words by Mari Haga

The exhausting Rio and São Paulo Fashion weeks have finished in the country of carnival and beautiful woman. I couldn’t identify any strong trendy, everything is valid, in terms of silhouette I saw loose, tight, short and mid, the patterns inspired from classic to post-modern deconstructivism, the materials goes from organic cotton to technological latex… At least some freedom in fashion?
Free Style Fashion Rules!

Rio de Janeiro Saturday 8th

Luisa Bonadiman

Luisa goes absolutely “nuts” in her next summer collection. She seems going through a sexual revolution showing pure bondages, using fringes, chains, drapes and colourful stripes. Swimsuits, tops, and turtlenecks… beachwear is turned up side down. Black eyes, hair back; the models remember Blade Runner, in total black or total white looks.

Printing

With many empty places in the audience, maybe because it was the second time this Brazilian label shows up in catwalks, Printing makes one of the best’s surprises in Rio Fashion Week. They define this collection with two words: Tropical Elegance. The silhouette is loose with excellent work of pattern deconstruction, pale dresses and well tailored jackets, mixed beautifully with bright fluor colours. The secret of this perfect pattern and cut is an old tailor who somehow could go through time, old fashioned tailoring in modern simple garments.

Coven

Coven rescues 20th Century for its collection bringing freedom for the feminine wardrobe.
The silhouette is loose with knit short trousers, blouses in handicraft dyed silk and nightdresses from nude to dark blue with delicate asymmetric frills. But what they do best is the mix of materials, putting together crochet, knitwear and silk in a same garment.

Rio de Janeiro Tuesday 9th

Lenny

When Beachwear becomes tailoring and architecture we can expect at least something wired. Lenny one more time proves why it is considered the best Brazilian label of beachwear. It’s amazing how well made the pieces are, almost organically designed, fluid, sensual. They crease the material, laser cut stripes (prints too), tear neckline making drop shape with tubular iron, make wide stripes that sustain the breasts, apply abusive shoulder pads , refigure and drape.

Rio de Janeiro Wednesday 10th

Redley

Redley ends Fashion Rio with great style. The brand’s urban minimalism is the highlight and hot-tickets of the event’s line-up. Leggings inspired by the surfer’s long-johns, cardigans, trenchs, tank tops, quimono trousers and jumpers all going from beige and blue to orange, parrot green, red and guava. For the first time they make an extraordinary work on jeans (stone wash) that is worth it to take a good look.

São Paulo Thursday 18th

Alexandre Herchcovitch

Based on American football Alexandre plays with forms, colours, design in gaiters, cuffs and leggings, creating symbolic representations with super shoulders in metal structure. Satin, broidery and georgette make delicate constructions that help to define volumes and moulage going directly to his amazing tailoring. He makes a prêt-à-porter sportswear deluxe collection that attest again why he is considered the best actual Brazilian fashion design. Pure and creative elegance!

São Paulo Friday 19th

Maria Bonita

The inspiration was the common popular Brazilian fairs. Material hand-painted, fabrics made in manual looms with bag fair patterns of ecologic cotton with technological textures are the highlights of this collection. The length is short; the silhouette is feminine with sexy and tropical touches. Loose knitwear with different kinds of weft creating transparency, short loose trousers, jumpers, short leave jackets, pieces with the accessory totally connected, dress / backpack, jacket /dress, tank top/ vest… just an extraordinary work of very simple brand new patterns. I love it!!!

São Paulo Saturday 20th

Gloria Coelho

She invites the audience to a space trip, an interstellar travel to explore new galaxies. The trip begins with tight trousers and jackets, varnish waistcoats going through bubble dresses with a 60’s air.
The lasts looks models wear sensational dresses made with architectural straps inspired by Frank Gehry.

São Paulo Sunday 21th

Ronaldo Fraga

Almost a political manifest, the theme is Disneyworld from the excluded people. Beginning with the hair style making reference of Mickey Mouse, mixing Brazilian and Mexican folk, Day of the Dead (Mexican popular festival), Carnival and local popular culture Ronaldo brings us a ludic and theatrical atmosphere. The silhouette is loose with abundance in folds, drapes and frills. A great range of different kinds of fabric and embroidery enriches even more this multiracial worldwide folk catwalk. What an experience!

The season’s top hits

Metalized Leather Shoes from Coven, Bondage Swimsuit from Lenny and New Oxford from Osklen.

New and fresh makeup

There is a new face area to be exploited in the makeup. For the next Summer in Brazil the makeup artists bring the 80’s again to the catwalks lighting the interior eye area with fluor, glitter or metalized eye shadow, a must the suits very well with the new nude look.

photos via Erika Palomino