MIAMI SWIM WEEK: Mara Hoffman Spring 2011 Swim

Mara Hoffman chose iconic American rock songs evoke a cool bohemian feeling for her 2011 Swim Resort collection show in Miami during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Miami. Ms. Hoffman is a New York based designer with schooling from Parsons School of Design and the renowned Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design

Pretty looks at Mara Hoffman Spring 2011 presentation

The theme of California girls with international rock hippie flair came thru brilliantly in a fantastic collection. The show channeled her travel inspirations of far flung places like Goa and beyond. The runway pieces were effortless with printed dresses, hooded shorts, après sun robes and cowl-neck cover-ups.

The models were prettily styled with bandannas, messy braids and sun-kissed makeup. Ms. Hoffman designed her suits with African-inspired prints and tie-dye details in fresh, light colors. The palette included soft aqua, pink and magenta with the requisite slimming black. There were so many wearable looks that looked comfortable and flattering on non-model bodies that I could see the audience mentally checking off on their 'to buy' list.

Hoffman's white bikinis featuring pops of print at the bandeau and side of the bottoms looked very relaxed and ‘chill’ as they say in Goa.

Fittingly Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" finished up the finale and it's easy to imagine any girl wearing these suits hearing a boy plead "Let me stand next to your fire."

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Michelle Obama Awards Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award to Rodarte

Championed by Anna Wintour, the CFDA and now the White House, the talent of the Mulleavy sisters is being recognized at the highest levels. Rodarte won for fashion design. Other awards included prizes for interior design, architecture, landscape design and product design.



Wearing a two-piece Isabel Toledo ensemble, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the awards luncheon at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design museum. She delighted in being seated next to Project Runway's Tim Gunn, acknowledging they were mutual fans. Guests were able to view Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Charles Harrison on retro viewfinders.



The Rodarte designers were unable to attend the awards due to family obligations, but were praised as "some of our country's most talented, most visionary, most public-minded designers" by Mrs. Obama.



Looking to inspire the next generation, the designers honored at the luncheon met with students at the Teen Design Fair. The creators and teenagers exchanged ideas and provided advice for the future.



Official White House Photo by Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton, Rodarte photos by Marcio Madeira

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MIAMI SWIM WEEK: Boys! Naila at Swell Suits Spring 2011

For all of you who have seen enough svelte female models at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim, I present the very buff, very tan boys of Miami.

The Naila collection is handmade in Italy and designed with an eco-conscious slant. The cuts were decidedly more European than the urban board shorts of the other shows. Shorter shorts with bright color palettes and smaller geometric prints flattered these toned bodies. They also launched a recyclable, environmentally friendly trunk short.

Accessories? Unless you count tanning oil and hairspray, none to speak of. Why distract from the physical perfection?

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MIAMI SWIM WEEK: Boys! Parke & Ronen Spring 2011

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim gave guests a treat with the Swell Suits group show of men’s swimwear. Anyone who needed some eye candy were satisfied by the end of the presentation.

Designers Parke Lutter and Ronen Jehezkel came from different backgrounds (One from Parsons School of Design in NYC, the other from Italy’s Instituto Europeo Di Design). Together, they created Parke & Ronen, a men’s swim collection inspired by 1950’s silhouettes.

Not for the shy boy, the runway had everything from skimpy rainbow-striped briefs to flattering European cut shorts. The prints were bold and graphic; the color palettes had a retro 50’s to 80’s feel.

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FAB Sales Alert: Proenza Schouler,Helmut Lang

In NYC:

Proenza Schouler started today and reportedly causing mass hipster hysteria (at least according to Racked NY) Prices are actually starting at $20 for tissue tanks, $125 for bandage dresses
When: Wednesday, July 21 through Thursday, July 22. Daily 9am—6pm.
Where: 495 Broadway between Spring and Broome Sts, eighth floor

Theory and Helmut Lang is doing a second run of an earlier sale. The samples and irregular pieces are being sold off at heavy discount for anyone who wants them. Women's clothing from all seasons will be available as well.

When: Wednesday, July 21 through Thursday, July 22. Daily 11am—7pm.

Where: 261 West 36th Street between 7th and 8th avenue (2nd floor)

Online:

Avant-garde designers Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens will be onsale with Morgane Le Fay and Haider Ackerman. Sexy rocker-chic or hipster revolutionary? Get it all...

When: Thursday, July 22

Shoplink: Register and shop here.

Photos from Racked.com and Gilt.com

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MIAMI SWIM WEEK: Beach Bunny and the Kardashians Spring 2011

The Kardashian sisters, in collaboration with Beach Bunny Swimwear’s Angela Chittenden, debuted their swimsuit collection - Kardashians for Beach Bunny in Miami at the elegant Raleigh Hotel Friday.

This was a collection where it was easy to imagine the Kardashian ladies wearing. Some unusual color combinations were saffron yellow V-cut suit with a plunging navel neckline held with a gray toggle belt. There were Missioni-esque prints paired with toggle belts. The collection offered hot bikinis with the fun details like little sparkly ‘bling’ embellishments, candy colored side tie bottoms and lots of shine.

These suits are amped up for sexy, fit bodies and were not geared for the shy of heart. The presentation featured dangerous V-cuts and teeny monokinis on the models that resembled the Kardashian body type, (as in ‘booty-flattering’). Bottoms with shirred seam down the middle of the back accentuated their signature assets.

If you are a beach bunny, this is the line to get for your next stop in Miami, Vegas or Ibiza - fun, sexy, and just enough coverage on the bottom. This collection screams HOT but may not be suitable actual swimming! It’s perfect for lounging on the pool decks of hotels like the Gansevoort (where the FAB team stayed) to take in the sun with a cocktail in hand.

The line also had a series of black lace suits with strategically placed flesh toned cutouts. MsFAB and I had to do a double take on a few of the models as they walked down the runway. But, it did the job. It got our attention.

The Beach Bunny show was a showstopper. The cavalcade of press, photographers, celeb gawkers almost crushed the Kardashian sisters who sat front row for the presentation nearly causing a riot. Selena Gomez of Disney fame was also seen with the famous siblings.
Photos and Story by Ritika W.

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MIAMI SWIM WEEK: Dolores Cortes Spring 2011

White, grey, blue and purples defined the colors of the Dolores Cortes collection presentation at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Miami. The suits were smart and one of the few we saw that had a variety of silhouettes from bikinis to the one-piece. She kept the designs of one-piece silhouettes exciting with artful, asymmetrical cutouts and a shot of neon thru a standard leopard print. The designer used white as the backdrop for her prints and evoked some of great retro looks reminiscent of Charlie’s Angels. Great cover-up pieces easily doubled as elegant summer dresses for beach side dining and dancing.



Ms. Cortes has been a successful swim designer in Spain and chose Miami to present her debut in the US. This collection was one of the standouts shows. We think a Dolores Cortes is the suit to buy and keep, as her pieces were elegant and chic standouts in a sea of disposable swimwear.

From Dolores White Sand Beach Bunny Friday Miami Show

Photos and Story by Ritika W.

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