When I look back on the year, I see this as a year of great opportunity and a testament to people’s appreciation of talent. The year was quite unassuming and quiet filled only with deadlines and hard work. The year began with a photo shoot for the Women of the Navajo Magazine for the Spring issue. Putting together a mini collection to turn the Nizhoni Way models into “Women of the Navajo” models was quite a task. The photo session was broken up into two groups and was not without its drama. Models canceling and throwing fits before the first photos were snapped made the first session a relief to finish.
Spring brought even more show invites. Shows sometimes a week apart proved to be a test of all our patience. With model melt downs from former Nizhoni Way models, faux modeling agencies and spiteful wanna-be designers could not knock Nizhoni Way Apparel off its game. I plowed through their adversity and managed to produce some pretty great turn outs for shows.
With my second year as Fashion show Coordinator for the 26th Annual Central Navajo Nation Fair (CNF), I held my second model audition for my annual fashion show. I managed to put together a great show and debuted “The Nizhoni Way Apparel 2012 Calendar featuring Nizhoni Way Models.” We had great reception and I introduced a new marketing idea that quickly become the most copied idea by other Calendar organizations—The introduction of Model Merchandise and the branding of the “NWA” MODEL.
With great reception from the 26th Annual CNF Fashion show, I was asked to showcase in the Annual Fashion show for The Navajo Arts And Crafts Enterprise (NACE). It seemed only fitting considering that myself and Dineh Couture were the headliners of the first ever NACE Customer Appreciation Fashion Show. It began with us and we returned to headline again with our special guests Defy Mi and Martini Couture. It was an amazing show! Filled with high energy and amazing talents….it did not matter we had a show crasher to try and grab a little bit of our spot light! They know who they are. Whatever crumbs we left, we were all more than gracious to allow them to have. HAHA!!!
The last few months of the year were filled with so many options for me and the NWA models. We had several amazing invites to showcase designs. Dropping one show to do another was quite the norm for me throughout the year! Shows in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Phoenix and Flagstaff made it difficult to plan out the remainder of the year.
With the close of the year, I was asked to contribute to an article on the whole Urban Outfitters controversy—which went national and lead to me being asked to showcase some designs in the Native Peoples Magazine which is set to come out March 2012. I feel that I have a great head start on the New Year.
I look forward to what 2012 has planned for me and greet each blessing with grace and immense appreciation.
