Madge said it best: Beauty's where you find it. And starting this Wednesday, you can find it in South Beach, off of Convention Center Drive. That's right -- Miami Fashion Week is coming to town. From May 15-18, the Miami Beach Convention Center will serve as a pantheon of textile savants and design luminaries.
Though not as famously known as July's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, the simply named Miami Fashion Week emphasizes on rounding up the best in up-and-coming designers worldwide in every category, from Ukraine's contemporary brands to Spanish lingerie designers.
While most Magic City fashionites regale over the kid-in-a-candy-shop likes of all the pop-up shops looking to claim their bank account, it's the luxe runway shows that really get us riled up. Here are the top 10 hopefuls we can't wait to see at Miami Fashion Week.
10. Escudo
Conceived by Peruvian designer Chiara Macchiavello, Escudo fuses rural textures and folkloric concepts into modern-day trends. Keeping it real to its chaufa-lovin' roots, the brand opts for Alpaca wools and hand-loomed wovens to portray only the highest level of authenticity. Why wouldn't we be stoked to wave the Peruvian flag of fashion pride? By the way, BYOC (bring your own ceviche) is highly encouraged.
9. Lola Kids
This week's stage isn't only exclusive to leggy felines. Kittens and pups have fashion rights too. Children's line Lola Kids will cloak model youngsters from ages 2 to 10, sporting edgy trends like drop crotch joggers done oh so right in classic prints. It's like Ralph Lauren and Rick Owens had a baby - or a couple dozen.
8. Matías Hernán
It's only natural that Project Runway Latin America's season three winner, Matías Hernán, flit with joy to the Miami Fashion Week catwalk. The Chilean champion, known for delivering pieces that boast geometric volume and spiked shoulders, will offer up a retro feel by way of high-waisted A-line skirts sets with a new-Miami color palette of bright neons. Think Josep Font's Del Pozo Fall 2014 collection. Yeah, it's that fucking good.
7. Mariana Castro
Spaniards are sexy. And so is Mariana Castro's Spanish-inspired ready-to-wear collection due to hit the MFW runway this week. This season, her line is packed with matador wool hats and long, jersey-knit jumpsuits coupled up with black riding boots. Hopefully, Castro will bring that same ¡olé! swag to the Convention Center runway - preferably biting down hard on a rose stem - and give us a reason to cry out "Bravo!"
6. Stella Jean
Matchy-matchy deserves one swift hit of the snooze button. Or at least Stella Jean thinks so. The Haitian-Italian designer fancies the element of unpredictability mixed with retro feminism from the '50s. But instead of defining feminism through clingy spandex pieces suffocating your poor boobies, Stella constructs pieces that float away from your body. Picture Lucille Ball as the most badass man repeller you've ever seen. All together now, ladies: yes we can.
5. Andres Sarda
Miami's motto: Less (clothing) is more. Ironically, Andres Sarda shares the same ideology with us semi-exhibitionists of the south. And that belief is the foundation of his lingerie line. The Catalan designer has a feminine penchant for delicate lace of the pastel and nude variety, but doesn't shy away from provocative - yet tasteful - cutouts either. Guys, toss this month's Maxim away because Andres Sarda is giving it to you in the flesh.
Come on - do we even need to explain? The bright colors, the wild prints, the no-fuss-no-muss drape: we could go on for days, listing reasons why this Spanish brand works so well in the Miami heat. Possibly the biggest name to grace MFW, the pressure of putting on a good show is definitely on. Sorry, Custo.
3. Nicolas Felizola
Nicolas Felizola is practically a household name in these parts. And trust us, his sultry designs are no strangers to the runway. His creations are go-to pieces for any Latin Award Show and typically worn by novela heavy-hitters like Venezuelan bombshell Chiquinquirá Delgado and Miami native Jencarlos Canela. Yeah, he's kind of a big deal.
2. Lisu Vega
Last year's Lisu Vega runway show during MFW featured bald-headed, face-painted models strutting down the walkway. It stirred up quite the controversy, like any respectable haute designer looking for a reaction. This year, Vega promises only the most contemporary silk charmeuse tunics with trippy kaleidoscopic prints. Though we'll surely love her pieces from her most recent collection, it's the guilty pleasure of her politically incorrect themes that we really can't wait to see. So sue us.
1. Teresa Rosati
Like something straight out of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Teresa Rosati usually has a flair for the theatrics in the most whimsical sort of way. Legions of airy silk chiffons, lace appliques, and iridescent sequins typically find their way into her collection's story. We're ready to swoon, Teresa.
For schedules, tickets, and more, visit miamifashionweek.com.
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