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OUR TEAM
Jose Valdez Jr - Editor-in-Chief / Owner Kassandra Lozano - Assoc. Editor-in-Chief / Content Director Michael Gonzalez - Photo Editor / Head Photographer Cassandra Garza - Copy Editor / Writer Britney D. Newman - Event & Fashion Content Coordinator Advenio Studios - Web Design Clarissa Garcia - Staff Writer Jesus Garcia - Staff Writer Valerie Esparza - Writer
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Editor’s Note Hello All! Spring is in Full Effect and Summer is around the corner and what else is in full effect? WEDDING SEASON!! Our June 2019 Issue of Formo Magazine will explore the wonder world of local wedding talent here in Texas. We at Formo love weddings and all the beautiful aspects that come with it not just including the most import part, LOVE, but the wonderful fashion, music and art of it all! From wedding dresses to wedding bands and everything in-between, we hope you enjoy ready and seeing all this amazing talent that we have featured in our special wedding edition of Formo Magazine. Remember to always support our local talent, because as we see it we are married and invested in our community and we must love and cherish that thru the good times and the bad. To all the wedding couples out there we hope you say YES to this Issue! As always we would love to hear your feedback and past and present issues and suggestions and Ideas for future issues! Have a Very Amazing 2019 from all of us here at Formo! Jose Valdez Jose Valdez Jr. Editor-in-Chief / Owner At age nine, love was marriage. Sweet and simple. At age 16, love was long summer nights, sitting next to the warm bonfire, hand in hand. At age 20, love was a beautiful house, dinner on the table at 6pm and "I'm too tired." At age 23, after being single long enough to find out who I am and what I want, after seeing friends who have been married for years. Love is "You are beautiful." Love is getting you a puke bucket when you are stuck on the toilet with the stomach bug. Love is fighting over where to eat because what they want is what you had for lunch. Love is, going for a cruise just because it is intimate alone time. Love is a rough road. Love comes in many forms and changes over time. Love is about growth, finding the sun that will still shine after the clouds take over your skies. ~ Kayla Poole
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JUNE
“... it’s not just creating a beautiful painting and piece for the couple, it is a memory that you make.”
A Note on Vintage Fashion: 6 Wedding Edition
~Natalie Pheifer
Runway Review 11
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The Suave Gentleman 8 Custom Made in the Heart of Art 15
Texas Artist: Natalie Pheifer 27
The Sounds of San Antonio: 19 Mike and the Coupes
Mike Gonzalez Editorial 35
Sarah Centeno, Neo-Soul Singer 23
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FASHION
RUNWAY REVIEW: 3rd Annual Ever After Fashion Show
By: Valerie Esparza The third annual Ever After Fashion Show was produced by Brittany Banks of Upscale Talent and Productions and took place on March 24th in Universal City, Texas. Each year the show’s participants create designs and performances based on whimsical fictional characters with a modern day twist. As always, the show’s main focus is to give the children and participants a way to showcase their talents with the support of their community.
show, meaning they not only have runway looks, but performances by local musicians and dancers. After all, at the heart of the show is the Lil’ Beat Kids, a non-profit organization that inspires and supports children who are taking a stand over unfortunate circumstances through their talents and gifts. This year’s show saw a few local singers grace the stage, including an impromptu solo by Miss Black Texas herself. Of all the performances, the Anastasia performance was an immediate standout. J. Vera (who our editor sincerely hopes reaches his goal of being heard in every pet store!) also delivered an engaging performance. [His 2018 single, Amnesia can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and most digital music stores.]
The first and second show were hosted by Ms. Black Texas 2018, Chauncie Holley and co-hosted by Genevieve, 2018 TCP Young Miss LoneStar. This year’s secondary theme, polar express, was seen primarily in the part of the show where the younger children who were involved in the show had the opportunity to strut the runway in whimsical pajamas and during the dance number to “Hot Chocolate.” The show was previously nominated as a San Antonio Fashion Event of the Year in 2017, featured in Formo Magazine in 2018, and has since been a unique place for local talent to come together and create a memorable production while showcasing different levels of local talent.
The Ever after show included a few local vendors and snack options, but with the already tight space of the Kitty Hawk Event center, the venue was barely able to accommodate all of the guests and participants. Which, for a local show is usually a great problem to have. However, the overall venue and staging was quite a step down from their 2018 production, the energy of the show and its guests were still inviting and enthusiastic; you could feel the sense of pride that the children had
The Ever After shows are more than an average fashion 11
FASHION she has helped bring to life and are proof of her talent, but the joy and appreciation that the clients experience are what keep her going. “I love when we’re doing the first fitting and the way we set up our fitting. We’ll have the dress on the mannequin and they come in and see the dress for the first time. And it really makes me feel like I’m doing my job right when I start crying, because they’re so happy! It’s not like crying, it’s tears of joy. Those moments definitely make me appreciative, and also seeing their bridal portraits and how happy they were.”
you get the technical renderings, that a lot of people frame. And you get fabric swatches. And I’ve been through the process a few times myself!
