Interview: WedHaus Designer Abril Cervera

The Toronto Fashion Academy company has produced one of the biggest international fashion events in Toronto, The International Fashion Encounter 2015 (IFE) that took place at the Royal Fairmont Hotel. The IFE brought together some of the most remarkable designers from all across the globe in one single stage to create one breath-taking fashion show.

Prior to the fashion show, Fashion Collective's Maria Natalia Rodriguez had a chance to talk with the designer of the closing show, Abril Cervera, about the success of her fashion career, her advice to young designers and her plans for the future. Abril Cervera is the creator and designer of the successful brand WedHaus and the Ambassador of Mexican Fashion.

FC: Your brand has been amazingly successful in Mexico, you´ve received numerous awards and recognitions, What is the key to your success?

Abril: Perseverance. Many people, due to my educational formation, believed that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I set my eyes hard on a specific goal and I didn't rest until I accomplished it. Today I am very fortunate to be able to say that I´ve dressed people such as Sofia Vergara, Ximena Navarrete, Lorena Herrera and many others. I believe that the key to success is to stay positive, and to stay close to your goals and be constant in what you´re doing even if people advise you to do otherwise, follow your goals and your dreams without listening to others.

FC: You´ve had a lot of previous international participation in the fashion industry, for instance, your recent participation at Vogue´s Fashion Night Out in Spain, tell me about why you´ve chosen Toronto as the next city to bring your brand, WedHaus, to?

Abril: I had the honor to be invited by this amazing organization and by this amazing team headed by Jason Cameron, with whom I feel very thankful with, and Rubén Díaz who helped me connect with him. I feel very lucky to have entered this platform which is important to me and I hope this is not the first and only time that I´m here. I think that this a capital city for the fashion industry, it is very cosmopolitan and it is a city where we can find beautiful haute couture fashion. These were the reasons why it was very attractive for WedHaus to come to this city.

FC: Toronto is a city that loves fashion, what is one thing that has inspired you the most while you´ve been here with us in Toronto?

Abril: Something that has really inspired me here has been the architecture. I´ve never been in a city where buildings are so crystal clear. All the buildings have a high quantity of crystals and it is a type of urbanism that is very fresh and clean. Last time I was in Spain, I was inspired to do a collection based on Spain. I would love to do a collection based on transparencies and crystals that the clearness of this city inspires for all its sky scrapers.

FC: Your brand represents elegance and luxury, but tonight your brand is representing Mexico´s haute couture fashion, too, what do you think your brand can contribute with or bring to the Canadian Fashion Industry?

Abril: We´re trying to fill a block of extraordinary designers full of talent and inspiration, and well, with this very contemporary Mexican accents, we try to contribute in the closure of this event with something different. Everyone thinks Mexico is all about colorful flowers, it is often associated with ethnicity, traditional costumes and Frida Kahlo, but the fashion in Mexico, the haute couture fashion, is also elegance, it´s glitter, it´s high quality textiles, silks and excellent tailoring. For this reason, I want to contribute to this event a Mexican collection that represents the Mexican Haute Couture Fashion and the intricacy of details and show that Mexican fashion has a strong presence at an international level.

FC: Do you have any plans on continuing to expand your brand to other cities in the next years and what is the next country you´d like to take WedHaus to?

Abril: My goal is to always cross frontiers! Now that I´ve received the title of being the Ambassador of Mexican Fashion, I feel very committed to travel and take our fashion to other countries. We´re waiting for more opportunities to open, we would love to go to Dubai, and there are a lot of open opportunities for us in Spain where there is a strong Mexican presence in the fashion Industry. I would also like to venture in the East and step into Asian platforms, that would be our next goal!

FC: Where do you see WedHaus in ten years?

Abril: In ten years, I see it expanding all throughout the world. Perhaps my vision for WedHaus is a bit ambitious, but I would like to find a way to take my brand to other cultures and bring Mexican fashion to other continents.

FC: What is one thing that you´ve learned in your journey as a high fashion designer?

Abril: I´ve learned not to take things personally. In this industry, you compete with a lot of men and women and in the moment that you share a stage with other designers there are a lot of egos involved. I´ve learned that it is always better to keep my ego low since it is very easy to lose your feet in this industry. Also, I´ve learned to lower my expectations and not to expect a lot from people. It is also important to remember that it is always better to make friends and to stay optimistic.

FC: What is the best part about your career?

Abril: The part in which you sell an illusion, when a client comes to you with all the hope and confidence that you will design something for her that will flatter her and that she is going to love. That is one of the things that constantly motivates me, being able to see the excitement of the women that I work with. When they try on their dresses, seeing them hug their dresses and spin in them and say " I don’t ever want to take it off ", that is the part that I love the most about my career.

FC: It was great hearing about your brand and your career! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Abril: I am profoundly thankful to Toronto Fashion Academy, a company headed by Jason Cameron, for inviting me to be part of this impressive International Fashion Encounter that fills me with excitement and enthusiasm. I want to express my gratitude to Jason Cameron and his entire amazing staff and tell them that here is Mexico´s High Couture Fashion at their service. Mexican Fashion competes, wins international awards and has a lot more to offer...

*This Interview was possible thanks to the INTERNATIONAL FASHION ENCOUNTER and TORONTO FASHION ACADEMY