Guerdy Abraira: ‘I don’t speak Basic, I speak INGILIZ’

The breakout star of Peacock’ (the NBC network streaming service) Real Housewives of Miami Guerdy Abraira is a woman on the fast track. Already a celebrated event + wedding planner, the Haitian-born Abraira has risen to a whole new level of worldwide acclaim since her breakout first season of the show and there is no stopping her. With the new season of #RHOM coming soon and BravoCon around the corner, it’s an exciting time for the personality plus Abraira.

The demand has increased tenfold for her planning services. She’s graced the cover of multiple high-end glossies and is regularly called upon for brand collaborations and ambassadorships. Her latest is for sustainable shoe brand Ingliz.

INGILIZ is a European-based shoe brand born in Bulgaria from a long-time passionate love for beautifully handcrafted shoes. They combine eternal classics with dynamic fashion trends.

The company just stepped onto the US market this year, aiming to cover a niche in the luxury segment of handmade designer shoes with competitive pricing, and fast and free delivery. At the same time, the materials and trends are second-to-none in terms of comfortability and style.

She says of her latest role as the first global ambassador for Ingiliz: “I’ve always considered myself a global ambassador, having traveled and lived in many places. This opportunity is truly putting the perfect stamp on my cosmopolitan outlook. Being chosen as the first ambassador to help promote this very special Bulgarian handmade shoe company, with such a unique family business story, is beyond rewarding.”

She is currently based out of Miami and New York but often travels for destination festivities. When asked, “Where are you based?” her answer is, “out of an airplane!”

Contrast Magazine sat with Guerdy to chat about her role with Ingiliz, being the leading Wedding and Event Planner in the world, her life on and off the ‘The Real Housewives of Miami’ platform, and so much more as she prepared for BravoCon 2022 in New York this month.

Fans know you as one of the breakout stars of Peacock’ The Real Housewives of Miami but you have an illustrious back story. What are some of your life and business standouts that have seen you rise in success and notoriety? My personal story has resonated with many and so I’ve had lots of requests to continue to share it whether it be through speaking engagements or magazine interviews. Additionally, my brand has also expanded in many different avenues including merchandise carrying my now famous “Oh, hi green!” And “Guerdyfied” catch phrases as well as receiving lots of offers to represent brands via collaborations and brand ambassadorships.

How have you been able to fuse the TV platform and your already existing event and stylist platform to step into this new tastemaker chapter of the Guerdy Brand? I’ve always been known as a leader and expert in the event industry – however I do want to expand on this opportunity and share some helpful tools for the average person to be able to “guerdyfy” their own festivities. As a result, I’m working on a coffee table book featuring inspirational styled & themed events as well as intimate tablescapes images as a way to show and tell how it’s done.

What is a tastemaker in your own words? A tastemaker is someone who leads, inspire and innovates any medium by adding their own “twist” to it. One of my mottos has always been “I don’t speak basic”, everything I do has to come alive in its own way by being “guerdyfied”. I’m a believer that everyone should find their own niche, their own voice as it’s in this way that one will never feel the need to compete with another. Stay in your lane – or in my case tunnel and get into your own “tunnel vision”

Why was Ingiliz a perfect union for one of your first major ambassador roles? My brand as an event stylist is known for its quality and attention to detail. Being a family-owned company that still makes their shoes by hand is specifically what caught my attention.

What stands Ingiliz out amongst the competition – besides having you as Ambassador? Their sustainability approach was definitely an attention-getter. Additionally, when looking at their full collection, I was so amazed at their color choices – crocodile-textured boots in bright pink and green, slip-on suede sandals in yellow and lavender, they had me at “hello”!

You have become a standout in the fashion world – how important is the process in stepping out for events? What can we expect looks wise for the upcoming BravoCon? Dress how you want to be addressed – that’s my number rule when stepping out. You are YOUR brand so look accordingly! For bravocon I think I’ll wear lots of green to cleverly play off the “Oh, hi green!” Phrase. I also have a vendor booth at the Bravo Bazaar where we will be selling hats, mugs, canvas bags and neon signs. It’s gonna be epic!

Coming from a serious business background, what attracted you to the housewives’ platform? Was it ever a concern that it may impact your business? I had been approached twice before to do my own reality show and those were actually mainly career based and I turned both of them down knowing that the concentration was to focused on one side of my life – many of my pre-housewives followers asked me to show more of “personal” guerdy since my worked already spoke for itself so when producers called me to do housewives, I was inevitable and I knew right away that this would be “the one”. I know it would come with drama and scrutiny but if I was going to share, I wanted it to be full-bodied and show all of my life meaning personal and work life to bring a better understanding on who I am and why I am the way I am. Success has a motive and the motive for me is a personal one so they had to go hand-in-hand. I was a little scared but knew that at the end of the day, 20 years of doing amazing events, nothing or no one could take that away from me and knew that my reputation would stand the test of any possible made-up rumor.

What’s next for you? A Guerdy Masterclass where you can get your “guerdyfication” of course as well as aforementioned projects. There are other exciting things in the works…but I like to stay humble and rather share them in due time. I’ve learned that there is no ceiling cap if you do the work, pay it forward, and stay humble.

The definition of Contrast is ‘to be strikingly different.’ What makes you strikingly different? Not sure I even want to explain myself on this one…I’ll let the “receipts” do the talking.

For more on Guerdy and her upcoming projects follow her on social media @guerdydesign and visit guerdydesign.com. To View the F/W 22 Ingiliz Collection check out usa.ingiliz.com.

Photography by Damion Codrington.
Story by Louise Young.
Ingiliz: @ingiliz_official
Talent PR for Guerdy by Matthew Dillon.
Talent: Guerdy Abraira.