Reflection: Race Relations in the Indianapolis Fashion Industry

Indianapolis is one of the most segregated cities in the Midwest. I've come to terms with that...really I have. I grew up in a world where there was no color. People gasped at me when I brought a white man home to visit my family. What did your family say? Say about what?!?! Well....you know about Jason being white? Umm...my family didn't say anything. I don't think they even noticed. I've been in love with every race there is...I'm an equal opportunity lover. (I haven't dated an Asian though, need to fill that void...no really just kidding!) And it's not that I'm naive about race, hatred, and exclusion; it's out there and it's stronger than ever. I just try not to let it rule my life.

This time last year, I decided to follow a dream of mine and work in the fashion industry here in Indianapolis. I didn't know much about our fashion scene, but I knew one was out there. So I started researching to see where I would fit in. I have met so many new and exciting people since I've started to surface among the scene. Too many people to name...but you know who your are. I've also learned of many catty fights and division in the ranks. What do you expect? It is fashion...the mother of all cattiness, but I didn't expect any racial division. I don't know why, it's Indianapolis.

In Indianapolis, we have the black clubs and the white clubs...black stores and the white stores...black salons and white salons. Now don't get me wrong...there are some people of both races that break the mold. They don't follow the status quo and visit places that cater toward the opposite race. But the fashion industry....really?

I saw on Facebook last week a boycott against Midwest Fashion Week because it's founder, a Haitian male has been accused of purposely not promoting African American models and/or designers, because he's ashamed of his African heritage. I was floored, because this same issue was on the tongues of some when the Indianapolis Fashion Collective started. Many people said the organization was full of elitist and didn't want to particpate because they saw no representation of color within the ranks or there was no representation from IFC at the "black" fashion events. STOP PEOPLE!

Are people being too touchy? Are people looking for something to bitch about or does the Indianapolis fashion industry have a problem with color? I think certain people do, we cannot change the ignorance of those who choose to walk down a path of intolerance. But what we can do is support each other, whether that person, model, designer, photographer, or corporation is black or white or any other ethnicity or creed. Let's stop focusing on and fueling the color line, but lets step over it. Because Indianapolis is filled with talent from all sides; just think if we truly all came together and worked on making Indy the new fashion hub of the Midwest. We would be unstoppable.

Janelle 

Nelly Trinidad: Breaking New Ground

Today I’m going to blog about a fashion designer that's caught my eye here on the Island. Her name is Nelly Trinidad. I saw one of her fashion shows and she used a curvy girl. I loved this because it is not common for them to walk the runway with thin models.

Nelly Trinidad

I contacted her and she is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She told me she was forced to take sewing lessons by her mom when she was 13 years old with Carlota Alfaro, one of the best designers on the Island, but she did not like it at all because she wanted to go to Beauty School!

She put up a sewing shop at her home and sewed non stop leading her to a physical meltdown. Nelly fell into a deep depression for three years, and with the help of her family she got better. 

An interview for WAPA-TV

Later on she realized that being a fashion designer would be her destiny. Her husband, Abimael, bought her a fabric store and things changed around. 

Her models at South Fashion Week

There was a casting for Puerto Rico Next Fashion Designer and she went showcasing her collection Petite. It was a hit! Last month, she participated in South Fashion Week. I saw the designs and they were beautiful.

Nelly and her models at a charity event

Nelly does a lot of charity work and in December she is going to have a fashion show where the proceeds will go to battered women on the Island. Loved that! She tells me she wants to do a fashion show with Curvy girls...loving this idea also. 

Nelly with Neysha Martinez Orengo, the curvy girl she used in her Fashion Show in Puerto Rico Next Fashion Designer.

This amazing woman is so humble telling me she does not want fame or fortune, she just wants people appreciate her designs and enjoy them. That is her greatest triumph. You can be sure I will be going to her December fashion show for battered women and blogging all about it!!

Blessings to all!

Marta

Curvy Girls Brought It

Photo taken from Nuvo TV

So I'm honestly done with reality television. No really...I want some truly scripted TV. But there is always a piece of me that feeds into my reality TV guilty pleasure. I hope the TV gods are not feeding us big gurls what we want and then dump us once they have our undivided attention, because I'm loving all the big gurl reality love!

