Rich Strikes it Rich Saturday at Setai

© Tobias Franoszek / MFb

The courtyard of the Setai hotel on South Beach was packed Saturday night for the highly anticipated Richie Rich fashion show. As the first model strutted down the runway in a billowing floor length blue tulle skirt and white tee shirt, the show began. And we do mean show- Richie Rich presents his fashion shows more like runway theater than a regular show. Case in point: as the first model posed for the cameras, a man in a black suit sauntered out holding a miniature yorkie. Yes that’s right, the dog. They walked down the runway to lift the blue skirt clad model onto a podium, where she and the yorkie presided over the rest of the show. And with that, the stage was set for a fun, funky collection of outrageous fashion.

The colors were bright, the cuts were daring and the hair was, well, big. A poufy, afro-esque ponytail sitting at the top of the model’s head accompanied each look. Juxtaposition played a large role; there was nothing typical about anything Richie sent down the runway. Mini skirts and hotpants paired with a casual white tee, knotted in the back. Printed, brightly colored bikinis paired with lots of chains and funky sunglasses. Feminine, flirty dresses with spiked arm cuffs. Purple short-shorts with hot pink ruffles down the back. Exposed zippers, geometrical shapes and unexpected silhouettes showed up again and again, along with the occasional miniature dog. There was even an intricately ruffled purple mini dress, which would show up again on a male model. Miami socialite Erin Newberg paraded down the runway in a dark purple mini dress with bright yellow ruffles down the back and black, knee-high boots. One of the tamer looks was a long sleeved flesh-colored mini dress with paint splatter detail.

The men’s fashion was just as bold. Tiny Brazilian-cut swimsuits were paired with large chains, body glitter and a Chihuahua. There was a multi-colored jacket shown with khaki shorts and nothing else. The men even rocked dresses, including one of the flashiest dresses of the show, a sparkly coral floor-length princess dress, was sent down the runway on a male model sporting only one shoe. The one-shoe trend would repeat itself on several of the men who pranced down the runway with one bare foot and one sneaker.

Needless to say, the show definitely did not disappoint. The looks were very South Beach appropriate, perfect for a night on the town. It was a cohesive collection of eye-catching fashion that didn’t fit any cookie cutter mold. Richie Rich stands apart from other designers in the fashion world. His clothes are made for the woman or man who likes to stand apart from the crowd and push the proverbial fashion envelope. He likes to go for the unexpected, and amp-up the shock value. The models were refreshingly playful and interacted with each other during the show, high fiving, waving and even making out.  The show ended with the model’s final walk, each holding -or sucking on- a candy cane. Mr. Rich took his bows and reveled in the applause, wearing sparkly silver boots, no less.