She's a LLADY: TAMMY LE

By Samantha Harris Author Politics As Usual


Lovemade is just that… made with love. Tammy and Linda’s goal is to support and empower women through their multifaceted agency. “Our main thing is that we cater to females. All of our events are geared towards women. We want to brand ourselves so that females know we can support them.”

Since sixth grade these women have been best friends and now support each other as business partners. Tammy handles the marketing and events while Linda is in the process of creating the Lovemade clothing line. They want to support, market, promote and dress the strong women they see in each other and in you.

They started throwing parties in Orange County and then in LA to help brand and market their movement. Tammy recalls one of their first parties, “We had a party back in 2007 at Tokyo Bar called Manic Monday’s with an all female DJ line-up.” This is where Tammy wants to see Lovemade events return to, “We get distracted with corporate events and sponsoring other peoples parties. My goal is to return to my roots and get back to promoting all female DJ line-ups and throwing parties that support all females.” Which is one of the many reasons why Lovemade joined Ladies Lotto. Linda came to a meeting in New York and upon her return to Los Angeles started the LA Chapter of Ladies Lotto. “We want to help bring exposure to LL events in Los Angeles and set up more charity driven events in the future.”

Lovemade has worked with a number of corporate clients such as Pepsi, Reebok, SobE Water, Diesel, Urban Outfitters, Urban Decay Cosmetics, Wet & Wild and Hello Kitty. These companies want to work with Lovemade, because, ”We bring the cool girl element to their event, hey if Lovemade sponsor’s their party it is guaranteed to have x-amount of girls. We are able to cater to females and that’s who inspires and supports us.”

With a lot of events and collaborations in the works Tammy and Linda are hoping to bring a Lovemade product to you soon. Linds has collaborated with Han Cholo and is in the process of launching their contemporary fashion line Lovemade. “It’s the kind of clothing we want to see our Lovemade ladies in.” Tammy is hoping to do another LA Fashion Week launch party to follow up her successful event last year with Revolve Clothing and is working on a Coachella event with Will.i.Am. Which will follow up their highly successful event Dipdive Nights on Sunday’s with Lovemade which ran the entire month of January up until the Grammy’s featuring rotating dj’s such as Will.i.Am, Apple, Samantha Ronsen and Steve Aoki. Outside of Lovemade Tammy manages Will.i.AM when he’s not on tour. “Due to our relationship with dipdive we are able to help people get jobs. We have become an agency, which is what we wanted to be. We can refer hairstylist, makeup artists, graphic designers, etc.”

Who is Lovemade? “We are inspired by supportive women who are handling their business. It can be such a competitive environment working with other women. But, with other women’s networks like Ladies Lotto we all naturally want to support each other and we all have credibility being in there .. I like how that feels.. I want people associated with Lovemade to feel that too.”




In Her Own Words:

How did you get involved with Ladies Lotto?

My partner/best friend Linda and I started the Ladies Lotto LA chapter, after she attended a meeting in NY.

Ladies Lotto is a very inspirational network to be involved with. It’s nice to have access to a network of ambitious women that support and inspire each other. I’ve tried to assist anyone who has come to me with questions, contacts, referrals, etc. I’ve worked on projects/events with some of the other members and they’ve all turned out well :).

LLADY MELINDA RIVERA

By Samantha Harris Author Politics As Usual


Remember this Lee Press On Nail commercial from ’85?



Well HER Nails is the, “Couture Lee Press On nails for the 21st century.” Melinda Mann Rivera fused her love of jewelry and nail art into event-nails. A set of temporary nails that she custom designers for you. She says her nail designs are, “whimsical, extravagant and unique.” HER Nails can design acrylics, natural nails and event-nails with minx, polish, appliqués, chains, bobbles, pearls, really anything your heart desires.

