I am Dominic Lavelle (Ross Griffiths), proud founder of kingfisher couture.
For the readers that don't know, yes, I even had to change my name, the hate, trills, slander, Chinese whispers that came from the stigma surrounding HIV crumbled me, my life, what I knew, eleven years ago I was diagnosed with HIV and this was life defining becoming a pivotal point of my entire life.
Do I let this condition swallow me up into a ball of self pity, no self worth and continue to spiral and become much worse than what I already was
NO
I owed it to myself and my loved ones around me to embrace who and what I was and let everyone see the Ross I wanted to be.
It has been a long journey; righting a lot of wrongs from my past but, I have now found solace.
Now I can love myself and love my life. I can plan and achieve goals. Just over eleven years ago, I did not think that was possible.
I have always been creative, love fashion, trends and the glamour. So I decided to put my creative energy into “Kingfisher Couture”.
I am a self taught fashion designer and creator. My only credential in this field is GCSE level in textile and fashion from my high school years. My vision, drive and determination has now got me recognised and I am taking Kingfisher Couture to the catwalks and fashion shows in the north west.
Kingfisher productions is a vision of mine that has come into reality. We are revolutionary, creative, young and exiting.
We are inclusive of all cultural backgrounds, genders, sizes, abilities and disabilities. No one should ever feel left out.
Collectively, we are breaking down barriers, wear our hearts on our sleeves, embrace ou region and making a big wave in the fashion industry.
According to legend, a Kingfisher was renowned for being the first bird of Noah's Ark. It lead the way to a safe path. It was bold and brave. Kingfishers are leaders, bright, colourful and beautiful. That is what all my team members are. I am immensely proud of us all and what we have achieved within a very short space of time.
Already I have had a feature in the Lancashire Evening Post about me and my brand. Reading it back gave me a significant sense of achievement and pride. However, with the positives you get the negatives. Backlash, haters and trolls. Ignoring this, allowing it not to affect me and not dwelling on it, is something I am learning to do.
That article has opened a lot of doors for me. It has lead to collaborations, events, and even a potential talk in a high school. I really hope by doing this I can drive home the message of being proud of who you are and how to deal with negativity.
If I can make the difference to just one young adult, then that is a fantastic achievement.
I really want to drive this company, shout it from the rooftops and inspire others.
I hope by contacting you this can be achievable and I can continue to make an impact.
Thank you for taking the time for reading my blog
Yours Sincerely
Ross Griffiths
Kingfisher Couture Founder
www.kingfishercouture.com