An exciting Miami Swim Week came to a close today after having taken over Miami Beach Convention Centre throughout the weekend.
Highlighting the latest resort and swimwear designs from across the globe, the gathering welcomed swimwear designer giants such as Zimmerman and Heidi Klum amidst an array of catwalks and international players. Amidst the excitement that donned the beach front, it was at The Faena Bazaar that a number of Latin American designers had the opportunity to highlight the creative potential of America’s southern neighbours.
The Faena Bazaar is an immersive retail experience which brought together an international display of creatives as well as countless Colombian designers. The pop-up, which will be closing on the 18th, is a taster for a four-floor experimental shopping experience which is set to open in December of this year. Like the current pop-up, the retail experience is set to focus on immersion, unusual retail concepts and art installations. This week’s space was adorned with floral designs, greenery and light displays whilst promoting immersive spaces of art and a modern take on fashion with technology such as augmented reality and spectacular interactive sessions.
Of the Colombian focused displays, swimwear and lingerie designers such as Leonisa, Waimari and Touche revealed their 2018 designs as part of ‘Network Big,’ an international movement supported by ProColombia. As well as being attended by leading innovators of Colombia’s fashion scene, such as the founder of Cartagena and Bogota St.Dom concept store Maya Memovic, a long list of pioneering Colombian designers in swimwear, resort and beauty can also be found within the Pre-Coterie pop-up before its closure this Wednesday.
Across the city, Colombian swimwear designers were further making their mark on Florida with over thirty designers taking part in the main convention centre. Agua Bendita, founded by Catalina Alvarez and Mariana Hinestroza, revealed their Origin Collection on the catwalk this year with a series of elegant floral prints, strong colour combinations and beautiful bikinis whilst Cartagena based, Entreaguas displayed their wearable art with bohemian twists and tie-dye prints.
The Cabana show, which had its final day yesterday also welcomed Suki Cohen, the elegant swimsuits of Puntamar and handmade Colombian resort pieces from Palma Canaria to the two-day show taking place in Collins Park, Miami Beach.
This week, sunny Miami has been captured by the tropical flair of Colombia’s Caribbean coast by the colourful, bold swimwear that firmly secures Colombia on the fashion map. This comes after a succession of international shows such as last month’s Miami Fashion Week which saw leading Colombian designer Carolina Estefan take her full resort collection to the catwalk and the upcoming Colombiamoda which will see Medellin welcome an array of international designers to the country.
The Estefan brand is continuing to grow around the globe and the designer too recognises the potential and power that Colombia possesses in the expanding creative industry.
”Tropical, feminine, colourful and vibrant are all features of Colombian design being exposed to the world today,’’ she told The Bogotá Post. ”Our creativity naturally comes from our cultural background; full of rich aspects which are always part of the design process, reaching a fresh sense of what Miami is looking for. We are proposing a Latin touch merged into a contemporary scheme, and the entire world is starting to acknowledge the amazing pieces we have to offer.’’
As Colombia’s creative circles continue to push into international platforms, fashion leaders from Miami to New York have begun to recognise the true artistic potential of a country often dogged by a past linked to political violence. What is coming to light is the inspiration of a South American country rich with culture, nature, inspirational people and stories alike – through which fashion is just one exciting output.
