Eugene Ebner Chats Up Mondo Guerra

Eugene Ebner recently sat down with Mondo Guerra to talk about the designer's professional and personal journeys, the courage it took to openly share his HIV positive status on national TV, and how he makes a difference within the community.

Feel the Power of One Meal: Dining Out For Life April 30th

On Thursday, April 30, join in the fight against HIV/AIDS by enjoying a great meal with family or friends for Dining Out For Life hosted by Subaru, a delicious event held in 60 cities across North America. The fundraiser was dreamed up twenty-five years ago by a volunteer at ActionAIDS in Philadelphia and is magnificent in its simplicity. More than 3,000 restaurants participate by donating a generous portion of the day’s proceeds to support their local AIDS service to fund care, prevention, education, testing, counseling and other essential services.

Thanks to more than $4 Million raised from Dining Out For Life last year, licensed AIDS Service Organizations assisted over 350,000 clients, delivered over 1.8 million meals and provided housing for 8,097 clients. Fulfilling vital health services, 5,572 patients received health insurance, 5,491 received pharmacy assistance and 1,948 patients were given dental aid.

Volunteer celebrity spokespeople include Denver's own Mondo Guerra, winner of Project Runway All-Stars, Ted Allen, host of Food Network’s Chopped, actor Pam Grier (Foxy Brown, Jackie Brown) and chef Daisy Martinez from Food Network’s Viva Daisy!

OUT100 Continues Roll-Out With the Biggest Names in Fashion

My only question is, where's Mondo?!?

 The OUT100 continues their roll-out of the most influential and compelling people of the year. Today’s roll-out includes some of the biggest names in the Fashion Industry as well as Alex Morse (top left), the Mayor of Holyoke, Mass.   Elected at 22-years-old of a working-class Irish Catholic New England community – and the fact that he did it while being completely open about his sexuality is downright extraordinary.  

 

The Fashion Insiders honored in the OUT100 include:

 

Joseph Altuzarra (left): “I was really nerdy and kind of unpopular in school, and I felt like clothing could have a transformative effect on my life,” says Altuzarra, who has enjoyed his most successful year since launching his eponymous womenswear label in 2008.  “I saw the fashion industry as an escape glamorous, and also a very free place in terms of sexuality.”

 

Steven Kolb: As executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Steven Kolb holds considerable sway in the fashion world.

 

Antonio Azzuolo: The Montreal native, an alumunus of prestigious fashion houses including Hermes, Ralph Lauren, and Kenzo, has lately garnered attention for his hand-tailored menswear collection, a.a. Antonio azzuolo.  

 

Efva Attling: The former model and rocker hasn’t given up the limelight just yet.  The Swedish-born jewelry designer, who has logged time with H&M and Levi’s, stays plenty current with her stunning, irreverent jewelry line, which is a favorite for boldfaced names including Madonna and Uma Thurman.

 

Alejandro Ingelmo: Ingelmo, whose six-year-old line specializes in super-high shoes for ladies and blinged-out sneakers for guys, continues his march toward ubiquity thanks to partnerships with high-profile brands, like a recent project for Swarovski. 

 

Philip Crangi: Crangi, who grew up wanting to make sci-fi movies now channels his love of Star Wars, nature, and history into his other-worldly jewelry.   Although he designs for men and women, he says the person in his mind when he’s working is “always Charlotte Rampling,” and that’s good enough for us. 

 

See the full list at  www.out.com/out100.

Is reality TV helping viewers accept LGBT people?

Reality television programs are exposing American viewers to LGBT people in ways that scripted shows have not, which may be leading to greater acceptance. 

“There is something particularly striking about actual gay people being themselves on television,” said Katherine Sender, an academic who studies reality TV.

Colorado is the proud home of a number of gay reality TV stars including Project Runway's Mondo Guerra (pictured), Charlie Price and Matthew Morris of Shear Genius.

Denver County Fair 2012: Accepting walk-in entries for fashion competitions

The Denver County Fair's fashion pavilion competition manager, Caitlin Ayers has the following message for fashion-inclined readers of MileHighGayGuy:

GUYS! The Denver County Fair is accepting walk-in entries for fashion-type stuff for the following categories:

* Clothing design
* Jewelry design
* Accessory design
* Children's wear
* Costuming
* Fabric art and design
* Repurposed/recycled materials

Here's what you gotta know:
--Drop off entries at the National Western Stock Show Complex on Wed, August 8th from 3-7pm.

-- Walk-in entries are $7 each..which is the price of a mixed drink at a bar in LoDo, so get over it and get over here!

--Great chance to show off your stuff, and blue ribbons in each category win $50! THINK OF THE TACOS YOU COULD BUY WITH THAT GUACAMOLE! (see what I did there?)

--Mondo Guerra is judging some stuff! That's not a lie!