The Curvy Girls special preview aired last night on NUVO TV, a station I had no idea existed, but it will be set on my favorites list. I know some people don't have this station, but if you have AT&T UVerse you should...SCORE!

The show followed plus size models Rosie, Denise, Lorna and Victoria as they put their best foot forward working in the strenuous and superficial world of modeling.

Okay so I'm a little bias on my cast favorite...I LOVE ROSIE MERCADO!! Such a beautiful humble woman. I had no idea she had three little ones. I'm so happy to see her success and hope she does well in the modeling industry. I wish there was room in the modeling world for a larger woman especially with her proportions. As a hip heavy chica myself, I understand the plight of finding clothes that fit my child bearing hips and would love to see more women on the scene that has that issue. Ms. Rosie is trying to lose weight to get more modeling gigs and we are behind you lady...every bit!

So there was a part where Rosie had a semi blind date with a person she had been chatting with online. Soon as he came into frame, he just seemed smarmy to me. The guy ended up wooing Rosie on their date, but failed to follow through after with communication and phone calls. I hate men...especially men that say I've never dated a plus size girl before. That means you have a problem with it buddy cause if you didn't her size would have never been an issue. Boo Hiss to you sir...

Denise is the face of every plus size retail store on the market. You've seen her EVERYWHERE. I really don't relate to her character at all and since I don't know her personally, just what I've seen on TV, she seems a bit haughty. I do hope that she works out a schedule with her baby daddy so he can see his daughter. I also didn't understand why he showed up at her apartment looking for her while she was in NY. Did you not tell him you were in NY? What if something happened and no one knew where you were? That seemed kinda weird. I hope my instincts are wrong about her because she is truly a beautiful woman, but from the show last night, she sucks a little. But editing is horrible on these shows...

Victoria, another model, has issues with her "botched" ta-ta job was getting on my nerves about her boobs. She had implants done, but the doctor added a little bit too much. So she was unhappy with the result. Victoria wanted to get her secrets reduced. But honestly, her breast looked natural. They looked awesome to me. Eventually she did get the reduction, hopefully the new girls are to her liking...so she can quit being ta-ta obsessed! If she talked about breast ONE MORE time, I was going to go through the TV and choke her.

Lorna is a curvy model looking for work, so she leaves NY and heads for LA to find her mark on the industry. She leaves her boyfriend behind in NY, but tries to get him to come live in LA. Lorna feels long distance relationships doesn't work. I feel her on that! LDR are hard especially if the parties are not willing to work on it and there is always the whole out of sight out of mind saying. I just hope they had that discussion of work when their relationship was still young. As a model, you do live that fast paced life and that may mean moving where the jobs are. I just hope she didn't lose a good thing. I wish her the best and hope to see her face more.

The one thing I loathe was when the girls got together for a luncheon and another model approached Denise out in public calling her and the other ladies out of their name and making a scene. I HATE THAT!! I hate when women, especially black and brown women, act an ass out in public toward each other. You are not going to like everybody and not everyone will like you...that's life. If you have issues with a person, bring that up with that person PRIVATELY. Not on a public street, in a busy restaurant, in front of that person's friends. I mean ol gurl was loud too. The owner escorted her out. I hate that. It makes it rough for Black and Latina girls who don't act in that manner rise above the stereotype. Don't feed into the hype people.

In all, I really enjoyed Curvy Girls and I hope they bring it back for a full season. Like Big Sexy, it is refreshing to see women on television that look like me and share the same feelings and insecurities. In the meantime, I will just wait until someone offers me a show. But you probably wouldn't want to see me and my friends drink wine by the gallon...or would you?

Janelle

Weekend Love & OOTD

This weekend was my anniversary celebration. Because our anniversary was during the week and we had the little one, we had to postpone our festivites until the weekend. Jason and I went to our favorite restaurant, Ruth Chris Steak House, and we came home to a nice bottle of Easley's Reggae Blush wine. Thanks to the beautiful staff at Ruth Chris for making our anniversary wonderful!

In front of the basis of our fights for the past few weeks, the Great Camero Caper of 2011!

