Meet Eva Dominguez-Peralta | Fashion Creative Director, Designer & Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eva Dominguez-Peralta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eva, what’s your definition for success?
I define success as achieving progress by living fearlessly and acquiring a sense of balance. Whether in my business or personal life, no matter the goal I set out for myself and if I achieved it or not. If I can say that I stepped out of my comfort zone and moved forward fearlessly, then I succeeded. Even if I didn’t reach my goal this time, I made progress by just by leaving my comfort zone and I have placed myself closer to achieving it in the next try.

I also listen to my gut, our 6th sense is a guide. Proper planning, organization & communication helps us achieve our goals and when we feel out of balance, that’s a sign that something needs attention. But when all your ducks are in a row, that sense of balance in the journey inspires us to take risks and make moves fearlessly – which leads to progress and success. I ask myself those three questions; Did I step out of my comfort zone and move fearlessly? Does anything feel out of or in balance? Did I achieve any measure of progress regardless of size? If the answer is YES, then I consider myself successful.

To quote Brendan Fraser’s speech at The Critics Choice Awards for his portrayal in the movie The Whale; ” I want you to know that if you too, can have the strength to just get to your feet and go to the light. Good things will happen.” The act of getting to your feet and moving into the light, while you’re in a dark place is an act of faith, it is the definition of moving fearlessly and stepping out of your comfort zone. It is the attempt to regain that balance and when you do, good things WILL happen.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a creative, I’m always looking for different mediums in my quest to express myself. In my work as a graphic & fashion designer, I use a lot of bold, colorful, tropical palettes with a fashion forward edgy style in either typography or visual styling. I’m proud to say that no matter the canvas, whether it’s an illustration, a flyer, a post, a website design or a fashion collection, my style remains recognizable. I think what sets my brands apart from others is perhaps how I create looks and visuals that can both inspire while making a bold fashion statement. Both brands compliment each other; my streetwear brand Haute High Fashion serves the community my graphic design & lifestyle company Posh Life Miami supports & represents.

I am most excited about the future of my companies. My graphic design company Posh Life Miami is a Lifestyle company now under which I launched the Miami TALKS Fashion podcast on Clubhouse. You can also find the podcast on Soundcloud and YouTube by June 2023. My streetwear brand is on it’s own organic evolution in sustainability and I should be unveiling the new Eco-friendly made to order bespoke products by 2024. You can expect to see vegan leather, hemp and 3D printed products.

My journey into entrepreneurship was lengthy but completely organic, and now that it’s getting traction I am seeing the fruits of my labor but it took grit and patience to push forward for the last 12 years. I overcame my challenges by pivoting and being open to change. Evolve or die. I have learned that it’s not about the situation at hand, but how we frame it. A bad situation can either be a disheartening roadblock, a reason to quit or an opportunity we never saw coming, but it is our perception of it that will determine our failure or success. I aim to share my experiences through my designs in order to inspire and empower all who enjoy my work, be it something I wrote, something I designed or by wearing one of my fashion pieces. I hope my brand story will motivate, inspire and empower someone else to believe that “Si se puede”, “Yes we can” make our dreams come true. To quote Brendan Fraser, “If you feel like you’re in a dark sea, if you can have the strength to just get to your feet and go into the light, good things will happen”.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were to visit, I would first take them to get food from Rakachaka, a Nicaraguan Fritanga restaurant located in Little Havana on 1st street S.W. and 13th Ave. We would probably eat there all week to be honest, their food is the best in town, I am addicted to their Churrasco with gallo pinto, zucchini guiso and avocado salad with lemon juice. While in Little Havana we would visit Futurama 1637 Art Galleries to check out the locally made artwork. From there we would stop by a ventanita for a cafecito as we head over to KCull a few blocks away for some light shopping. KCull is a boutique that carries local designers and small brands. Around noon we would stop at Ball and Chain a block over for some mojitos. If it’s the last Friday of the month, in the evening we hang out at the Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays) festival along the Calle Ocho strip near Domino park, catch the live band, network with locals and browse the vendor tables. Maybe take some selfies with the iconic rooster statues. If my friend visits in March I would take them to the Calle Ocho annual festival just to walk around wearing our Miami Girl festival uniform – short shorts with a cute tank top with our birth country flags wrapped around our necks like a cape. But you gotta wear sneakers or the crowd will trample all over your feet. We would dance the day away at each concert stage and make the line for drinks, food like kabobs and the free goodie bags full of random coupons and sample products manufacturers give away like energy drinks, toothpaste, gum and even tobacco products – one year I got free blunt wraps!

For a fun weekend we would go hang out in Wynwood, try the restaurants, check out the drag shows at R House, shop at Wynwood Marketplace during their pop ups, have drinks at The Deck and later catch a networking event or fashion show somewhere either in South Beach or poolside on the rooftop of the W hotel. For some relaxing family time at the beach we would head over to El Farito or Crandon Park and BBQ, eat while sitting on hammocks or the chairs we bring and take a dip in the water. If time permits we would visit the museums like the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the Perez Art Museum, Vizcaya and Coral Castle. There is always something to do and something to see in Miami.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A book I recommend is Atomic Habits. But I was lucky to have a supportive network. My husband has been my biggest cheerleader. My family and friends are very supportive. There are so many people that impacted me and definitely contributed to my success.

Starting with the Mentorship program Innovate 50/50 by Career Coach Valeri Martinelli, this was the catalyst for me. Valerie shook me awake with her program in 2013, it was life changing. Susie Casado & Gisett Taveras of DOC IT (Detect Ovarian Cancer In Time) Foundation, a Miami non profit that gave me the opportunity to develop my skills as a graphic designer and assistant producer for their annual fundraising fashion show. Tinisha Avay from Spa Avay & Avay Magazine, she gave me an opportunity to write for her Magazine. Carol Moda, CEO of Moda in Color, she showed me how a single person can be a powerhouse and has always been in my corner from the beginning of my career in the fashion industry. Natalie Loren Garcia, CEO of Fashion Happy Hour, she produced the very first show I presented in as a designer and has been supportive since my newbie blogger days. DAMA Models School & Agency, they have shown so much love to me from my brands inception, it has made the experience a dream. My cousin Anielka, she’s my right hand and the best fashion assistant one could ever dream of, her upbeat positive energy is infectious. The Miami Bayside Foundation, their Small Business Owner workshop helped me strengthen my brand and develop a clearer vision. I highly recommend all Miami small business owners register for the MBF workshop. Pati Vargas, CEO of Pati Vargas Entertainment, she’s one of my biggest supporters and she organized “Umbrellas of Little Havana 2022”, the last event I presented in as a designer.

Website: www.hautehighfashion.com

Instagram: instagram.com/hautehighfashionlabel

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poshlifemiami

Facebook: facebook.com/hautehighfashion

Other: www.poshlifemiami.com

Image Credits
Tom Schmuki, Carol Moda, Ekaterina Juskowski