--Winners announced on Friday, August 10th.

--If you don't win, the baby tigers/big tigers/mini horses/baby races/freak shows/drag queen competitions/free ice cream will surely function as adequate consolation. And maybe I'll hug you. Anyway, all of that will actually be at the fair, even though it sounds made up!

More info here: http://www.denvercountyfair.org/competitions/

Arvada Center Announces Cast of Legally Blonde - Mondo Guerra to Design Costumes!

The Arvada Center Artistic Producer, Rod A. Lansberry has announced the cast for Legally Blonde, The Musical. Perfectly pink and infused with fun, fashion and frivolity, this delightful musical comedy follows the academic adventures of Elle Woods, a blonde sorority darling, who turns “stereo types” upside down, as she heads to Harvard Law School to win back her boyfriend, a big case, and our hearts. Don’t miss this Broadway hit produced right here in Colorado by the Arvada Center’s award winning creative team.

The principal cast features: Hayley Podschun (Elle Woods); Norrell Moore (Vivienne Kensington); Sarah Rex (Paulette); Molly Tynes (Brooke Wyndham); Amanda Earls (Enid); Julia Perrotta (Margot); Heather Doris (Serena); Aisha Jackson (Pilar); Curt Hansen (Warner Huntington lll); Brett Ambler (Emmett Forrest) and Jeffrey Roark (Professor Callahan). Ensemble members are Allegra Rose Edwards; Emily Luhrs; Stephanie Nelson; Stephanie Park; Katlin Thistle; Katie Ulrich; Ben Dicke; Randy Dierkes; Joel Domenico; Rikki James; Matt LaFontaine; Jonathan D. Lovitz; Andrew Russell; Hayden Stanes; Johnny Stewart; Markus Warren and P. Tucker Worley.

In addition to director Gavin Mayer, the creative team includes David Nehls (musical director), Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck (choreographer), Brian Mallgrave (scene design), Tonya Moake Neely (light design) and Steve Stevens (sound design). The Arvada Center welcomes back costume designer Mondo Guerra , recent winner of Project Runway All Stars. Mondo designed costumes for the Arvada Center’s hit musical Hairspray last summer.

The show runs June 12 – July 1, 2012 in the Main Stage Theater. Performances are Tuesday – Saturday at 7:30 pm, Wednesday at 1pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.  Preview performances are June 8 - 10. Moderated talkbacks with the cast are offered on Friday, June 22 after 7:30 p.m. show and Wednesday, June 27 after 1:00 p.m. show.  Ticket prices range from $35 (previews) - $72. Group rates are available. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.arvadacenter.org or call 720-898-7200. Legally Blonde is part of the Arvada Center’s celebrated Summer at the Center Series and proudly sponsored by Exempla Lutheran Medical Center.

Before They Were Famous: Mondo Guerra

Congratulations to Denver's own Mondo Guerra for winning 'Project Runway All Stars'!

He's a big talent and a big star.

But before he was famous he was just plain fierce!

Here's a photo I took of him at a 2009 screening party for the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' first season finale.

I thought maybe we'd see him on season two of 'Drag Race' but it turns out he had even bigger and better things in store.

Mondo's makes the cover of HIV Plus

After becoming a fan favorite on season 8 of Project Runway—partly by coming out about his HIV-positive status to the show’s millions of fans—Mondo Guerra turned his newfound fame into a platform. In between launching a jewelry line and competing on Project Runway All Stars, Guerra has emerged as one of the nation’s most high-profile Latino HIV activists. While sewing and designing come naturally to the 33-year-old, Guerra talks to HIV Plus magazine about his new role as an advocate, which also suits him rather comfortably.

“When you get up [to the podium], you feel like people are there to participate, to listen to you, they’re really engaged in what you’re saying,” Guerra tells HIV Plus. “So it’s actually grown quite relaxing.”

Guerra’s decision to put himself out there as a face and voice of HIV was not taken lightly. He knows he’ll likely be referred to as “the HIV-positive designer” for the foreseeable future, but the reception he received after season 8 touched him deeply. He’s also now working with fellow HIV-positive activist and Project Runway alum Jack Mackenroth on the Living Positive by Design campaign, which stresses the importance of a strong mind as well as a strong body.

“After the episode aired [in which he revealed his status], there was so much positive response from so many different people,” Guerra remembers. “A lot of that was from people who were still keeping their status a secret and letting the stigma really define who they were. It was keeping them from being honest. So coming off the show it’s been my responsibility to continue the conversation.”

Since he revealed his status, Guerra’s family has proven both warm and understanding. “My entire family has really stepped up to the plate,” he says. “Now they have put a face to the disease and have sought out the materials to educate themselves. Within my own little family—well, I’m Mexican, so it’s not that little—to see them educate themselves and talk openly about HIV and ask me questions makes me really proud to know that with my community, I’ve made a difference. I hope that continues with my advocacy work.”