Yes...and I took pictures of what I wore...WHAT?!?! This is one of my favorite outfits. It's so light and comfortable. Plus the whole outfit cost under $25!! Yeah...no lie!

Cardigan: Cynthia Rowley Marshall's Clearance $9.99 Dress: Norma Kamali Walmart (Online) $12.99 Boots: Old Navy ~ Two seasons ago

Fashion doesn't have to be expensive!

On a side note, today is picture day at Kiran's school. Ugh for picture day...getting her dressed in the morning is like a part time job, now just add tights. So here is her OOTD...

So early in the morning...

Janelle

We've Come A Long Way, Baby

No...I'm not talking about Virginia Slim cigarettes! It's Jason and I's fifth anniversary. I can't believe it's been five years. Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. It's been one crazy ride. I've been blessed by God to find a best friend, a lover, a confidant and a kindred spirit all wrapped up in a 6'2 package.

2007/2008

2008

2009



2007

2009

Here's to many more years together...love you DJ Wonderloaf!!

Janelle



Fall is Death...LET ME EXPLAIN!

Fall is my FAVORITE time a year. I love wearing sweaters and drinking warm apple cider. I love the brisk wind as it whips through my open windows at night as a snuggle with Jay because we've got no where to go.

It's a season of transition. In my mind, fall is...well death. WAIT!! LET ME FINISH!!  Look around you. Look at the trees with their reds, oranges and yellow leaves or barren with skinny twigs blowing in the breeze. Gestation dying...animals preparing for a seasonal death. Halloween and the Day of the Dead, two holidays that focus on the afterlife or all things fearful. Fall is death, but sets us up for preparation of a new year..new lives.

Now to get prepared for winter and wait for the other transition period...spring. The season that brings life and fruitfulness.

I have a group of friends...we play together...we drink together...we eat together...we cry together...we do everything...well together. But once in a while, we like to get our families together and do some bonding. For our fall outing, I decided we celebrate the season by going to Waterman's Family Farm here in Indianapolis, IN. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.

Kiran with her second pumpkin of the season.

Donovan searching for that perfect one.

The kids running without a care in the world.

Indiana is so beautiful this time of year.

Kiran vs. Donovan the saga continues!

Welcome fall...oh how I've missed you!

Janelle

Marta's Vacation

If you want to relax, have fun and be pampered for a week what should you do is take a cruise..of course you will not regret it.

I went with my family on a Carribean cruise last week and it was a great experience. We sailed on the Carnival Victory, visiting the Islands of St. Thomas, St, John, Barbados, St, Kitts and St, Maarten in that order.

The tours we took were the one’s that showed us the island. The tour guides were great; explaining everything with detail.

Apolonia and Ana in St. Thomas

In St. Thomas, they took us to the Rum Factory and let us have a sample of each Rum. Well...I tried all the samples and everything was a bit blurry after that. I took a taxi back to the ship because I was literally in a daze. Won’t do that again!

Amber Fountain in St. Thomas worth 2 million dollars

The second day was at sea and it was Captain’s Night where everyone got dressed up, went to the formal dining room and had a great meal. Our waiters were great and the food was amazing.

In St. John, we were taken to another Rum Factory, but this time I just had one sample of Rum. I learned my lesson. We were also taken to an Old Colonial House. Simply beautiful!

Artist Reggie giving a demonstration

I liked the Barbados Tour. They took us to Medford Mahogany Creations. Reggie was the artist. He is so talented, I actually bought one of his creations.

Music in Barbados

Dining room in Colonial home in Barbados

St Kitts was so much fun, we took a train ride all around the island and everytime we passed people they would wave to us. Very friendly.

Train Ride in St.Kitts

The last island was St. Maarten. This island is beautiful. Celebrities like Diana Ross and Chuck Norris have homes here and the views are breathtaking.

Fine Dining

If you decide to go prepare yourself mentally for food 24 hours a day and photograhers popping out from everywhere to take your pic.

I also recommend the comedy shows; they were great especially a comedian named Happy Cole, very talented.

St. Maarten

Well all good things come to an end, but you can be sure that will not be my last time on a cruise vacation, God willing. So remember when you plan your next vacation think about crusin, believe me you will have a great time!

Blessings to all,

Marta