Ines Di Santo - Hard Rock Hotel

The previous blog was not the first time I met designer Ines Di Santo, as, unbelievably, she attended 2 wedding shows here in San Diego last year. MBride, a boutique store in La Jolla, is the only San Diego store that features Di Santo couture dresses so I imagine the designer felt it good to visit even little San Diego while on her West Coast trip. Her gowns are hand-sown works of art that are very expensive and one of a kind - not mass produced. She is smart and gets the wealthy and political Mexican clientele here at her San Diego store.

I will never forget the first time I met Ms. Di Santo, whom is Italian by origin, but then lived in Buenos Aires for half her life before now settling in Canada. Not the tallest and thinnest girl, I was so surprised I got hired for her wedding Expo show held at the Hard Rock Hotel in January of 2009. But she liked my ambiguous ethnicity and I liked trying to speak to her in both Italian and Spanish.

I was going through one of the most challenging times of my life back then and she literally took my hand, asking my sign (Taurus), my age and some other things before bestowing to me in Italian before repeating in Spanish:

"My dear, I can see that you are trying so hard to deal with these things that pain you. But you haven't given it up yet to God."

She won me over instantly. It was something my wise Catholic mother would say.

And she was right. I always believe I meet people for reasons. She didn't converse with the other gals that day, and she certainly didn't need to talk to me - just another ordinary model of hers for the day. The fact that she did and said what she said was quite simply: a Gift. (And something I greatly needed to hear at the time.)

As if that wasn't enough she had me close the show with the showstopper Wedding Ballgown - - this dress was hands-down the loveliest, most amazing wedding dress and crafted couture gown I have and probably will ever model. What a lovely memory it all makes.:)

Click on picture below for the slideshow:

Ines Di Santo Gowns - Hard Rock Hotel