Paper Hat Boys

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

In the past, 2nd Floor have impressed me with their artist collaborations (Bruno 9li), and also disappointed me with utter mediocrity. This seasons was somewhere in between. Not edgy or particularly impressive, creative or interesting, but a nice collection that will surely be a commercial hit.

A ballerina opened the show a top a platform, that was supposed to suggest a music box dancer. The models then strode out in little brown paper hats; everything about the styling and collection reeking of sweet innocence and nostalgia.

The skirt I call 'The Wendy Bird' skirt, a la Peter Pan.

The palette took inspiration from an old school toy box filled with the kind of toys you don't need to put batteries in, and the collection turned out pieces that would not look out of place at a picnic in the park, on sailing on the lake.

Light bleached out denim, relaxed fits appropriate for playing in, stripes on stripes and stripes paired with florals; all of which were styled in a neatly laid back fashion with tidily rolled pant legs and nautical neck ties.

It came across to me as interpreting some incredibly British aesthetic; or perhaps it was what Americans would dream British people in summer as being. Little do y'all know that British people rarely get out for sun and play, innit though! My idea was affirmed when the British flag motif came down the runway in men's shorts and blazers, and was further reinforced when the final walk through of all the models had them alternately holding British and Brazilian flags.

Sweet. Check the video below, and my favourite looks in the gallery below that.

GALLERY

The rolling horse shoes backstage at Gloria Coelho

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

One of my favourite shows of the whole of Sao Paulo Fashion Week was Gloria Coelho's; as hers was one of the most creative of the week. She comes from one of the fashion families in Sao Paulo; her husband and son have also shown at SPFW, Reinaldo and Pedro Lourenço.

Peekaboob

I adored her use of sheers; in the peekaboo(b) jackets and the voluminous skirts; I loved the way she manipulated luminous silk satins to create the architectural sculpture forms of some of the dresses, jackets and skirts.

Mention must be made of what I've come to think of as the 'rolling horse' shoes. If you've ever read any of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, you'll know what I'm talking about when I say Coelho's footwear are straight out of the alternative universe in book two populated by sentient, wheel-horse creatures.

Check the gallery below for some more runway looks...

GALLERY

Fabia Bercsek

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

When I first interviewed and met Fabia Bercsek in February, late in the southern hemisphere's summer of 2008, this is what she had to tell me about Brazilian fashion:

“Brazil can compete on an international level, but it’s hard because of the high taxes. It’s difficult! The government is the mechanism that makes it hard for Brazil to open itself up. Fashion is so young in Brazil! As an industry it started ten years ago. Maybe, in fifteen years people will be looking to themselves [instead of to the outside]. But Brazil is a little colonial. It’s in our blood!”

And the relative young blood of the Brazilian scene makes it very small; but everyone helps each other out. “It’s difficult, but competition is good; because you’re always looking to who’s coming up beside you…competition makes you do better.”

Sssssnakeskin

Fabia herself is one of those at the vanguard of Sao Paulo’s new scene, and subsequently the new Brazil. Taking a look around at the showgoers for her S/S 09-10 collection, it was one of the more diverse crowds; from sixteen year old clubbers, to trannies to club kids to the mainstream fashion types, it was an interesting look at how one's social habits can 'affect your hype', especially when the design of the clothing isn't at the cutting edge of blowing your mind.

In this season's collection, I fancied I could see the impermeable influence of fashion blogs; Fabia seems to be 'in touch', with the evidence in little details of her collection - from the opening splashes of tie dye, the hipster bowler hats, to the oversize stud details in her S/S collection (Rumi, Fashion Toast datchu?). All these alongside of course the very FB prints, frills, and the city girl with a provincial heart type knits embellished with long fringing.

As usual, I LOVED the shoes. Fabia if you're reading this...!!

You could spot a FB piece from a mile away; she injects some vamp into overtly girly pieces and adds undeniably kitschy and gaudy elements into these. If there's one thing that Fabia Bercsek has, it's a style of her very own.

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Cori

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

Cori's latest collection is what your more sophisticated, ever in control, more mature sister would attire herself in; never a hair out of place, a chipped nail, or wrinkle in her trousers, all executed with a kind of effortless grace.

But all this doesn't mean she's boring per se; just that she's way more stable and civilised than you are. Because of this, she probably doesn't understand you or your life; and even though she loves you very much, she can't help but wish that you were a little more like her. She on the other hand, has a nice job - perhaps in the arts or something to do with history - that pays well enough to have her own place in a nice neighborhood; she travels a lot, likes gourmet food and has nice, mature boyfriends who treat her well and open doors for her.

The collection was full of shorts that hit mid-thigh (mischievous but still properly decent) voluminous trousers that tapered in at their above ankle length and neatly belted coats, Cori presented a solid Spring Summer - though colourwise, I felt it was more autumnal than anything else - that's incredibly easy to wear and easy to swan around life in.

Do you think if I dressed more like this life would be a less messy place to live?

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Alexandre Herchcovitch

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

If there's any Brazilian fashion designer you'll be familiar with, it's Alexandre Herchcovitch. I remember when he was first broke onto the international scene some eight or nine years ago, and hearing about him in Sydney, Australia and wondering how someone from such a far off place as Brazil (so far away that it was almost like a fairy tale to me) had any fashionable business making themselves known in Australia.

