Interview in English and Spanish
What can ONE person do?
I’ve heard people doubt the power of following your journey because they don’t believe that ONE person can make a significant change.
Our former cover model is an entrepreneur and advocate and is a living example of what ONE person can do for an entire community and generations to come.
Suzanne Ujaque is a Marketing Executive who put her skills to work and decided to lead Latin Women into living their best lives… one day, one week, and one month at a time. Ten years later Suzanne has built a mass following and is seen on television, heard on the radio, and has launched various platforms to further her aim for all women to take their rightful place in their lives.
On August 5th, the SUstyleXpo is back, with NEW incentives being announced and celebrated.
PLUS Model Magazine will be there so make sure to follow us on social media for all behind-the-scenes and show events.
Get to know more about Suzanne…
For people who don’t know about SUstyleXpo… can you describe your experience and why you decided to start this project?
For me, Su-style.com is my life mission. Helping women feel, be and look better is one of the greatest satisfactions that life has given me. Sustylexpo began 4 years after I started the digital platform since I understood that it was necessary to educate myself initially before holding an event to celebrate the plus size woman. When I started Sustylexpo I didn’t think we were going to impact so many people and WOW it’s a joy to have been able to connect with thousands of women and bring them a day full of fashion, beauty, self-esteem, health, entertainment, and more.
This year we celebrate 10 years of empowering the Latina woman who, regardless of size, can look divine with the latest fashion trends.
You talk a lot on social networks about fashion, living without a complex, and various other things that help everyone feel good in their body. How did you come to recognize the importance of loving yourself totally?
As a child, I never saw my other complain or belittle herself in regard to her size. Instead, I heard that our bodies were special and beautiful as it was. When my adolescence arrived and my self-esteem was affected, it was my mom’s words that helped me through… “The day I can see how special I was in the mirror, would be the day that everyone was going to see that special person inside of me”.
After growing up, everyone admired the way I dressed and it wasn’t until 2013 that I decided to jump into what I love the most: communications and fashion.
And for those who are on the way to having better self-esteem, can you share with them?
To all those who don’t love themselves today and still have many complexes, I can repeat what my mom told me. Until you see how great and valuable you are, no one will see it. For this reason, I tell you that every day you should seek to identify all your qualities and focus on them, repeat to yourself daily how valuable and powerful they are, and also be thankful that we breathe, that we have life, and that makes us lucky to be healthy. For the rest, we can learn to look better, to find new ways to reinvent ourselves and to move towards what makes us happy, but if you don’t want to love who you are today, you don’t go to the next step.
I am so happy about SuAcademia… I want to know everything!
Sustyle Academy is a legacy that I wanted to make and leave for future generations. I grew up without that representation and without those resources that today I put at the hands of women so that they are well, feel good and look good. The academy will have programs to manage self-esteem, success mentality, income climbing, image, and entrepreneurship. Next August 5 we will launch the first program of the academy. In addition, the Academy will have its own social network where everyone who is there will be able to network and collaborate with each other. Every 3 months there will be a new program and this fills us with great enthusiasm but above all with great joy to be able to gather tools and knowledge to strengthen and empower the people who enter it. To belong you can enter www.sustyleacademy.com
You are on television, in newspapers, and on social networks sharing how to live happily in our bodies and enjoy fashion. Can you share about plus fashion in Puerto Rico and what you imagine for the future of the plus industry?
Wow I have a very big vision for the local market and more in the Latino market as well. I want the plus size woman to be respected in all areas of fashion and to have opportunities and offers for all sizes.
Someday I would like to see the shows of the most important local designers with plus-size models in their shows and presentations. The local models with the greatest opportunities and export of our talent to the international arena. Our country is one of the largest consumers worldwide and we would like brands to see us as a relevant market and promote their offers.
Entrevista en Español
PMM: Para las personas que no conocen a SUstyleXpo… nos puedes describir la experiencia y porque tu decidiste empezar este proyecto?
