A New Day Rising

How’s your week been? Coming back from all those Fifth of July, oops I mean Fourth of July celebrations ;)?!? It’s been a hot minute since I checked in. I think writing my last blog, creating the Phoenix Rising and a few special occasion dresses for clients while finding the perfect venue for the La Vita E Un Dono runway show, and spending so much time with my inspiring friends and family, my cup is overflowing with creativity. As best said by the Foo Fighters, “I, I’m a new day rising. I’m a brand-new sky to hang the stars upon tonight.”

What’s your story? Who is the cast of characters? …the protagonist (I hope you say yourself)? …the antagonist (I feel like sometimes we’re that too)? Is it a story of redemption, is it comical, is it filled with love, or does it fall in line with Greek Tragedy?

Ten years ago, over the Memorial Day weekend, I was watching soccer games with friends when one of the mentioned to me that I should start designing clothing. At the time, I was at the boutique and loved styling and buying the clothing for my clients, but hadn’t created anything for anyone in thirty years. This person had no idea that I grew up wanting to be a fashion designer, so I asked the question, “what makes you say that?” The response was to the point, “you’d make a killing; you have an eye for it.” This person continued to lift up this idea by saying that in five years I’d have showrooms in New York, Paris, London and Milan. I let it sit with me for a little while and then I tried my luck sewing, first, for myself.

Well, it has taken me a little more than 5 years to achieve the accomplishment of showing in all these places (Milan this September) and many other locations. I may be a little older than the traditional fashion designers, but I’ll tell you this: if there is something you’ve been wanting to do but there are barriers in your way, whether self-imposed or not, I say DO WHAT THEY THINK YOU CAN’T. Surround yourself with the people that believe in you (and even better those that believe in you MORE than you believe in yourself because they will keep you accountable). So it brings me back to the stories…

I have had a spiritual awakening in some ways since visiting the Old San Ysidro church and letting the fact that I will be showing in an Italian monastery built in the 1400’s (both are deconsecrated or no longer used for religious services). I felt like there’s stories that I’m fascinated by, whether mythological or from biblical history and this would be the perfect venue to bring them to life. As I’ve said before, I tend to be more inspired by what I’m experiencing in life and these stories resonate to me. Here’s a couple of examples.

In March 2021, two weeks before my mastectomy and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I took a quick trip into NYC. I knew this was not the correct protocol to be traveling just weeks before my surgery, but there was a temporary statue that I needed to see because it was going to be taken down before I could get back out there. The sculpture, Medusa with the Head of Perseus, by Luciano Garbati was installed in Collet Pond Park and faced New York County Criminal Courthouse. If you’ve ever read mythology or heard the tales, you may have heard about Medusa.

In every mythology movie I remember seeing, Medusa was the monster with snake wielding hair and a stare that would turn you to stone. As I learned about this particular sculpture, I felt called to visit it. If you don’t know this tale, I’ll share a quick synopsis of what I’ve heard and read.

Medusa was a beautiful maiden who was raped by the sea god Poseidon in Athena’s temple. She, the victim, was blamed and turned into a Gorgon–a mythological monster–with a lethal gaze and a crown of snakes upon her head by Athena. According to Greek Mythology, she was beheaded by “the hero” Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danaë, with the help of Athena and other gods and her head was the trophy. What I loved about the sculpture, is it flipped the script on the story we’ve been told. In this version, she is carrying the head of the man sent to kill her in one hand and a sword in the other. At the time, I saw myself in that story. My Perseus was cancer.

Another story I’ve been delving into A LOT lately, is The Chosen. This television series is biblically based with a little creative spin to bring some humanity to the divine and tie the gospels and old testament all together. The story follows Jesus, His apostles and disciples. I love how it dives deeper into these followers lives as they grapple with things like forgiveness, doubt, faith and humility. I try to wrap my head around being alive at the time of Jesus and especially being one of His chosen. I love all the characters but I’ve always been drawn to Mary Magdalene. She had a troubled past. According, to Luke 8:2, “as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;” Yet, she was called out by name and the first to witness Jesus’ resurrection. Mary Magdalene’s story is about repentance, devotion and transformation. It is also about forgiveness—and even more so, forgiving ourselves. As I started thinking of my mood board for this look, the quote from Oscar Wilde came to mind, “The only difference between saints and sinners is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future.” I think sometimes we forget that we are continually growing and evolving (or at least I hope so). That transformation reminds me of the butterfly which has also been a symbol in the faith.

I hope you see how I’ve been inspired. Those are two of the 11 stories that will play-out in the performative segment of La Vita E Un Dono. I plan to share more with you from Mary mother of God, to Cassiopeia, to Susannah. Stories of tenacity, audaciousness, humility, redemption, empowerment, growth and beauty. I can’t wait to share those with you along with the looks I will be taking to Italy.

I’ve got the venue, 11 models lined up, volunteers in place, a third of the tickets sold, and have added another incredible sponsor—thank you all for this tremendous support sooner rather than later. Thank you Jennifer Graham Realty for joining Alpha-Lit Albuquerque Santa Fe as presenting sponsors and All About You Events as an in-kind sponsor.

All that’s missing is you! Go to the EVENTS page for the details. Let’s share stories over a Limoncello Spritz on August 25th!

With light and love,
Dara Sophia Romero