Everything Under the Sun
Miami Beach International Fashion Week’s Saturday night offerings featured a real housewife, a gaggle of kids up way past their bedtime, fashionista doggies and models sporting Star Trek-esque visors. It was an odd mix, to be sure, but isn't that what we love about Miami?
Pret-a Porter, Please
The evening first show, Pret-a-Porter, kicked the night off doggie style with Eccentric Apparel’s posh couture for pampered pooches. Models toted or walked dogs dressed up in satin capes and ruffled coat dresses while the assorted poodles, Chihuahuas and Lhasa Apsos strutted the catwalk with aplomb.
Luxxe brought on the resort chic with bold prints in silk and cashmere and its own high-performance fabric Luxxtech, which slims and shapes less than perfect figures. A gorgeous pink and gold tunic topic with a pattern resembling one of our South Florida hurricanes was paired with form-fitting black pants. Leopard print was everywhere: silk tunics floating over clingy pants, leggings paired with feather-patterned tops, and plunging-neckline mini dresses. The hit of the line was a stretchy black maxi dress which converted into a mini with one tug.
© Venessa Monokian / MFbMariela AllaixBoston Proper was anything but. They channeled Bianca Jagger with a form-fitting white suit worn sans shirt; the seventies with a photo-patterned orange sunset maxi dress; and the eighties in a one-shoulder cocktail dress with an oversized ruffle.
Mariela Allaix saluted the gauchos of her native Argentine with poncho-inspired, loom-woven and crotched designs. Her multi-colored knit tops were paired with shawl-like skirts with beaded fringe. A white-ruffled crochet dress was short in front and trailed to the floor in the back. A luxurious woven beige poncho with a burlap-like texture was split up the front and tied with a multi-colored rope belt. A grey knitted sweater vest paired with a black one-piece swimsuit garnered a round of applause.
Marina Makaron Moscow was all about scarves. Silk scarves were tied under chins, wrapped around heads, draped over shoulders, and curved around bodices. Her eye-popping pints in jewel-tones were crafted into flared pants, floral minis with flowing sleeves and tight black maxi dress with vibrant silk bodices. A reverse print dress featured a shear peach shift over a floaty floral underskirt.
Bata Spasojevic won a MBIFW competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but his futuristic designs would no doubt win awards in the 3011 competition also. Models wore Star-trek inspired visor glasses while strutting down the runway in space-style teal and black strapless dresses with structured necklines. Metallic black minis featured zippered fronts, ruched sides, and super-puffy sleeves. A mini dress went punk with one lace sleeve and two teal strips snaking down the front. The models finished the show appropriately enough by parading down the catwalk to the sounds of the original Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie.
At the Copa
The Copa Airlines Showcase kicked off their showcase with a tribute dance to all their Latin American destinations. Then Giovanni Scutaro took it to ancient Rome. His evening wear gathers its inspiration from Venus, the goddess of grace and love. Venus must have also been a fan of flamenco as Scutaro’s creations featured flamenco-style tight fitting dresses with ruffled skirts. Ruffles appeared not only on skirts but also wending down backs, flaring over sleeves, and folded over bodices. A knee-length sparking grey dress that shimmered with purple had a big grey bow at the hip. The same fabric in a long gown was paired with a trailing purple chiffon scarf.
Claudia Bertolero of Peru followed with her Peruvian Paso horses-inspired designs. Her first model wore leather gaucho pants with reverse applique designs in red. Suede brown and dark-brown riding pants were paired with a knee-length pieced leather coat and knee-length boots. Bertolero’s designs then left rural life for big city style. A bustier with sheer red sleeves topped a velvet skirt. Traditional Peruvian applique designs adorned bodices and skirts. A red velvet halter dress with a flared skirt had a white appliqued bra top. A strapless velvet column was oomph-ed up with silver and black squares. A brown velvet dress with sheer sleeves was cinched with a wide appliqued belt.
© Venessa Monokian / MFbGiovanni ScutaroGiovanni Scutaro of Venezuela designs fashions for women who are “glamorous, quintessential and radically chic.” Miami’s own Adriana de Moura-Sidi, one of the stars of “Real Housewives of Miami” paced the catwalk in a silver and maroon fringed, flapper dress. Other models wore baby-blue, nightgown- inspired beach cover-ups. A strapless, super-glam evening gown in pale ivory was adorned with glittering, gold-tone gems. Fringe swirled on a knee-length black dress with one beaded sleeve.
Eduardo Gonzales from Columbia rocked the cat-walk opera style. His dresses harkened back to the elegant ball gowns of Old Vienna with modern twists. An empire-waist gown’s black-beaded overskirt was set off to perfection by a pink taffeta underskirt. The same beaded fabric flowed down the front of a pale pink ball gown with a beribboned waist. A pink gown was laced up in the back with matching ribbon. Beaded sheer bodices were tied with bows.
Fredrico Visuetti of Panama brought on the men. One glowered as he strolled down the catwalk a silk beige suit. Another worked a purple shark skin. Smoking jackets came in velvet leopard print and velvet embossed in blue and rust. Mr., Visuetti did not ignore the ladies. A Chinese brocade bustier laced up the back was set off by its long black skirt. An embossed velvet gown was held together by strands of crystal. A brown velvet top featured a ruff of real feathers.
Latin Style for Everyone
The Latin Fashion Council got its groove on with a performance by Los Primeros, a Latin urban pop musical trio from Miami voted “BEST Pop Band of South Florida” by the Miami New Times. While they were fun, they couldn’t hold a candle to Blue Island’s adorable mini-models. Children’s’ clothing designer Madeline Morel of the Dominican Republic combines tropical style with nautical flair. The crowd cheered and applauded as tykes attired in linen guayaberas shirts and princess crowns smiled their way down the runway. Hearts were stitched on two-piece bathing suits, hats and capris. Black and white striped bathing suits sported double-layers of ruffles. The same fabric showed up in boys’ trunk sans ruffles.
© Venessa Monokian / MFbPaulina BedoyShoe designer Paulina Anda’s models pranced down the catwalk with feet raised high, the better for the audience to view her stunning creations. Anda is well known in Ecuador for combing textiles and color in her unique footwear. She did not disappoint with canary yellow stilettos, faux boot black high-heels with sheer lace and beaded uppers, and cherry-pink beaded heels.
Ana Carolina Valencia of Columbia plays with a mixture of textures and materials supplied by local artisans and inspired by indigenous communities. Rainbow-colored yarn lopped in tiers around a white jersey dress. The same yarn fringe swung on mini-skirts. Yarn bisected a tight fitting dress that ended in a cascade of ruffles. Along with yarn, Valencia featured crochet. A black dress went funky with a crocheted rainbow front panel and collar.
Ecuadorian Paulina Bedoya finds inspiration in travel. A stunning, form-fitting gown was draped with black feathery fronds like some exotic sea creature. Taupe and rust fabric roses decorated a crepe pleated dress. A tiered black skirt rose to a silver and white bodice adorn with a red fabric rose. Ruffles glided down backs of taupe dresses. A print sarong-style skirt was embellished with silver and paired with a silk shell top.
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