Meet Hon. D. Earnest Diaz | Fashion Designer, Award Winning Author/Screenplay Writer, Composer, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hon. D. Earnest Diaz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hon. D. Earnest, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I made the decision to pursue fashion design when I was twelve years old. This is the same time I learned that weddings were for two people who choose to commit their lives, love, and affection to one another at my cousin’s wedding.

Seeing the process of decorating the chapel with candles, flowers, and a carpet runner, along with the wedding party. This all made me wonder what about my future partner and myself. In what way would I create this for us? Given the way that men of the cloth speak about people like myself in those days, I asked myself, who would conduct the ceremony?

My thoughts turned to how I could redo everything for my future partner and me, while still honoring the church and the customs that its members had treasured for many years.

At this point, I started planning a new ceremony specifically for myself and other same-sex couples. Since the gay community had no acronyms in 1982, I referred to our relationship as a same-sex one. I never wanted to be married because I knew early on I was not heterosexual. I didn’t want to mimic someone else’s life or relationship.

I would come up with different concepts, designs, and seating arrangements over the years. I used to ask my friends about their dream weddings; we would come up with everything from the most extravagant to the most personal, but at the end of the day, it was still a wedding.

In 2015, following the Supreme Court’s Marriage Equality Act ruling, I finally put together the entire manuscript. The idea that had been growing for 30+ years finally got a name: “Unity.” Imagine, redesigned traditions and celebrations that bring two consenting adults together while honoring religious beliefs and traditions globally. All for a community that has none of their own.

Unity – “New Tradition for LGBT Nuptials.” The unreleased but copyrighted work has gone on a journey that I could never have imagined. While trying to figure out the best way forward to bring Unity to the world I decided to go with a documentary to tell the story of its creation on film. Which led me to meet with a documentary director who suggested I compose the music for my own soundtrack. With my piano lessons as a kid and my percussion/drum lessons in Jr. High and High School I dusted off the drum sticks and started a musical journey I didn’t know I had inside me.

To date two songs/music videos have been released for the Unity Soundtrack.
The first song/music video Let Them Eat Cake Chapter 18 & Official Video have received a total of 101 awards and accolades across 6 continents. This work also garnered me Music Composer of the Year 2022 (Scotland), 6 – Honorary Doctorates of Fine Arts, and Top 20 Men of the Year nominee 2023 (Africa)

The second (most recent) song/music video – Beauty and Grooming Chapter 9 & Official Video
has received 34 awards and accolades across 4 continents. Along with Lifetime Achievement Award Music Composer 2023 (Scotland), and Video Music Producer of the Year 2024 (Scotland).

I have managed to accomplish all of this while still pursuing my hearts desire of fashion designing. Along with writing. To date my first self published book “Thankful” has won IPAs Best Inspirational of 2016 and I have adapted the book into a semi-autobiographical screenplay that has gone on to win 6 Best Screenplay awards.

From what I understand, I am the only fashion designer to have achieved this remarkable feat.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The art of it all!

Fashion designing: while creating music and writing I have been sketching a few lines to produce. As well I am seriously considering bring back the Sk’n underwear line that I started in 2005. Plus I’m still taking on clients who order bespoke pieces for various events.

NFTs: Yes there are NFTs available at https://opensea.io/collection/let-them-eat-cake-collection
The collection will be changing names from Let Them Eat Cake Collection to Earnest Sports. The collections focus is from the 101 time award winning Music video of the same title. Theme is based on 16 of the world’s most popular sports.

Unity: Unity has a wide range of directions from the music for sale, to the Unity Journal for LGBT couples available on Amazon. Hopefully before too long the manuscript will be available as a book. Plus, scheduling is open to organize Unities for LGBT couples. Simply email unity@earnestdiaz.com for further information.

Thankful: The table book is available at most major online book retailers. The screenplay is a whole other direction that is new territory for me. Currently it is under consideration at a number of film festivals and I am working towards locking in a Literary manager with the end result of having the screenplay turned into a full length feature film.

(Eyes bugging out – jaw dropped!) I know. Most people work toward one goal at a time. While just about everyone on earth is watching videos on their small screens, the daily madness or to catch up on current events. I am constantly…constantly working, pushing, praying this all comes together. It will. Parts of it have already started falling into place.

The key to it all is simple. Work, work hard and as long as it takes to achieve the goal. And yes I doubt myself all the time. (Is it good enough? Am I strong enough? Will this … Will that … How … When…) I run all of the questions in my mind all of the time. As those thoughts float in, I flush them out with focusing on work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Inside the loop for seafood, we would definitely eat at Golden Seafood across from the Farmers Market on Airline. The best seafood for the price and the amount is Texas sized. Afterwards a walk through the Farmers Market to pick up fresh produce for the week while eating at the house.

Italian food outside the loop hands down Italiano’s in Humble. This is the original location, the food is mind blowing delicious!

We would have to stop in at Goodwoods British Market, in Old Town Spring, to pick up British crumpets and sultana scones for breakfast and afternoon nibbles.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to the fashion designers I studied in 1975 on, the church, and LGBT Community.

These are main three groups that I credit for bringing about my creativity, directions and dreams. From seeing and reading fashion magazines at the age of 5, and being inspired by the likes of Norma Kamali, Halston, Chanel, Norma Novell, and Christian Dior to name a few.
To my Christian up bringing in my cousin’s church, and the incredible people I have met and gotten to know in the LGBT community.

Website: https://earnestdiaz.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnest_diaz/

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/earnest_diaz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Earnest-House-of-Diaz-Music/100030791186481/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EarnestDiaz

Image Credits
Chris Perez