque Group, is at the forefront of
innovation in retail, reshaping physical experiences in the
digital age. The firm specializes in strategy and pop-ups,
working with the likes of Coty Marc Jacobs, the RealReal,
and Madison Reed, in addition to permanent spaces like
Nordstrom Local.
For Gonzalez, the launch of the Lionesque Group
was a leap into the unknown. She previously worked in
institutional equity sales, producing independent films
on the side. But in 2009, she made the decision to leave
behind her Wall Street career and pursue her "creative
heart." Later that year, she had the opportunity to partner
with a family that owned real estate in Manhattan, and
together they launched their first revolving pop-up shop for
emerging brands. "It was an unexpected marriage of my
business acumen and my passion for storytelling," she says.
Women in Design 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Women in Design 2019