The time and care she has taken into creating the process of custom design that her company uses is a big part of what has made her successful in the growing fashion industry of San Antonio. “There’s so many designers in here, it’s kind of like a best kept secret, but I would really love to see it grow more. And I’m really open to helping in any way I can. Because I know that I want to be here and I wanted to grow and I want us to have more events She continues to do custom, because although like Dallas has, more of the runways. I feel like they’ve tried on thousand of thousands of dresses Dallas was really established as far as fashion. I and cannot find anything, they come to them and worked for a lot of fashion companies there who she gets to help them create the dress of their have a lot of jobs, but I feel like San Antonio really imagination. Though as a tip for custom dress has that heart of art and I just hope that in the next designs, she does hope that clients have tried on few years we can get to the same level as Dallas. I dresses before coming to her. “Even before a client mean it will probably be a lot more colorful here comes in for a design consultation I make sure that than in Dallas! But, I see potential for San Antonio they’ve gone to try some dresses on, because a lot - definitely up and coming. I know I really want it of the times brides come in to me who haven’t tried to be. things on and they’re like, “oh I’m so set on a ball gown, I want a ball gown,” but I say, well have you tried that on. And they’re like, no I haven’t. So, they go to a bridal shop and try things on and their whole design inspiration changes, because they maybe end up loving a mermaid silhouette on their body, more so than a ball gown. So, my first piece of advice is to go try things on, that way you know what looks good on your body. I can suggest things all day, but it comes down to what the brides likes on their body.” Often times brides and clients expect custom designs to be complicated and expensive, but Ashley wants brides to know that her custom designs are often close to bridal shop prices, especially when you take time to consider alterations, “...they don’t really tell you how much alterations are going to be, whereas my process is a lot better. I say that, because you get your dress here, and it’s design is made for you, alterations are included, if your measurements stay the same, so you can have a custom gown for basically the same price as going to the store - and you’re going to pay alterations on top of that. Here it’ll be unique to you, it’ll be made for you. No one will ever have it. And you get a lot of keepsakes throughout our process! You get the pencil sketch,
To learn more about Ashley and A. Cherie Couture visit her website at www.acherie.com You can also find her on Instagram @acheriecouture 18
FASHION
Have a fashion, music, or art event you’d like us to cover? Let us know! We try to attend as many local events as possible to provide press coverage and social media for. We are always open to hearing what our readers want to see in our pages, so if you have a story you’d like us to check out or an artist you think we’d love, email us at info@formomag.com or DM us @formomagazine
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FASHION
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MUSIC
The Sounds of San Antonio:
and the Coupes. In the scouting of the new and up and coming I found myself at the bar called Jandro’s on the St Mary’s strip. I walked in and found myself having a great time for the next three hours. Here is what happened… Mike and the Coupes was playing and they covered the three C’s- Community, commitment, character. They have dedicated and skilled musicians. They have their own genuine style that makes them original and good at what they do. Most importantly, they create and serve a community of people that loves their music.
Jandro’s with Mike and the Coupes By: Jesus Garcia Picture a crowded bar where the music is poppin’ and the people are having a good time. That’s pretty much where we all wish we could be every time we go out .Turns out that there are a lot of places in the city where you can find a good time, but a good band that makes you feel like you’re in the heart of San Antonio is a difficult experience to search for, but its the only thing worth giving time. This is a story about the discovery of Mike
They played almost everything. Tejano, oldies, Spanish rock, jazz, pop, alternative. I was blown away, not just because they could play across so many genres, but because they did it their way. If it was possible for me to send you my memories I would share it with all of you, but there is no way to describe style, it’s just their style. That’s it and it's great. I laughed, I teared up, I sang my lungs out. 21
La Bona Vida EVENT CENTER
1135 WYE ST. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
indoor banquet hall
ceremony room
outdoor reception hall
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outdoor garden
interview with
NATALIE PHEIFER
texas artist
By: Kassandra Lozano 29
ART
Model: Amanda Syamken MUA: Maria Garcia
I recommend every bride do a bridal shoot to celebrate not just the dress, but themselves too. ~ Mike Gonzales
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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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www.formomag.com @formomagazine
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