It was an honor to have won the Fashion Group International 2023 Rising Star Award in Accessories at their luncheon in New York City. The event was attended by many well known industry people as well as journalists from newspapers and fashion publications.
The venue was The Lighthouse, a waterfront venue at Chelsea piers with views overlooking the Hudson river. It was beautiful having the river on one side and the skyscrapers of NYC behind us. This was a dream for me.
Me, a telephone repairman following his passion and now being recognized by some of the most influential people in fashion. I was starstruck. I even had to walk the red carpet. In the Photo below Left to right are the owners and creative team from Oncept shoes. The Chairman of Fashion Group International James D'Adamo, myself, and Edmundo Castillo, Designer and global head of product design for Stuart Weitzman
Patricia Field, costume designer and stylist, was the keynote speaker. She was the stylist for Sex in the City and Emily in Paris.
When they announced my win I was a bit surprised and definitely overwhelmed. I used my speech as a time to thank everyone who helped me. No one does it alone. There are so many who want to see you succeed and help in many different ways. I was choking up through the whole speech, I knew I would. I was going to thank my husband first, but, I saved him for last because I knew I was going to have a hard time thanking him without totally crying. There are ones who love you so much that they want to see you happy no matter what. They are willing to risk everything to have you chase your dream. I wish everyone the fortune of having someone like that in your life.
