WACO, Texas — At Vanessa's Boutique in Waco, picking out a quinceañera dress is a milestone years in the making. But rising costs and immigration enforcement are putting pressure on a cherished cultural tradition.
In Hispanic culture, a quinceañera marks a girl's 15th birthday and is traditionally seen as a coming-of-age celebration, typically featuring an elaborate dress and a party surrounded by family.
Vanessa Sanchez, who runs the boutique alongside her mother, Maria, said the store itself is rooted in the immigrant experience.
"My mom and dad, they came from Mexico years ago, and they always knew that they wanted better for my siblings and I. And they decided that they wanted to open a store, a business, have their own business, have the American dream," Vanessa said.
That dream is now a reality, but the business is navigating economic headwinds. As the cost of stocking dresses increases, so do the price tags for customers.
"Unfortunately, we have to, you know, raise the prices. Like, depends on what price we get for our product," Maria said.
Vanessa Sanchez said some customers are choosing a different dress or designer to stay within their budget. Still, she said families remain determined to celebrate.
"But Hispanics, we love to party, and we're gonna make things happen no matter what," Vanessa said.
Beyond economics, the Sanchez family said some celebrations face another challenge entirely. Vanessa's Boutique has had customers cancel orders after a parent was deported.
"We're really close with our customers. They're like family to us ... and unfortunately we have had some customers that they're in the process of planning their quinceañera and the dad or the mom ... ends up deported. And so the event gets canceled, the dress gets canceled, and it does affect us," Vanessa said.
When I asked Maria if I could speak with family members affected by deportation, she said most are afraid to go on camera.
Despite the challenges, Vanessa said the community's resilience speaks for itself.
"I'm really proud of them because here we are ... and we're still here and we're thriving. Economy down or not, we're still here," Vanessa said.
The shop owners said they hope to see a major shift in economic trends that would allow Hispanic families to fully embrace their traditions once again.
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