Meet Yvette Roman of V.V.V Royalty Apparel in Peoria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yvette Roman.

Yvette, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hi, my name is Yvette Roman and I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, and a chronic illness, Myasthenia Gravis. I love wearing graphic tees and I was looking for a shirt that would say something like chronically ill, but still chingona… I couldn’t find one. I was surprised. So I started thinking of making my own, and as I was designing that shirt tons of others started coming to mind and I just started jotting all of my thoughts down and one by one designing.

I chose a mermaid with spoons for my logo because, well, I always loved mermaids and I’ve always loved that a mermaid can just keep swimming and not drown, I see it as myself not drowning in my struggles, I just keep swimming forward, I was made for this sea just as a mermaid was made for the sea. The spoons represent me being a spoonie (usually referred to people with a chronic illness, we have to use and save our “spoons” (energy) wisely. If we use too many in the morning, usually later in the evening we won’t have any left.) These shirts are not just for people with an illness, these are for everyone.

I have many different types like “Only the Strong Survive” or “Rise & Grind”. These shirts are meant to remind you that you are strong and you can get through whatever you’re going through. I have had several people buy from me and have told me that they also like to gift them to encourage their friends or family.

Since launching V.V.V Royalty Apparel (Veni Vidi Vici; I came, I saw, I conquered) I have been able to set up and participate in local events and spread awareness and positivity to many people. I get to meet many people and share parts of my story and the mission behind my brand. Many of them will then share some of their stories with me and then tell me why they chose a certain product. I receive messages from people who have told me that when they are having a bad day they will wear one of their shirts from V.V.V Royalty and it will give them some motivation and remind them of their inner strength, and they will have a better day.

I love receiving messages from customers telling me how excited they are to receive their items, or when they send me selfies. It’s so fulfilling and I finally feel like my work and my passion have come together and I am fulfilled. I no longer question my purpose here, I thank God every day for allowing me another day and I live it and love it! I hope to help others realize that life is beautiful, difficult at times, but very much worth the fight. I had to go through a lot to finally truly appreciate life and all the little things and to start chasing my dreams again, I hope that by sharing my story and selling these empowering products that other people will feel that same love and appreciation for life and maybe they won’t have to go through as much difficulty.

My brand represents strength and empowerment. It’s been created by an unstoppable chingona spoonie mermaid who won’t let invisible illness, Myasthenia Gravis, or anything else get in the way of chasing my dreams to change the world with positivity, love, inspiration, and motivation.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, definitely has not been a smooth road, but it has been very fulfilling. I have had some people who felt that sharing my personal story and creating this brand is spreading negativity, which really hurt my feelings because in reality I am trying to do the opposite. I share to help others. Also, financially it was a bit scary because I used some of my savings to start the company and have products ready to sell for events. I have three children, so not knowing if I was making the right choices was scary because I didn’t want to lose too much money. Now, I see that I’ve made a good decision because it has made my kids excited about the business and I am showing them to chase their dreams. We may not be a well-known brand that everyone wants or is wearing, but we are changing lives and spreading positivity daily.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
A favorite childhood memory is a time when I competed in a competition called Odyssey of the Mind. I was in elementary school and we were a group of five students competing against schools from all over. We made a robot that could pick up an object from one point and take it to another point.

We came in first place and it felt so good to see all of our hard work pay off. I remember my grandparents going to watch me compete and my other grandfather sent me flowers. It was the first time they were able to be a part of something like that with me, and it was the first time I had ever had flowers delivered to me. I felt extra special and excited to have won.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vvvroyaltyapparel.com
• Email: vvvroyaltyapparel@gmail.com
• Instagram: vvvroyalty_apparel
• Facebook: vVvRoyaltyApparel
• Other: INSTAGRAM mama_vettees_lifewithmg

Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.