It’s only a matter of time until everyone loves Sage Mellet. She’s bright and bubbly and blonde. She’s also a staunch feminist and co-founder of Peach Pack, a monthly subscription pack of feminine hygiene products transforming the period space and de-stigmatizing the conversation around menstruation. And that’s not all.
As sister of Gen-Z pop icon, Troye Sivan, the 21-year-old—despite having an Insta-following of 121k and counting—is still pretty under the radar. Basking in the fleeting peace and calm before she shoots off into superstardom, we caught up with Mellet as she follows on the European leg of Sivan’s ‘Bloom’ tour.
Below, Mellet talks with Jessica Wu, an activist in her own right and founder of Period Space, a digital platform devoted to an open dialogue about what else? Periods.
Sage wears jacket and pants by Rue de Tokyo, T-Shirt by Ellesse, Shoes by Primeboots and earrings Maria Black
Jessica Wu: So, tell me about yourself:
Sage Mellet: “I live in Melbourne, Australia, but I was raised in Perth. Currently, I’m in school at Melbourne University studying media and communications, but I’ve actually taken this semester off because my friend and I just launched our own business that we’re trying to focus on called Peach Pack. I also have somewhat of an online presence, so I’m constantly thinking about how I want to engage with social media and my audience.”
JW: A little background on myself—I created and run a platform called Period Space. I basically started Period Space because I spent most of my teenage years in shame and confusion over what was happening with my body. When I moved to New York and was exposed to a bigger audience of people and grew a bit of a following on Instagram as well, I began to share more about my period in public and realized that there were so many people out there who identified with my experience, but felt too shy to share about it or felt like it was a stigmatized conversation. What were your motivations for starting Peach Pack?
SM: “That’s so awesome and so cool, because it honestly is completely in alignment with our subscription pack! Basically, my best friends and I share very similar values, we’re all proud feminists. One day, we were with a friend who was telling us about subscription services, and we were like, ‘Oh my god, can you imagine if there was a subscription pack that would deliver pads and tampons to people who need them?’ We imagined that we could help people and break stigmas, and we began brainstorming and formed Peach Pack!”
JW: Have you always been comfortable talking about periods on social media? How do you think that being open about menstrual health has influenced your followers’ perceptions about you?
SM: “Growing up, it was something that I felt ashamed of. I was one of the first people out of my friend group to get my period, and I remember being so embarrassed and having to hide my pads in my sweater so no one could see, which is a bit insane. As a I got older, my friends started becoming more open about it, talking about how it was taboo and how insane it is that half of the world experiences this thing once a month and we feel ashamed to speak about it. I’m definitely grateful that I’m surrounded by like-minded people and friends who want to break that stigma, because it’s such a nice environment when you can have friends around you who you can speak to about these things.
“Before Peach Pack, I definitely don’t think I was talking about periods publicly, but as Peach Pack grows, I really want to actualize these values and show that speaking about it shouldn’t be something we’re embarrassed about. I’ve found that small things make a difference. I posted a photo the other day about having pimples on my face, and in the caption I mentioned it was because of my period. Even a few years ago I would never have mentioned the word period in a caption!”
JW: I totally feel you on that! I feel like before, there was no way I would have mentioned these things to anyone (even in person to my closest friends), so suddenly sharing it with your entire audience where you have tons of followers kind of takes your confidence to the next level.
You mentioned earlier that you are a staunch feminist and believe in de-stigmatizing (period) conversations. Do you feel an obligation to motivate your younger followers when it comes to that? What are some values you feel like you champion on your platform?
SM: “What I see on Instagram is just perfection. I’m constantly exposed to people living perfect lives and looking good all the time, and I know for sure that that is not my reality. I have all these followers who are young girls, and I feel like it would be a disservice to them to show only the good things in my life. I really try to show them that not everyday will be good, or sometimes you have pimples or cold sores, and that’s okay! And we can share that. We are human! If you have your period and are having pain problems or just struggling with it, being able to share that is so important. That’s my aim for my Instagram—to be a role model for young girls and show that it’s okay to not be perfect all the time.”
JW: I think it’s so important that you’re trying to be real on Instagram, because it’s totally a trap sometimes—the ultimate curated version of yourself. Being a young woman, do you ever feel like your age has been an obstacle for your business endeavors, or do you feel like it gave you an advantage when it came to your business?
SM: “I don’t think it has been a huge obstacle, but I do think that I doubt myself because I think ‘Oh, who’s going to listen to a 21-year-old about business?’ But I’ve been lucky enough that the people that I’ve spoken about Peach Pack with, like my family, my brother, and his manager—they’ve very much responded in a supportive manner. But, I’m ready to learn so much over the next couple of years.”
