Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadia Fernandez.
Nadia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am pretty headstrong in my ways. Lol. I have to first start with that. I’ve definitely experienced some setbacks and difficulties, even now. There are days when I wake up feeling like a failure or nowhere close to my intended goal, but on other days I each and every single event and say “Nadia. If you were a failure, you wouldn’t be anywhere near where and what you are now.” If I were a failure I would have stopped after changing my major three times. After my first pregnancy. After dropping out of school when my professor told me I’d never get that internship I wanted because I wasn’t in the recommended degree program; after experiencing domestic violence from my then partner; after my second pregnancy and soon after choosing to become a single mom because it’s not like I already wasn’t, since he was never there; after attempting to redo my life and failing because I took to much on my plate all at the same time. It definitely hasn’t been easy, but I think its that same headstrong quality that put me in those situations also the reason I’m not yet defeated. It is the reason I can say I am a dedicated Visual Merchandiser with experience both in the fashion industry and home interior. A fashion designer, see! My professor wasn’t right about that! Lol. And a fashion model as a 32-year-old single, mother of two. I am an all-around creative in fashion retail, bridal, and home interior, as well as a little bit of an influencer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely no smooth sailing. I wish! Lol! Honestly, I’m not sure that things and events that I have gone through I would consider a struggle. Yeah, they were a bump in the road, some pretty big ones at times, lol, but I think my biggest struggle has been believing in myself. In that light at the end of the tunnel, because I’m going to keep going no matter what, until I come to an actual roadblock, but believing that there is that light at the end of the tunnel that is meant to be for me is has been the hardest part. Especially when you hear “No’s” and “Don’ts.” Just don’t stop. It’s there and it’s meant for us.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
As a visual, my job is to bring people in. To not just attract them in but to also keep and hold their attention. I actually consider myself to be a very artistic fairy godmother of sorts lol. I take what thoughts, words and pictures people might have and I place it all before them. Or in some instances, I reassure them that no, they aren’t imagining things you really can do that, that item really does exist and I sort and arrange those thoughts and ideas into something 3D that they can see, touch and feel. As a full creative, I am capable of doing these things across the board, as a fashion stylist, fashion designer, interior designer, and as a face for brands. I feel that because I am pretty well rounded I can usually understand what people ask for, whether I am in front of the camera or behind in the scenes I usually end up surprising people in a good way and it’s honestly the best feeling.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I want to say that I keep an organizer to help me keep on track and organized but I don’t. Lol! I’m actually pretty horrible at filling it in, lol. I think my best tool is just being able to have everything not just on my computer but on my mobile. That’s usually what I’m finding that I use most often, apps that I can use on my computer, tablet, then on my cell. I have everything from sketchbooks to QuickBooks, to my photo document files to work files at my fingertips at any part of the day. I’m always checking work emails, client texts, photographer messages, interview questions, lol, everything. It’s just nice having it all there at any given time.
Contact Info:
- Email: nadfer12@live.com
- Instagram: @nadfer12
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ajonjolidesign/
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/nadia.fern12/
Image Credit:
Alexey Ershov Photo 1, Snap Happy Sami photo 4, Multimedia Mind Photography photo 5, Lightlinguist photo 6, XO Creative Media photo 7
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