Fashion
17 São Paulo Fashion Week Looks to Amaze: Haute Sweatshirts, Illusion Cutouts, and Neckline Detailing
While fashionistas were fighting off the cold in Moscow last week, another fashion week was taking place Moscow's polar opposite — sunny São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. Toss all those Brazilian stereotypes out the window before exploring the fashion offerings of São Paulo — you know, the string bikinis, the stretches of sand, the gallons of Caipirinhas (Brazil's national cocktail, people) — the shows were sensual but restrained.
São Paulo Fashion Week is the largest fashion event in South American and one of the largest fashion weeks in the world, and its importance showed in the overall quality of the designs this season. In the past, São Paulo fashion week has come under fire for featuring mainly white models, but in 2009, a quota was imposed upon the event, and now at least 10 percent of the models must be black or indigenous. And of course, Giselle was there, looking as intimidatingly beautiful as ever.
Unlike most other fashion weeks, the one in São Paulo operates a year ahead of schedule (instead of a season ahead), so this time around, designers were showcasing their visions for the fall and winter of 2014. The bad news is that's a long time coming. The good news is there's no reason you can't wear these clothes now.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Tufi Duek
There was a lot of attention to neckline and bodice detailing throughout São Paulo fashion week. This dress is one striking example — too delicate to be bondage, too intricate to be taken any less seriously than pants.
Image: @modamake1/Instagram
Acquastudio
The most notable feature of the Acquastudio show, besides that amazing black-black winged eyeshadow, were strange, boxy hats that crept down the models' foreheads.
Image: @robertatorrres/Instagram
Vitorino Campos
Gym fabrics were continually reinterpreted on the runways. This sweatshirt-gray dress looks incredibly comfortable, and yet the detailing (those darts!) elevate it far beyond loungewear.
Image: @mvendola/Instagram
Juliana Jabour
More stunning examples of elevated sweatshirt silhouettes.
Image: @camifashiontips/Instagram
Fernanda Yamamoto
As we've seen in many spring/summer 2014 offerings, the high waist is gone and the drop waist is back.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Colcci
One word: GISELLE. Two words: Her abs.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Forum
Beautiful, bold colors characterized the Forum show (well, that and Candice Swanepoel). An oversized, bright coat paired with oversized bright trousers is toned down by — what else, this season? — a transparent blouse.
Image: @forumoficial/Instagram
Forum
We had to show you Candice. She may be wearing a fuzzy bathrobe and gloves, but she still looks like a Victoria's Secret model.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Gloria Coelho
Illusion cutouts are one of the most highbrow ways to wear the new transparency.
Image: @alertadetendencia/Instagram
Ronaldo Fraga
So much yellow, backcombed hair, and awesome frayed edges — the Ronaldo Fraga girl looks like a lot of fun.
Image: @fashiontv/Instagram
Lino Villaventura
Clingy, embroidered beauty at Lino Villaventura. Also file under: This Could Be Your Wedding Dress.
Image: @linovillaventura/Instagram
Patricia Motta
Astronaut chic (and more glammed-up sweatshirts) at Patricia Motta.
Image: @fashionpicnic/Instagram
Triton
The Triton show was characterized by a super punky attitude. Each model wore a chunky, embellished boot that did more than ground the outfit — they distracted from it, but in a cool way.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Ellus
Everything about this works for right now: fringe scarf, textured sweater, and an odd hat.
Image: @nytimesfashion/Instagram
Reinaldo Lourenco
Clearly Baz Luhrman's Gatsby is still affecting runway designs. Hello, holiday cocktail parties!
Image: @andrev_s/Instagram
Amapo
This look may not "work" in the "real world," but who needs reality when you're a living flower?
Image: @cocoandcanela/Instagram
Teca
And one more sweatshirt to send you off into the month of November wrapped up right.
Image: @helorocha/Instagram