JW: That’s a great age to be starting your own business and bringing these ideas into the world. I noticed that social responsibility is a big part of Peach Pack’s mission. I think it’s fantastic that you are impacting the local community in Australia to serve the underserved. Why did you decide to incorporate giving back into your business model?
SM: “When my friend and I were speaking about how we wanted Peach Pack to look, we said that we didn’t see the point of starting this if it wasn’t going to create change or do good for others. There are 45,000 homeless women in Australia alone, and that is a huge number of people who don’t have access to basic sanitary items. We thought that if we’re going to be providing people who can afford sanitary items with products, we also have a responsibility to provide them to people who can’t. We partner with Share the Dignity: We give a portion of our profits to them and they provide sanitary products to the homeless.”
Sage wears top by Pellobello, pants by Primeboots leather togs, earrings by Malin Henningsson
JW: I 100% agree with that! In America, there’s a bunch of new companies coming up that have chlorine-free, bleach-free, organic, and good-for-your-body products, and a lot of them also incorporate giving back to the community, so it’s great to see you’re on board too! I also love that Peach Pack’s packaging is so thought out and nicely designed, so I imagine that your personal style must be well curated too!
SM: “I try being as authentic as possible, but it’s much harder said than done. I don’t get obsessed with certain brands and only wear the. I do a lot of vintage and secondhand shopping because it’s affordable and environmentally friendly. Style is always changing, and I like that; I get inspired by different places and people.”
JW: How has your upbringing (living in Australia, traveling often, meeting people on tour, your own family and friends) influenced your own sense of style?
SM: “Because we were raised in Perth, which is a small city and community, there wasn’t ‘big city life,’ so fashion wasn’t a focus growing up. We dressed very, I guess like normcore, which I don’t mind at all. That’s where I get the more comfort-focused part of my style from.
“I just went on my brother’s European tour, which was amazing. I was so inspired by all of the cities we went to—each city has its own vintage stores; I got some cute pieces from Paris! If I am going to spend money, I like to spend it on an item that I really love. I’m obsessed with Acne and Saint Laurent!”
JW: What are some wardrobe necessities that can’t live without?
SM: “I can’t live without a good pair of jeans; I’m more into boyfriend and mom jeans, rather than tight ones. I can’t live without my leather jacket. Troye and I were actually talking about how growing up in a small community where fashion wasn’t the main focus didn’t really test our limits. I rarely ever wore heels or boots, but we talked about how we always wanted to do that. So for my 21st birthday, he bought me these gorgeous boots from Yves Saint Laurent—they’re plain, black, simple, and they’re my only boots. I’m obsessed with them and so grateful that he got them for me!”
Sage wears suit by Modes Stockholm, earrings by Maria Black, necklaces (top to bottom) by Langeable, Mayol and Modes Stockholm
JW: Do you think having a stylish brother, who’s quite involved in the fashion industry, has any impact on your taste?
SM: “I don’t necessarily think his style specifically impacts me, but his whole thing is confidence and wearing something with confidence; whatever I do choose to wear I should be rocking it and giving it my all.”
JW: What is your advice for budding entrepreneurs or young people who are interested in building their own business?
SM: “You have to go into everything with such an open mind. I feel like I know nothing, so the more you ask, the more people will be willing to talk to you. You don’t know everything, so make sure you’re surrounding yourself with supportive people who actually want to help you. Put all of your energy into it. Right now, I’m still working on Peach Pack and it’s not exactly how I want it to look. The journey is the most important thing, because you want to keep evolving and creating the product to be exactly how you want it to look.”
Sage wears jacket by Pellobello
JW: In a world that is constantly reeling from tragedy and uncertainty, how do keep yourself inspired to keep pushing for change?
SM: “I feel like that’s my specific purpose; with everything I do, I want it to be intentional and to be able to impact people in a positive way. Although we do live in a world where negative things happen, as long as you remain focused and realize what you want to do is good, you have to keep pushing. And it’s hard. It’s very hard, but you have to keep going!”
JW: What do you hope for Peach Pack’s future, and what do see in your own future?
SM: “One of Peach Pack’s goals this year is to launch internationally, especially in America, because we’ve had so many people reach out and ask. We just want to create a big impact on our audience and engage with the people that follow Peach Pack!
“I want to keep focusing on my company, give it my all, and look at what I value in my company and apply it to different aspects of my life.”