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Miami based fashion retailer Diva Boutique showcased their exclusive Diva Collection in LA fashion week this October. Being their first major fashion week presentation, designer and CEO of the company Vanessa Gonzalez brought the Miami heat to the city of angels, bringing with her an assembly of influencers and models of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities to show that everyone can be, not just a model, but also, a Diva. Opening and closing the show was their head model, and reality superstar Stephanie Acevedo from VH1’s Cartel Crew who’s walk down the runway was anything but average. Her partnership with the company has extended well beyond business, and developed into a friendship with Vanessa after 7 years of modeling for the fashion brand.
The show was definitely a huge success, garnering applause and cheers from the audience as the models graced the runway with very unique and sexy styles that scream MIAMI. The distinctive style of clothes, and the kind of modeling presented was something refreshing and completely different than any of the other presentations that night. Opting out of the traditional fashion walks with little to no personality whatsoever, the fashion week audience was met with a lot of sass from the diverse cast of models. Other notable figures walking the runway were Ivette Saucedo, local LA native and star of VH1’s Cartel Crew, Aubrie Durham rising LA top model, and singer Sa Tiva.
Having inclusive models was very important to Vanessa, using full figured models like Olenia Caymares and local LA influencer Alexandra Sago in her show. The casting was aimed at showing different body types, from super fitness model Paulina Cruz to wrestling superstar Sasha Banks as well as many different ethnicities and skin colors highlighting that the clothing can be worn by everyone, because the Diva customer is not just one kind of woman. They have something for everyone. Vanessa also hopes to be able to expand her size offerings in the future to include true plus sizes. As of right now sizes on some items go up to only XL, but it’s a market that Vanessa hopes to expand into.
When asked about the show Vanessa mentioned that although Miami is their hometown, presenting their first major fashion show in LA was something she hoped would open up her brand to different audiences in LA and beyond.nVanessa added that fashion was always a passion of hers since she was a young girl and that she wakes up daily loving what she does. With over 1 million instagram followers, her brand has grown from a small Miami based boutique to a huge online retailer with a lot of influence on the fast fashion world. Their next fashion show will be in New York for NY Fashion week in the spring.