Read the full interview by clicking here.

Submit your nominations for the Denver Style Awards, judged by Mondo Guerra and Nina Flowers!

A highlight of the Denver Style Expo will be the presentation of the first annual Denver Style Awards.  Presented in seven categories, the awards will address a broad range of local talent. 

You can nominate your favorites (or yourself!) online now at www.denverstyleawards.eventbrite.com - but you'd better hurry because today's the last day to do so.  Once the nominees have been tallied, and the final ballot has been created, an expert panel of judges, including Mondo Guerra, Nina Flowers, and 'Shear Genius' contestant Charlie Price, will decide the winners in each category.  People’s Choice awards will be presented separately.

Mondo hits the big time!

Denver native Mondo Guerra hit the big time as runner-up on this season of 'Project Runway' but he recently hit the BIG TIME when Heidi Klum chose to wear his signature dress to a recent movie premier - and it got covered on the gay blog to end all other gay blogs - D-Listed. Great job, Mondo!

A Conversation with Project Runway's Mondo Guerra

A Conversation with Project Runway's Mondo Guerra

by Drew Wilson

31-year old Mondo Guerra from Denver made a splash as the first-ever Coloradoan to appear on 'Project Runway' and (spoiler alert!) while he didn't win he was definitely a favorite with viewers. I had the opportunity recently to talk to him about 'Project Runway', being a "weirdo", his plans for the future, and what bothers him most about Denver.

So Mondo, you're a Denver native?

Yes, I grew up in Arvada and have been in Colorado all my life.

Congratulations on getting so far in the competition. You’re probably already sick of being told you got robbed so I won’t even say it ...

Yeah, exactly. It's true. And thank you.

What was your fashion background before the show and what did hope to accomplish by going on 'Project Runway'?

Well, you know I was always interested in fashion but being here in Denver it can be hard to reach a large audience. I was working at the Arvada Center as a stitcher in the wardrobe department and I thought 'Project Runway' would really be a way for me to show my creative talents. I really wanted to make it onto the show. Not only to prove something to myself but to show others that there’s always something to aim for and accomplish.

Other than being the home to Crocs, Colorado's not generally known as a fashion capitol. Did you feel like you had something to prove as a native?

I will say that there were several times on the show that I wanted to throw in the towel and give up,  because it’s a high stress situation, but I knew that I was representing so much more than just myself as an individual and an artist. I was also representing Denver, which is where I come from. And I’m the first contestant in eight seasons of the show to be from Denver and I always kept in mind that I was representing Colorado and Denver as much as I was representing myself.

Speaking of representing yourself, I've interviewed a lot of reality TV contestants over the years and a lot of them have expressed concerns about how they were edited to appear as, say, a victim or a villain. Do you feel like you were represented fairly on the show?

Everybody asks me that. I think that everybody on the show had a really strong personality and it could have gone different ways but, personally, I felt like they really captured me and my story and the way it all unfolded during my time there. It’s amazing to me, even though I already lived it, to see how much growth I went through on the show.

I imagine that kind of growth is as important as a person as it is for a designer. So what's next for you?

There were earlier interviews where I said I was going to move to LA but, after being back for awhile, I really feel like it’s important for me to stay in Colorado and try to launch my line out of Denver. I feel that there’s a great emerging fashion scene here in Denver and I want to help get it on the map any way I can.  I want to help break the stigma that Denver doesn't have art or culture. We do. We have a lot of it.

Yeah, like I said, Denver isn't really known for its fashion. And I'm part of the problem, I'm afraid. I'm wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt right now and that's pretty much my uniform year round. What are you wearing right now and what would be your advice for someone like me to make my wardrobe a little more interesting and stylish?

Well, I’m wearing a pair of pink Converse with silver laces, jeans, an army coat with lace material that says 'Love' all over it, a little scarf, a pair of sunglasses, and my signature pompadour. 

For you, maybe you’re wearing cargo shorts and t-shirts and that’s your uniform but you could start introducing other things into your wardrobe. Instead of a t-shirt you could wear a dress shirt and an actual pair of shoes. The thing that bothers me most about Denver and that whole uniform is flip-flops in the winter. I don’t understand that. You know what else I’ve started to notice? People actually going out in their PJs. Like, shopping at the grocery store. In their pajamas. It bothers me. It really bothers me. 

But I would remind people that they don’t have to play by the rules in terms of fashion. It’s really important to play with your clothes and your look and to experiment and figure out what works and what doesn't work for you. Fashion really contributes to not only how you look but how you feel on an everyday basis and every day is a new opportunity to be who you want to be.

