After several tests that life put on her in these last two years, Karina Banda understood that trusting in God, in life, and flowing was the best attitude. Today married to her love, Carlos Ponce; After leading the ‘Premios Juventud’ carpet with him and now going to ‘La Isla de Enamoranos’ with her same life co-pilot, the Mexican journalist launches her own ‘Ave Concept’ line inspired by her, her followers and in honor of her deceased uncle.
Exclusively, Karina Banda tells us about her line, her life, her dreams and how and what helped her get out of each of the blows received in this last two years.
-New adventure, you launch your own clothing line and with a lot of feeling
Karina Banda: Well, you said it like that, an adventure because what I’m seeing is that. I decided to launch myself as an entrepreneur following the example of all women, many of them Latinas, who decide to start their own dreams, and their own businesses. I wanted it to be something that would give them back a lot of what they give me.
They always told me: “Kari, get something of yours or something of your own, we would love for you to get a line of makeup, we would love for you to do something that had your name on it”… It is not a makeup line, it is a virtual clothing store for now, but it is like the way I express my love for them, choosing pieces that are pieces with which I I identify myself, I know that many of them will also enjoy them, and they will have something that they know that I chose with great affection for them.
-Are you designing your own line?
Karina Banda: My respects to all the people who are in this industry, because when I entered I realized that everything there is behind, but above all, also the responsibility, if there is something that I value a lot from my followers, it is their trust, and I could not recommend something to them, nor suggest they acquire something with which I am not sure that it is It is something with which they are going to be happy with the garment or with the piece…
The smartest thing I did was approach experts, with people who have known for a long time and have many years in this fashion industry, and let me guide you. Little by little, and as I learn more, I would love to be able to come up with something designed by me. All my seal, and all my essence, but yes that is a long process because clothing is basically our second skin, you with a garment express everything, your personality, also your feelings, situations you are experiencing, who you are… There is also part of the responsibility of choosing something from the heart.
Karina Band. Photo: Ave Concept-If someone enters your store virtual, what is found?
Karina Banda: You will find yourself wearing comfortable clothes, without losing the feminine look… Comfort today is not negotiable, after the pandemic we all look for and want comfort, when they see me tighter and In heels it’s because it’s part of my job, but I love to feel comfortable, I love to have loose clothes, clothes with which I can flow, with which I feel safe… You have to buy smart, pieces that serve you for different occasions . For example, to go to the beach or if you put some accessories on it you can use it to go to dinner or for a special occasion, that is also the idea, that the girls can give different twists, different uses to the garments, and get more out of it. take advantage of what they acquired.
-Accessible prices, a little bit of everything?
Karina Banda: I would say quite accessible, considering what it is. I am also a little ‘elbow’, I am one of those who likes to invest in shoes, and in a good bag, and the garment can vary, it is not necessary to invest so much money, I think, unless it is an extremely special occasion, I I’m going that way, that it be something that girls can buy, that is within their reach, and also with the ease in which you can choose to make four payments, without interest, I looked for all that because I want them to have the possibility of acquiring them.
-What is the motivation behind this?
Karina Banda: The pandemic brought many things, it brought losses because it brought me a loss, which hurts me today and I live with her, and this loss has been a very important motivation for me in this project that has a very beautiful and very special story and is dedicated to my uncle.
-Your uncle and that pen that reconfirms at all times that it is close…
Karina Banda: Yes, that’s why my brand is called Ave Concept. Bird is because I also believe that my uncle manifests himself through birds, and he tells me that he is with me and that he is in my life and that he is supporting me in everything. I also understood that women have to work on being this, on being birds and I mean being free from everything; feel free from the day you go for a walk and feel comfortable, and feel free with what you have on. From feeling free that you are not afraid to take a new job opportunity or that you are not afraid to take a trip that you have always wanted… Feeling free to fly in all aspects, to want to fly.
All women are birds, we are all different, there is not a ship that is the same, but each one has its own beauty and you see a bird and you will always find it beautiful, and one has a different plumage and the tone is different . We have the phoenix, those birds that rise from the ashes and are ready to fly again. I understood that this bird concept is something that I also want to motivate the girls a lot with. I’m going to tell you something that may sound a bit strange, when they say that a woman sees herself as very pretty, very empowered and they make a joke and say ‘En Perra’, I don’t want them to say it anymore, it’s ‘En Ave’, Now yes, wherever I want to go, right now I open my wings and fly, so put on your batteries.
Karina Banda. Photo: Ave Concept
-What does the feather mean to you?
