by Jaime Rodriguez, RDPFS Intern
Natalie Trevonne is an actress, dancer, model, and fashion and entertainment accessibility consultant. She is also blind, having lost her vision at age 18 to Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. An athlete and performer in high school, Trevonne studied Public Relations and Advertising in college, seeking to pursue a career in the field. However, when Trevonne graduated from California State Polytechnic University – Pomona in 2013, she was unable to land a job in the field despite holding a degree and being qualified. At this point Trevonne began using her LinkedIn profile to network with people and seek opportunities in the fashion world. Using her connections on the platform, she soon found an opportunity to design her first wedding dress, which will premiere later this month at the first meta-fashion week, along with pieces from famous designers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Levi’s. The dress is unique, being the first Non-Fungible Token (NFT)* wedding dress on the market. Trevonne credits LinkedIn for allowing her to pursue her dreams, saying that without it, she never would’ve been able to accomplish what she has. She went on to say that she’s, “’building a platform to show the world, I’m so much more than my disability.’” For more information or for the full text, read the Essence Magazine article, “Natalie Trevonne Shares How She Became The First Blind Fashion Designer To Create Her Own NFT Wedding Dress”.
*An NFT, according to Merriam-Webster, is “a unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain, and that is used to certify authenticity and ownership.”
