Diversity Fashion Show captivates with its inclusion of cultural identity – The Tri-City Record

The production presented the heritage through designs

Spectators gasped as area artists, models and designers combined cultural heritage and style at the Farmington Museum and Convention Center on Friday, August 9. As the sun set and against a natural backdrop that gave visitors the opportunity to view models from diverse backgrounds, Aeroprey Aerial & Still Imagery presented its third annual Diversity Celebrated Fashion Show.

Designer Penny Singer finishes her runway with a smiling model after showcasing her latest pieces from the Penny Singer Design line at Aeroprey's 2024 Celebrating Diversity Fashion Show on Friday, August 9. (Kristian Yazzie Tri-City Record)

Models showcased clothing, jewelry and accessories inspired by indigenous and Hispanic culture. The show included a wide range of styles, from modern men's casual tops with an indigenous flair to intricately presented quinceañera dresses and authentic, handcrafted traditional indigenous jewelry.

Designers included local artisans Breezy Designs, Letta Lynn Designs, Penny Singer Designs, Foxfire Designs, María Alondras, Hector y Socorro Teran, Casa Nechel Alta Costura & Melissa Peña Andrade, and Ximena Tellez and Lena Brown, and Tellez said the Latino community donated the quinceañera dresses for the show.

Local designers showcased their craftsmanship to viewers through the 30 participating models, ranging in age from 14 to 40. The fashion designers were all from the region and from Hispanic and Indigenous backgrounds. Their designs incorporated a blend of their cultures, combining traditional clothing with a modern twist and creating designs that paid tribute to those who have experienced injustice.

In conversation with the Tri-City Record Breezy Designs emphasized the importance of traditional Navajo representations in the presentation of their merchandise. The business partners shared that they have participated in several fashion shows and operate an online boutique.

Kaydence King, 19, wore a modern traditional Navajo outfit at the start of the event and walked down the runway with a burning bundle of cedar wood, waving it to spread the scent. (Kristian Yazzie/Tri-City Record)

The partners at Breezy Designs shared that they have been Native American artisans for generations, incorporating symbols from traditional stories when creating their jewelry and clothing. One example of such a practice is a bow and arrow necklace pendant that evokes the legend of the twin monster slayers. She also uses velvet material in her clothing designs.

Indigenous artisan Charletta Bahe showcased her designs from her jewelry line Letta Lynn Designs in collaboration with fashion designers at Aeroprey's Celebrating Diversity Fashion Show. Bahe has participated in four fashion shows in the last three years.

Charletta talked about how, as a child in the Navajo tribe, she learned to string necklaces from her mother and how she fell in love with the art of jewelry.

“At the beginning of my second year of making jewelry professionally, I was given the opportunity to show my jewelry in a fashion show in Gallup, New Mexico. The show supported the campaign to commemorate missing and murdered indigenous women in the area and was hosted by Marian Mike of Breezy Designs,” she said.

Kaydence King poses during the 2024 Aeroprey Diversity Fashion Show at the Farmington Museum on August 9. She will graduate from Piedra Vista High School in 2023 and believes everyone is beautiful in their own way. She wants to help others find their inner beauty. (Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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Charletta revealed how one meeting led to many ideas and collaborations and how it all eventually led to Alexander Simpson of Aeroprey inviting her to be the exclusive jewelry supplier for the Aeroprey Celebrating Diversity Fashion Show 2024.

Alexander Simpson, owner of Aeroprey, one of the organizers of the event, told Tri-City Record that when planning a show he takes into account how comfortable the venue is for the audience and performers, whether the audience can imagine the story of the show and whether they have the necessary resources and connections for the production.

Simpson explained that he and his staff have put on four fashion shows since the COVID pandemic began, after being inspired by his modeling team's dreams of attending high-fashion events. He looks for and values ​​the qualities of confidence and respect.

(Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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“I started the agency because it gave the community an opportunity to reconnect and try something new for those who want to be models,” he said. He attributed the show's success to his lifelong San Juan County resident and his team, but also acknowledged the “tremendous amount of training, coordination, scheduling and planning with everyone involved.”

He said he gives one or two people the chance to co-produce the diversity fashion show, and this year it was Ximena Tellez who brought together the Mexican aspect of the show.

Ximena Tellez said she began her modeling career at age 12 in Farmington and is now an entrepreneur and student at San Juan College. She began her mission at the beginning of the year with a tiny notebook in her kitchen. She had no contacts or prospects, and with the help of her mother and the support of other community members, she made it happen.

Tellez's vision was to give designers and artists the opportunity to represent their culture and show young people the pride of ancient Mexican culture by symbolizing their fighting spirit with headdresses combined with contemporary dance and design.

“The feather headdresses were brought by Socorro and Hector Teran, who help organize traditional Matachin dances and other cultural events. The history of the clothing dates back to the Aztecs, a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people from central Mexico in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries,” Tellez said.

“The inspiration for the performances was the representation of traditional and modern dances brought to life by Carrasco Dance Productions,” she said.

A model show of FoxFire Designs by Cathleen Booth, an entrepreneur, veteran, Indigenous activist and mother. Her designs are handmade and can be customized for different occasions. (Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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Daniel Carrasco, whose company Carrasco Dance Productions is based in Bloomfield, echoed Simpson's sentiment that young people need to be given opportunities for creative expression.

“Our mission is to empower youth while developing the strong, courageous and confident dancers and leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

When he noticed that there was a lack of Latinos in the local dance scene, he wanted to step in.

“Growing up, I couldn’t afford to go to a dance studio, so I started creating opportunities for myself to be seen at school talent shows and community events,” Carrasco said.

That evening he wanted to pass on his culture.

“I wanted to show how beautiful the music and movement can be. We are very proud to share our culture with others and it was the first time the dancers were in a very professional environment with models and designers,” he said.

The Foklorico dancers of Carrasco Dance Productions represent San Juan County and are based in Bloomfield. (Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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Dancers from Carrasco Dance Productions perform a reggaeton piece. (Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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“I want my dancers to realize that it doesn't matter where you come from or what your background is. As long as you believe in yourself, the sky is the limit. … I am an example of what love and support look like.”

“So much support from the community, parents and everyone else has really shaped Carrasco Dance Productions,” said Carrasco

Other cultural performances featured local talent, including a hoop dance and a song by Montero “Animas” Pablo, who said he “hopes to shed some light on the towns around his hometown and make a difference to the local music scene.”

Animas also shared with the Tri-City Record that a main goal is to “show people that through our own strength, hard work, karma, balance and getting through the struggles, we can all get through the tough times.”

The hip-hop and rap artist Montero Pablo performs under the stage name Animals, plays his song “Country Girl” from his 2022 album “Dirt Road Chronicles”. Pablo was born in Albuquerque but grew up in Kirtland. He is the founder of Dezert Fire Music LLC. (Alex Simpson/Copurtesy of Aeroprey)

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A hoop dancer performs during the 2024 Aeroprey Celebrating Diversity Fashion Show. (Alex Simpson/Courtesy of Aeroprey)

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