Karina Banda: The 21 July, 2 years ago, Carlos and I were having a civil wedding in Miami, and just as I walk out to the place where we were, a friend of mine comes and says: “Hey, this feather has been flying all the time out here since you arrived, I don’t know what it means but I want to give it to you”… At that time they were operating on my uncle, they were doing a biopsy that later turned out to be cancer, but we found out the day after he died , who gave us the results, all this happened in less than 2 weeks… When they gave me the pen, obviously I was getting married to Carlos, and I was happy, but another part of me was worried, sad, nervous because I knew he was my uncle in surgery, and also the fear of what they might find. When he gives me the pen, I immediately thought he is my uncle, he is my uncle, he is telling me that he is here with me, I keep it and I keep it in mind.
August 2nd was the birthday of my uncle, and on August 9 he passed away. After that date, at special moments or in special situations, I found a pen. For example, Carlos and I go to a place to distract ourselves, and I found the pen, or in my house. A few months ago, for Easter, I went to Guanajuato, I hadn’t been since my uncle was alive, he couldn’t accompany him when he died at his funeral or anything because of the pandemic. When I arrived at the ranch there were feathers everywhere on the floor, so for me it is like I arrived at the place, it was also my confirmation that, if I understood the feathers, it was you because I arrived at your place, where your life was…
Beyond that, just when I was thinking about the name of the brand, I already had in my mind the ave why and I’m just talking with my friends, and on my phone I get a memory and it was the last photo that I have with my uncle and he has a bird in his hat, that moment for me was like I no longer have anything to think about, that’s the name, so this is how we got to bird.
-What do you think your uncle would tell you the day you launch your brand?
Karina Banda: My uncle would tell me that I am his winner, because he was very proud of me and that makes me feel very cute, he showed me off everywhere. On one occasion, at some TV and Novel Awards that I was nominated for, he shared that photo on Facebook that I go out with my mom and he wrote: “My winners”… With that it was very clear to me that he wants to see me succeed . And second, he would tell me that he loves me very much, and that it is him, the one who has been with me all this time.
-And what would you say to your uncle?
Karina Banda: Oh, I would tell him, (gets emotional and cries) that I love him very much and thank you for all the people who have put me on the path, and who have helped me achieve this dream, because I know that although he is not physically here to help me, there have always been many people in my life who have been tools that he is using to give me the support that I needed through them.
-In these 2 years you have touched to resurface as your ‘ave fenix’ several times, because life has put many tests on you: the death of your uncle, leaving ‘El Gordo y La Flaca’, entering ‘Enamoranos’, then abruptly leaving and going to ‘La Isla de Enamoramos’ and now with her husband, Carlos Ponce, how do you rebuild yourself in the face of so many tests together in such a short period?
Karina Banda: Yes, you know it might sound like the best trite, but I assure you and I can confirm that everything is a matter of attitude. I decided to turn around what I was living, see the positive side and try to get the best out of what I was living, I understood that I did not gain anything by thinking about what happened, trying to understand, why what I did, I did. this. They can be situations that we had to live or it could be decisions that we made that led us to that or situations in which we put ourselves… Everything in this life is learning.
Look on the positive side of currency and surround yourself with people who do you good, in that Carlos is incredible how he has motivated me. Because the mind is really treacherous, and sometimes when you are trying to focus on the good, the little devil comes and talks to you on the other side, but for that it is important to have someone with you who is the one who reminds you of the good things, the beautiful side of the story. Sometimes it is difficult to find a beautiful side, but God I trust in you, God this is your plan, I understand that this is not my place or I understand that this is not the person you want me to be with right now, to give you an example, I’m going to leave it to you, you tell me and I trust you.
Karina Banda and Carlos Ponce at the Univision Upfront. Photo: TelevisaUnivisionWhen you trust, then you say “already I understood”, and it happened to me now with the island, when all this happens with Carlos, that is, I look back and see everything we went through and now I say, “wow, God’s plan is perfect”. His plan was not for me to be in the studio, his plan was for me to start this new adventure with Carlos and for us to start this project, something of ours, from scratch. You have to fly, because if you get stuck in that situation you’re not going to discover what’s new for you.
-What do you say to these women who led you to this 2 of August born Ave Concept?
3162586
Karina Banda: To all the women who are to blame I hope Ave Concept will be born this August 2, I thank you, thank you for motivating me, thank you for making me a better person, for making me a better woman, and for helping me get out of a comfort zone I was in, the most important thing for motivate me to dare to fly and undertake, thank you for your love, for your trust and I hope that just as you motivated me, the bird concept motivates you to feel freer and dare to fly and reach other horizons.
DON’T MISS THESE OTHER STORIES:
•Karina Banda debuts as an actress alongside her husband Carlos Ponce for ‘Living La Vida Prime’
•Surprise! Carlos Ponce goes with Karina Banda to ‘Falling in Love, La Isla’
•Karina Banda: This is how she announced the departure of ‘Falling in Love’ to host the reality show