Melinda’s favorite accessory even before nails is jewelry the natural next step was for her to figure out a way to incorporate those jewels onto her fingertips. “Jewelry and nails go together, event-nails are nail jewelry.” She recalls making her first set of event-nails, from a broken pair of doorknockers purchased at the LA swap meat and, “glued nuggets of doorknockers to her finger nails”. She would love to see her event-nails reach a larger market in the next three to five years, “I don’t want them mass produced but I would like to see them in Intermix and Kitson. Hopefully having a high end version and even a set for little girls.” Currently she is trying to perfect adding zippers to her designs, “I’ve been playing around with zippers, that’s my new project, figuring how to put real zippers on nails. I’ve painted zippers on nails but I want real ones.” And, whom would she like to outfit in these tips? Jennifer Lopez or course.

If it were up to Melinda your nails would be long, oval and dripping in designs. “Really long nails are my favorite. The sky’s the limit if I can fit it on there it’s going to go on there. That’s the beauty of event nails you can do anything you want and take them off at the end of the night.”

Her predictions for nail trends this summer are aqua/green, coral and neutral skin toned nails. For the launch of Sex and the City the Sequel Melinda will be offering, “limited edition Sex and the City nails for each character.”

If decked out, dripping with stones, fly for the night nails are what your looking for then you need a set of your own custom event-nails by HER Nails. You can be as specific with shape, length and color or leave the theme up to Melinda either way within 10 days your ten fingers will be wild for the night. When you’re the envy of your friends and they all want a set of their own you can throw a nail party with Melinda at your house (if you live in the greater Los Angeles area).

HER Nails is a way for Melinda to bridge all her loves, “I like most women am very complex and what I do reflects all the many parts of who I am. And I try to cater to women to make them feel better about who they are. Part of what I enjoy about my job is be around girls and getting a chance to do some really girly sh*t.”

Her other love is working for Youth INC. were she helps build confidence in young women through social justice programs. She teaches art programs to fourth through twelfth graders. Young woman who she feels have lost their confidence, “Most of them deal with self-esteem and body issues. I am helping girls learn more about what beautiful means.” She says, “Growing up in a city that caters to models and actresses can really fu*k with your head. It means a lot to me to show these young girls that I’m a plus size model and show them my pictures and show them that all women are beautiful.” Melinda would also like to donate HER Nails services to young girls going to prom; “I am trying to think of a way for teachers to offer HER Nails services to girls this prom season.”

If you want your own set of custom event-nails, designs or want to throw a nail party contact Melinda at Melinda@her-nails.com and be sure to check out her designs at Her and Her Nails.

In Her Own Words:

How did you get involved with Ladies Lotto?

I had heard about Ladies Lotto from a few different contacts in Los Angeles, but there weren't really a ton of LA events going on so even though I was interested in getting involved, I wasn't exactly sure what it was or how to make that connection happen. Then Natalie kind of serendipitously found me. She reached out to me, we met for lunch, and quickly realized how much we as individuals, as women, had in common but also what a strong vision we shared for women's work and the need for collaboration and support in the female community. As a nail designer, a model, a teacher, and an LA Native with many of the same girlfriends since Kindergarten--most of my professional and free time is spent working with women and girls. There is so much talent and passion in us, so much to be shared--but places like Ladies Lotto need to exist to help foster that communication and support.

How have you contributed to the LL Community?

I only joined LL this past year, and have been working with Natalie (Blacker, founder of Ladies Lotto) to brainstorm ways to strengthen the LA chapter. We have a lot of existing members already and so many more that I've spoken to that are interested in joining. We just need to have the framework to support new membership and keep the LA chapter alive and strong. I'm hosting the Lovers Rock event on February 10, and will also have a big part of the Women's Work event in the spring. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get the LA Chapter going strong. We are all so busy with out work, but we all need to commit a little more time to getting things going on the West. So if you're in LA and you want to help, please be in touch.

How has the LL Community contributed to your life/company?

I use the LL Community to publicize my nail days in Venice as well as for general advice and connections. I have met a lot of great women through LL and look forward to all the opportunities that will surely arise out of a strong local chapter. Just knowing the community is there, I find myself stumbling upon things often that I want to share with my fellow sisters. I try to keep my emails to a minimum, though there are surely a few things throughout the day that cross my mind to share. It's really great to know you basically have this sisterhood of women, many of whom are strangers, that are just a click away with support, advice, and good energy. Most women, most people, don't have that. It's no small thing what Natalie and the Ladies Lotto Community have created and maintained over the years. I'm proud to be a part of it.