Little did I know that years later I'd find myself sitting in this very same man's show in Sao Paulo, nodding in appreciation of his work.

Still the most recognisable Brazilian fashion name in the world, Alexandre Herchcovitch heralded Brazil's arrival on the scene. In my humble, somewhat naive and unschooled opinion, what I think the most brilliant thing about Herchcovitch is that he manages to interpret his Brazilian-ness (Brazilianity?) into an international context that can be related to both Brazil and the world at large. I think a lot of Brazilian designers recycle high street looks from the US/UK into the Brazilian context; which, I suppose for the market in Brazil is just fine, but in terms of being taken more seriously than just swim wear, it simply doesn't cut it alongside Fashion Weeks in say, London or NYC.

Herchcovitch's latest collection had a distinctly South American feel; the exaggerated shoulders and hips of one part of the collection calling to mind the structure of candy filled pinatas, as well as moving through to textural black panelled satins and monochromatic sheer/opaque stripes yet somehow managed as a whole, to still make cohesive sense.

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Gisele for Colcci

All SPFW photography courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

I know I only said that I was writing up the shows I liked, but I can't leave off a show where the following are factors:

Factor One: Even if she hasn't been selling as well in the US as expected, if Gisele Bundchen is walking for you, then you're bound to get loads of attention and people wanting to come see your show.

Jesus!

Fact Two: If Jesus Pinto da Luz is walking your show alongside Gisele, then for sure the hype surrounding your runway is going to have NADA to do with clothes.

Colcci is always a hot ticket for pure celeb factor. You virtually have to hold your invite/press pass in front of you like a shield to get in; it's a duck your head and use your elbows kind of affair. Nobody expects much of the clothing (it was awful), but the gawk factor is beyond.

We all know why Jesus Luz is in the limelight in the first place; and for me, it was reinforced when I saw him in the flesh. He was just so uncharismatic to me - DOLCE, GABBANA! What are you guys doing!? And like Colcci, I suppose their aim is achieved in that people are simply talking about it. Jesus has an incredibly awkward walk - that Pinto da Luz of his is probably better for other things than a fierce strut.

I was pleased to hear Madonna making a big cameo on the soundtrack - they have a sense of humor, hurrah! Gisele WERKED it girl, as per usual, and instead of last season's peace, it seems that the thumbs up is back in Vogue as she threw that up instead of two fingers on her last strut dow the runway.

Check Gisele below and the gallery under that...

GALLERY

Backstage at Osklen

all SPFW photographs courtesy of © AGÊNCIA FOTOSITE

Opening show responsibilities went to doctor turned stylist/designer Oskar Metsavah's well established label, Osklen. The show began with a backdrop of a video installation - a close up look at a shower of sequins and glitter to a soundtrack of tribal drums which beat steadily louder as the show progressed. The standout pieces of the collection for me were what the show began with; what looked like feather light super sheer tees, in rainbow all layered on top of each other to creating an aura of colour around the body.

WANT WANT WANT

Looking at someone wearing those with 3D glasses would give me a total sartorial kick. Then the collection moved through to the printed pieces that were reminiscent of those magic eye stereograms (but much less of a headache to view), before the glitter and muted golds, oversized sequins and lattice cut suede trousers swished by.

It was a softly effortless collection; very casual in the cut of the pieces, with wide sleeves, wide necklines and dropped shoulders, but enlivened with delicate tulle and lace in pastel rainbows, magic eye prints, glittered knits, sequins in all sizes and uber sheer pieces that were the ultimate in unnecessary laidback luxury.

Magic Eye

I mean, who really 'needs' to wear incredibly sheer black trousers on top of a sheer bodysuit covered in sequins? No one, but I wouldn't mind at all having a pair myself. A friend described Osklen as 'VERY MARIJUANA!' in terms of it's trippy kind of cool, to which I retorted that it was way cooler than marijuana, far less dopey.

Layers layers layers

The collection as a whole felt incredibly delicate and almost ethereal but still somehow grounded and urban, despite the fragility of the fabrics and colours.  This shiny and lux take on casual wear was subtle, wearable and very cool.

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Passion for Fashion - SPFW: The Year of France in Brazil

This week marks the 27th edition of Latin America's most important fashion week...SAO PAULO FASHION WEEK!

Held at Oscar Niemeyer's Bienal building in Ibirapuera Park, SPFW is six days of showcasing the latest collections of 40 Brazilian labels.

Even though I cringe a little at this season's theme (as every season has a theme) of "PASSION" (only because it rhymes with fashion and how much cheesier can you get than a passion for fashion), it's also the Year of France in Brazil, so tributes to the world's fashion capital will also be exhibited.

Some highlights (besides the show of course, and cruising the lounges for pizza, mini burgers, champagne and other freebies) will be the Pop-Up space has French cult fashion favourite Colette in the house, also showcasing various bits and bobs from other brands like Melissa and Choque Cultural. Bethy Lagardére has generously lent her impressive haute-couture garment collection (apparently one of the most significant in the world) signed by Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, Emanual Ungaro, Locanet Hermant, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier and Guy Laroche.

I'm going to be writing up my favourite collections and hopefully giving those of you who aren't familiar with Brazilian fashion, a better idea of how they WERQ it in South America. ROLLERRRRRR.