Suzanne: Para mi Su-style.com es mi misión de vida. Ayudar a mujeres a sentirse, estar y lucir mejor es una de las mayores satisfaccione que la vida me ha regalado. Sustylexpo comenzó 4 anos mas tarde de yo haber comenzado la plataforma digital ya que entendia que había que educar inicialmente antes de hacer un evento de celebración y orgullo de la mujer plus size. Cuando comencé Sustylexpo no pensaba que íbamos a impactar a tantas personas y WOW una alegría haber podido conectar con miles de mujeres y llevarles un día llenos de mucha moda, belleza, autoestima, salud, entretenimiento y mas
Este ano celebramos 10 anos de empoderar a la mujer latina que no importa la talla puede verse divina y con las tendencias de moda.
PMM: Tu hablas muchos en las redes sociales sobre fashion, vivir sin complejo y varias otras cosas que ayudan a todos sentirse bien en su cuerpo. Como tu llegaste a reconocer la importancia de amarse totalmente.
Suzanne: Desde nina vi a mi mama nunca quejarse del cuerpo que tenía siendo plus size.. Nunca escuché la diferencia sino el que era especial y hermosa como era. Cuando llega mi adolescencia y mi autoestima se ve afectada, no es hasta que mi mama me dice que “ el dia que yo pueda ver lo especial que yo era en el espejo, era el dia que todos iban a ver eso especial” por esa razón comencé a aceptar mi realidad y cada vez pensar que si un aflaca tenia una ropa de tal forma mi meta era lucirla a mi talla. En ese entonces mi mama visitaba una costurera para que nos cosiera.
Luego de grande todos adnmiraban la forma de yo vestir y no es hasta el 2013 que decidí lanzarme a lo que mas amo las comunicaciones y la moda.
PMM: Y para esos que estan a caminio de tener el autoestima mejor, puedes compartir con ellos?
Suzanne: A todos los que hoy no se aman y aun tienen muchos complejos, puedo replicar lo que me dijo mi mama. Hasta que no te veas tu lo grande y valioso que eres nadie lo verá. Por esa razón les digo que dia a dia busquen identificar todas sus cualidades y enfocarse en ellas, repetirse a diario lo valioso, poderosos que son y además agradecer que respiramos, que tenemos vida y eso nos hace afortunados de tener salud. Por lo demás podemos aprender a lucir mejor, a buscar nuevas formas de reinventarnos, de movernos a lo que nos hace feliz pero si no buscas amar lo que eres hoy no pasas al siguiente paso.
PMM: Estamos tan feliz sobre SuAcademia. Quiero saber todo!
Suzanne: Sustyle Academy es un legado que quería hacer y dejar para futuras generaciones. Crecí sin esa representación y sin esos recursos que hoy pongo a la mano de mujeres para que esten bien, se sientan bien y luzcan bien. La academia tendrá programas para manejar autoestima, mentalidad de éxito, escalar ingresos, imagen y emprendimiento. El próximo 5 de agosto haremos un lanzamiento con el primer programa de la academia. Ademas la Acadenmia tendrá su propia red social que todos los que esten podrán hacer networking y colaborarse entre si. Cada 3 meses habrá un programa nuevo y esto nos llena de mucha ilusión pero sobre todo de mucha alegrí poder reunir herramientas y conocimiento spara fortalecer y empoderar a las personas que entren a ella. Para pertenecer pueden entrar a www.sustyleacademy.com
PMM: Estas en la television, los periodicos y en las redes sociales compartiendo como vivir feliz el nuestros cuerpos y disfrutar fashion. Puedes compartir sobre la moda plus en Puerto Rico y lol que tu imaginas para el futuro de la industria plus?
Suzanne: Wow tengo una vision bien grande para el mercado local y más en el Latino. Quiero que la mujer plus size sea respetada en todos los ámbitos en la moda y hayan oportunidades y oferta para todas las tallas.
Algun dia quisiera ver los desfiles de los diseñadores locales más importantes con modelos plus size en sus desfiles y presentaciones. Las modelos locales con mayores oportunidades y exportación de nuestro talento al ámbito internacional. Nuestro país es uno de los mayores consumeristas a nivel mundial y quisiéramos que las marcas nos vieran como un mercado relavante y de promoción de su oferta.
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