Transplanted New Yorkers Anthony Thomas Melillo and Lance Miletich now call Miami home, along with their dynamo five-year-old son, Max. Anthony is the founder and owner of ATM, a collection of super soft, luxe casualwear for men, women and kids (you can find their iconic tees in our shop!), while Lance is a devoted stay-at-home dad. On most weekends, you’ll spot Max at State of Kid, cooking up delicious concoctions with Miss Nancy. In honor of Father’s Day and Pride Month, we chatted with Anthony about his clothing line, being a Miami dad and his highly coveted, limited-edition Pride tee.
How did you first hear about State of Kid?
We saw this kids’ store in the Design District and thought that was interesting for Max. And then we found out they offered classes, too! This was about two years ago. We had recently moved here from New York, just like Alana. We started talking and immediately hit it off. Not only does Max love the classes and teachers—especially Miss Nancy—but I also sell my kids’ t-shirts at State of Kid. So, there’s a lot of synergy.
Tell us about your brand ATM and how you started the kids’ line, too.
I started ATM in New York eight years ago. We’re known for our lifestyle pieces made from the purest Peruvian cotton, the softest cashmere and the most luxurious silk. We do tie-dye, dip washes, vintage washes, stitching and camouflage. Our slub tees are very popular, and it was only natural to start making them for kids. They are very soft and easy to wear in terms of fit and feel. Kids love the dip dyes and bright colors. We sell them online, at Saks and in small specialty stores, like State of Kid. We also have a brand store in East Hampton.
You moved to Miami three years ago. How are you liking the community?
We love it! There are so many families here. While we’ve never searched for other gay families in Miami, we’ve just found families we love. Max goes to a Montessori school, and he always says he has two dads.
What are your favorite family-friendly activities here?
Aside from Miss Nancy’s classes, Max also enjoys doing sports with Coach Mike Hirooka. He’s now riding his bike without training wheels and has moved on to skateboarding. He plays tennis and soccer, and we’ve taken him to exhibits like Beyond Van Gogh and Superblue. Miami is so relaxed and unpretentious. We love the Latin flavor and ease of living. We will be in Amagansett for most of the summer, but we can’t wait to get back here.
Since Max has two dads, how do you and Lance celebrate Father’s Day?
We both get presents! Actually, we don’t have a huge plan for Father’s Day. Max is only five, so we really make it a calm and easy day. We do an activity where we will all have fun. It’s more about Max than us.
We are loving the limited-edition Pride shirt ATM created, including a kids’ version.
That was born out a book we read to Max called, Rainbow: A First Book of Pride. It was written by Michael Genhart, an author from San Francisco. As a gay man, I never knew that the colors on the Gay Pride flag actually have meaning for each rainbow stripe. For example, the blue color is for harmony and orange is for healing. The author explained it so nicely and simply. So, we did a crew neck t-shirt to give back. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds will go to The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City. We have a version for adults and one for kids, only available on our website and at our store in East Hampton. It’s a very limited run.