I saw you at the Margaret Cho meet and greet and you were wearing a rainbow jumpsuit. Margaret said "that rainbow jumpsuit is fierce, girl!' and it was the gayest thing I've ever seen. In a good way. How does an outfit like that express Mondo Guerra?

I think when you wear something outrageous you really have to be able to pull it off. You have to have the confidence. I mean, I don’t really think of myself as a very cool guy but before I started experimenting with clothes and fashion I was this really bookworm nerdy guy. I used fashion as self-experimentation and self-exploration and it really teaches you how accepting people can be. For the most part people are really interested in new ideas and fashion is a great platform for that.

People appreciate someone who takes risks …

Yes, and taking risks really builds your confidence. I felt great in that rainbow jumpsuit.

What about the flip side? Have you ever experienced any negative reactions to your clothing or your flamboyance?

You know, here’s something that's always bothered me. I've always been outlandish and I would say that most of the hate and condemnation I received growing up has actually come at me from the gay community. I've been called a faggot and a weirdo and this and that and told I'm strange and people have not wanted to be my friend. And it really saddens me because this is my community and we're all supposed to be in this together. But the thing about it is that if you stick to your guns people will eventually come around. 

In light of your experience and the recent spate of anti-gay bullying suicides, what message do you have for gay youth?

To the younger gay community I would just be yourself one hundred percent even though it might be hard growing up being different. You might feel like you have a secret and secrets can be hard but it's ok to tell your secret and tell your story because eventually someone will listen and someone will love you. You just have to find the people that you can trust and care about and find yourself in the community and in the world. 

Well said. Now, as for new projects, I know you have a fashion show coming up for the Alexander Foundation ... 

Well, it’s none of my fashions but I’m a special guest for the Alexander Foundation Benefit Fashion Show. It’s at Saks Fifth Avenue here in Denver on November 5 from 5-8 pm and a percentage of the proceeds go to Alexander Foundation which is a wonderful charity that helps gay people in need.

What are you gonna wear?

Um, I think a grey sharkskin suit with an orange dress shirt, brown shoes, and my glasses. Just something simple. No tie. A little more casual. 

Do you like attention from the public? I’ve seen it happen a couple of times at the Wrangler. People get so excited to see you.

You know, I really can’t go anywhere now without people recognizing me which is fine. It’s kind of cool. I’ve kind of gotten used to it. The weird thing is that people know me from the show and will call my name and I’ll turn around expecting one of my friends but it will be someone I don’t know. I really appreciate it because obviously they connected with me and felt something they could relate to with me and I like that people feel safe and comfortable approaching me for some human connection. People are always looking for that in life. There’s so much pain and sadness in the world that it’s good to have this kind of human connection.

I would be remiss if I didn't ask you about how coming out on the show as HIV positive has worked out for you. I know you were concerned about how your family would take the news.

You know, everything’s fine with my family. More than anything they're proud of me for speaking out and moving forward and being honest. 

You know how you mentioned getting a lot of negativity from the gay community about being outlandish? Something I’ve also noticed is that there seems to be a lot of anti-HIV discrimination in the gay community as well ...

Exactly. I have experienced that. A lot of people living with HIV are scared to come out because of the stigma. There is a lot of discrimination in our community and it can be based on anything from what we look like to the color of our skin. HIV positive people are looked upon as being dirty or bad. And to put that label on people living with HIV, especially from our own community, is that much worse and just makes it that much harder to talk about. 

I’m part of an organization called AHF - AIDS Healthcare Foundation - and they help people living with AIDS and HIV. One of the things they're doing is a jean trade called Jeans For Life.org. It's a very simple and easy way to help some people in need.  

Do you have a message for members of Denver's gay community about HIV?

Yes, I encourage everybody gay, straight, bi, and transgender to get tested at least every six months. Don’t be afraid. There are medications that can help but the longer you wait the worse it can be. And that can be very scary. Trust me. I’ve experienced that myself. I just encourage testing and taking care of ourselves. Love yourself. You can’t really love anybody else until you love yourself. It's something that's taken me a long time to do but it’s so important. 

Find out more about Mondo Guerra at his website LoveMondoTrasho.org.

The Alexander Foundation presents Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Show with special guest Mondo Guerra!

Join 'Project Runway's' season eight runner-up Mondo Guerra on November 5 at Saks for The Alexander Foundation's Benefit Fashion Show. Tickets are on sale now and the event will include an all day November 5th Saks 15 percent discount shopping pass per ticket purchased, complimentary cocktails & hors d'oeuvres, and fashion show. Five percent of Saks sales on that day will benefit The Alexander Foundation.

The Alexander Foundation exists to enhance the lives of the GLBT community by providing financial assistant to those in need throughout Colorado.

Mondo is fiercer than you

Meet Mondo. She was at the Tracks screening party for the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' finale and she's got my vote to be on season two.