Maytee: How did you get your start in fashion and was it always the field you wanted to be in?
Lissette: I started when I was 17 years old, I am Venezuelan and I dreamed about becoming “Miss Venezuela”, but I did not have the opportunity to participate in this contest that opens doors to international modeling. My family could not afford it, so I participated in the most important beauty contest in my hometown “Maracay”, and then I fell in love with fashion.
With the passing of time I opened my stores and I decided to launch my own swimwear collections, in addition to producing fashion shows to promote them throughout the city. These events gave me the opportunity to make connections in the fashion industry of my city, gearing me towards opening my own TV and radio show that was also about fashion and entertainment.
Maytee: Tell us about your passion for writing?
Lissette: When I moved to Miami, after I retired from TV and radio, I opened my first blog in Spanish called “En las palabras de MILA” (Mila’s words) to encourage women to feel better about themselves. My first articles were about domestic violence and loneliness, incredibly they were well received by women everywhere to the point that these 2 articles are still on my top most popular articles, today. That respond that I received, opened my horizons to fashion again and I thought what a better way to help women work on self esteem than keep them informed about fashion in Miami, at the same time promoting emerging designers of my beloved Miami, which I adore.There, I found my calling, I became a messenger that promotes emerging designers and encourages women to look better and work self-esteem through fashion. “Miami Fashion Spotlight” and M.I.L.A Foundation were born!
Maytee: What was it like being a TV-Radio Producer?
Lissette: Being a TV-radio producer opened so many doors for me, it was an amazing experience. It's a fascinating job where you meet interesting people; interviewing fashion personalities, TV Stars, singers and renowned designers, but stressed me out a lot.
Producing radio and being a radio host was my favorite, it was my therapy on Sundays- to go there and interact with people that appreciate my work and embraced my help; it was the best feeling in the world!
Maytee: You’re also committed to women empowerment. What made you want to get involved with helping women?
Lissette: The incredible demand of my Spanish articles (domestic violence and loneliness), made me realize the need for women to work self-esteem. I firmly believe that a woman who loves herself, a woman who works her self-esteem, does not accept abuse, so I created my foundation MILA (Mujeres Intergradas Logrando Autoestima/Women integrated achieving self-esteem) to give self-improvement classes for women in our city. I always believed through fashion, which is a way to express ourselves to the world, women can work self-esteem.
Maytee: Tell the readers about "Miami Fashion Spotlight" and what they can expect to see.
Lissette: Miami Fashion Spotlight is a blog that I created that involves the most fascinating people of Miami and their fashion. This is the blog where all “fashionistas” of our city and South Florida are in! It has been a “Hit” for my exclusive interviews of national celebrities and luminaries of fashion, in addition to Grammy award singers, top designers, supermodels and major coverage of the best events in Miami.
The goal of "Miami Fashion Spotlight" is promoting emerging talent of Miami and celebrities in addition to people who like socializing.
Miami has fascinating people with great creativity; it would be a shame that all remain here. This is where we intervene, letting the world know about them and their talents through our articles on the Internet. The profit of advertising's from "Miami Fashion Spotlight" will benefit MILA Foundation.
This year, we are planning our first annual “Miami Fashion Spotlight"- The Night! It will be on 11-11- 2011 at the Viceroy Hotel, where many emerging designers from Miami will participate. We will give them, the spotlight national and international that they deserve.We will also raise funds for MILA Foundation; we would like to start with our Self-improvement courses by March, 2012.
People can contact me for information at lissetterondon@hotmail.com or call 786-286-7012.
Lisette and Kaitie Carzola
Great article on women that are doing something great in our own community.
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