Showcasing Zionsville

Award winning designer Antonio Fermin displays his heart for Zionsville

International designer Antonio Fermin has studied and traveled the entire world but proudly calls Zionsville home.

Awarded many titles, including Bridal Guide’s Designer of the Year 2011, Fermin has used his notoriety to help raise funds and awareness for many events, including Zoobilation, Circle City Classic, ZSparkle and CruZionsville.

Now he is turning his attention again to his hometown, spearheading a new event to showcase the town he loves by promoting its philanthropic culture.

Once a resident of Madrid, Spain, Fermin’s life travels eventually led him to Zionsville. Twenty years ago, he began a career in medicine but decided to make a pivotal change in his life.

“I prayed about it and knew that I was going to work with either babies, death or bridal,” Fermin said. “I knew those three were always going to happen regardless of the status of the economy.”

He chose to focus on bridal design specifically because of the sentimental value that the experience brings. For him, it is his legacy.

“Long after me, the great-grandchildren will look at the portrait of their great-grandmother on her wedding day and see her beautiful smile. I created the dress that made her feel beautiful,” Fermin said.

After traveling to Indiana for 14 years doing bridal trunk shows, he and his business partner Sandi Mance, decided to open their retail store, A Step Above Bridal, in downtown Zionsville because of the feelings and memories the town invoked.

“It was so welcoming and inspiring,” Fermin said of his first visit to Zionsville. “It reminded me of the villages in Spain with all of the quaint boutiques and restaurants.”

The day that Fermin and Mance opened their store, Fermin said that he walked to the local Farmers Market in search of vine ripe tomatoes. At the market, he discovered the tomatoes were sold out. Disappointed, he walked back to his store, but along the way, he saw a woman outside of a local coffee shop with an overflowing bag of tomatoes sitting beside her.

“Why, you must be the one who took all of the tomatoes,” Fermin said to the woman in jest.

She kindly offered some to Fermin. He smiled and thanked her but declined her offer. A short while later, the woman appeared at his store and left some tomatoes. It was that simple gesture of kindness and goodwill that reaffirmed Fermin’s move to Indiana and his decision to open his business in Zionsville.

Enchanted by the people and businesses in the town, Fermin decided to showcase the town through hosting local events. Recently, Fermin proposed an idea to Debra Taylor, owner of Sic Parvis Magna LLP, who has worked with Fermin on multiple occasions. The two collaborated and presented their idea to the American Heart Association to bring the Faces of Fashion Soiree to Zionsville.

“Antonio opened the door and has been a huge part of the process,” Taylor explained. “We chose Zionsville because we wanted an intimate venue and the stores. We wanted to offer the guests an experience beyond cocktails and vendor exhibits, and Zionsville fit the bill.”

Fermin will present a fashion show at the Sanctuary featuring red dresses for the members of the AHA and the community so that attendees can preview dresses for the upcoming gala in May. Along with the fashion show, Fermin invited merchants to participate by having a special shopping event with more than 30 merchants keeping their doors open with extended hours and specials for guests.

Victor Gosnell, co-owner of Confectioneiress, is one of the participating merchants.

“We were very excited when Antonio contacted us,” Gosnell said. “Events like these can be a great promotion for our community when they are put on by local business owners who want this town to thrive.”

Fermin looks forward to having another opportunity to share his love of his community with others through this new event.

“People don’t know what we have here. This event will bring in people from all areas of the city, together in Zionsville. They will come out and taste the flavor of the town,” Fermin said. “Local businesses can open their hearts and doors. If the guests don’t buy a dress from me but buy something from somebody else, that makes me just as happy.”

Faces of Fashion Soiree Participating Merchants: