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September 15, 2018 @ 6:00 pm
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Françoise Elizée & Pipe Yanguas
The entrepreneurial spirit of the Haitian woman has always inspired me. The Madan Sara (”Madam Sara”) or ”woman in the market,” who carries the local economy on her shoulders, and all the women who have earned the title potomitan-a woman who plays a central role in the family and economy of Haiti-are simply remarkable. This book is a tribute to the Haitian women and a testament of my admiration for them-their impeccable aesthetic, talent, and contribution to the culture. It is about a journey to a Haiti that few are familiar with, but all fall in love with when they visit. Out of so many talented and impressive women, we selected a few for this book. Each woman has a fascinating story about her experiences and her work on this beautiful Caribbean island. We were given the special opportunity to get an in-depth look at their remarkable ways of creating history and benefiting their country.
As a Haitian woman who moved with my family to Miami at the age of 13, I have been personally motivated by these women’s stories in my own enterprise. I helped run my family’s food products business and founded my own fashion label, Françoise Elizee Collections, which includes exotic handbags and accessories that have been featured in such magazines as In Style, Elle, and Glamour and sold around the world.
A tribute to Haitian women —their impeccable aesthetic, talent, and contribution to the culture. It is about a journey to a Haiti that few are familiar with, but all fall in love with when they visit. Each woman has a fascinating story about her experiences and her work on this beautiful Caribbean island. An in-depth look at their remarkable ways of creating history and benefiting their country. Beyond the products they sell, their creativity provides training, food, and healthcare and enables Haitians to support themselves and their families.
The women featured in this book have all earned the title potomitan. Their stories and pictures exude a sense of determination, pride, and sensibility in regard to their country.
About the Author:
Françoise Elizée is a Haitian woman who moved with her family to Miami at the age of 13. She has been personally motivated by these women’s stories in her own enterprise. She helped run her family’s food products business and founded her own fashion label, Françoise Elizée Collections, which includes exotic handbags and accessories that have been featured in such magazines as In Style, Elle, and Glamour and sold around the world. Photographer Pipe Yanguas connected to the Haitian spirit and captured the story of these women, their work, and their success. The combination of a “new eye” and old memories make this book special, bringing a fresh look to an unknown island.
Pipe Yanguas was born in Cali, Colombia, and has spent years in Europe, including Germany and Italy. He also frequents the Middle East. Pipe’s attraction to beautiful images and learning about different people drew him to study and pursue photography professionally. Though Pipe lives in Miami, he travels the world to capture moments in which his subjects are engaging in their most beloved activities. He curates the images for publication in a “PHOTO Biography” that grows over time displaying a subject’s essence and individuality. Pipe’s pictures radiate positivity and tell stories that are a true reflection of the subject’s spirit. Through his friendship with Françoise Elizee, Pipe developed a love of Haitian food, culture, customs and especially the people. His style of photography elicits the passion that the women featured in Haiti Rediscovered feel for their work. He appreciated their dedication, energy and the relationships that they had with their artisans. Their determination to succeed was inspiring. Pipe hopes that this collaboration will reveal one of many beautiful features of Haiti, which he has discovered.
