Best of Awards for Swim Week 2012

Annie Vazquez guest blogs on fashion for Cultist. Visit her blog at TheFashionPoet.com.

Swim Week 2012 came and went (thank God), because I’m swimsuited out. After attending the five-day fashion festival, I really don’t want to see another flaca model in a bikini for awhile. However, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of those muy caliente chicos with six packs that made up the small group of male models in the shows.

After all the fashion shows, swag bags, celebrities sightings, and parties I attended, here’s a rundown of the Best of the Best of Swim Week 2012.

Best in Swimwear: White Sands Australia’s Black Swan and jungle-themed

suits, Kooey’s tribute to birds, and Mara Hoffman’s King Tut prints (see Hoffman photos here)

Best Models: Sports Illustrated‘s Kate Upton and Victoria Secret’s Pink’s Jarah Mariano

Best Beautiful Local to Sashay Down the Catwalk: Lisa Pliner

Best Show to Get Your Girlfriend Jealous: Beach Bunny (see full slideshow here and show recap here)

Best Show to Get Your Your Boyfriend Jealous: Diesel (see Deisel slideshow here)

Best Swag Bag: Nicolita. Contents included a bag of cassava chips, a bar

of Cubanita guava, the August issue of Latina Magazine; a 3-piece

curling iron set by Brillance New York, Shibue Couture strapless

panties, a 32-oz lavender blend shower gel by Whole Foods, a yellow

iPhone cover by Incipio inscribed with the words “Greetings From Cuba”

and cartoon images of a salsa dancer and three dudes playing Cuban

instruments, a heat-activated color changing nail polish by Blaze, and a

Make Up Forever eye-make up remover.

Best Hipster Party: Wild Fox. On top of the Raleigh’s penthouse, hundreds

of hipsters and fashionistas convened to see the line’s debut

presentation which channeled Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch, and Brigitte

Bardot. DJ’s Mia Moretti and Caitlin Moe spun ’80s tunes like

Madonna as well as oldies like the Beatles while models flirtatiously

posed around the entire inside and outside. Swag bags were passed on the

way out that included a pair of Wild Fox wayfarers, a pink wrapped

chocolate bar emblazoned with the words “My Boyfriend Is a Chocolate

Bar” and a Wild Fox v-neck T-shirt.

Best Celebrity Sightings: Maria Menounos at Shay Todd; Whitney Port at

Mara Hoffman; John Legend at girlfriend Christine Teigen’s diNeila

Brazil capsule collection presentation; Craig David, Ice-T, Coco and

Dennis Rodman at the W hotel; Kristin Cavallari and Chad Ochocinco at

Diesel; Jessica Szhor at Mercedes-Benz Official kick off party at the

Raleigh.

Best Catwalk Music: Luli Fama playing Pitbull from beginning to an end. I literally woke up singing “Oye Loca” the next day.

Best Live Music Catwalk Performance to Torture Yourself With: Sofia

Vergara’s sister Veronica Vergara, who performed at Cosmo

Summer Splash at the Setai. Can you say earplugs please?

Best Celebrity Who Made the Most of Swim Week: Cheetah Girl’s Adrienne

Bailon. Esta mujer was at practically every show and she walked quite a

few too.

Best of Slutty Swimwear: Beach Bunny Swimwear (see full slideshow here and show recap here)

Best Newcomer to Swimweek 2012: Wild Fox, Christine Teigen’s diNeila Brazil, and Norma Kamali.

Best Booties: Nicolita. Plus, Spanish dancer Aylin Mujica who decided to

readjust her bottom in the middle of walking at A.Z. Araujo giving

attendees and photogs a better look at that rump. Hello. Baby got back.

Best Hair: Shay Todd’s Princess Leia’s braids, Nicolita’s Carmen

Miranda head scarves, Kooey’s multicolored punk stripes, Red Carter’s

tribal-like pony tails, and Luli Fama’s feather extensions.

Best Impossible Show to Gain Entry to: Red Carter. The Miami swimwear

designer only allowed about 42 buyers and media peeps into his show.

Luckily, I was one of them who got to witness models transform from

tribal beauties to futuristic space age babes from the ’60s.

Best Local Jewelry Showcased: Nektar and Citrine by the Stones at diNeila. N&K Designs at Cosmo Summer Splash in the Setai.

Best Local Swimsuit Designer Showcased: Maya Swimwear at the Cosmo

Summer Splash at the Setai. These suits make even gorditas look skinny.

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