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LAST EXIT SUMMER

the scene: backstage Akihito Hiro, CFWB, SS10, Brasilia

Just back from the pool feeling super relaxed. I put on my sun hat and shades and can’t possibly imagine all this is supposed to be over by tomorrow because right now a cold front is slowly approaching from the Northwest. Let’s enjoy the final excessively hot day in the lido watching those excessively hot lido beauties.

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CFWB DESIGNER FOCUS: AKIHITO HIRA

He’s into insects, loves the extreme Brasilia climate, and his dad’s elegant suits. Akihito Hira is the conceptual-modernist among the young crop of Brazilian designers. His sharp and luminous menswear collection is indeed a cut above the usual street&beach fashion so many other local labels focus on. Taking metamorphosis as theme, Hira sent his bug-eyed model army down the catwalk in fantastically shiny organza suits and macs, crisp white shirts with integrated rucksacks and mac-pocketed speedos. Sometimes, the insect wing thing went a bit over the top, falling on the mannerist side. But overall, Hira hit the right note between deconstructivism and must-have essentials for the 2010 space-age bachelor. Akihiro Hira takes Brasilia menswear on the next level, and I’m very excited to see where he’s flying next.

I juxtaposed backstage pictures from the show against a wall painting by Athos Bulcao created for Alvorada Palace Hotel.

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CFWB DESIGNER FOCUS: CAMILA PRADO

Viewed from the sky, Brasilia looks like a giant plane. Next, you start noticing all those rooftop pools. ‘Brasilia is the capital of pools,’ Camila Prado, a young, up-and-coming local designer, explains the inspiration for her new collection, ‘Pool parties are essential to Brasilia lifestyle. Especially for young people. Brasilia is always associated with politics, the architecture. So I wanted to focus on the playful, youthful side of the city’.

We sit in the Alvorada Palace, the first Hotel built in Brasilia – by Oskar Niemeyer, who else. It’s impossible to escape the long shadows of the founding fathers. But a new generation of designers and artists start to rebel. For the Camila Prado girl, revolt starts with having fun by the pool in shamelessly sexy, figure-hugging playsuits and dresses.

Camila has brought along a sample. It’s a teensy-weeny hot bikini playsuit in lycra enhanced cotton, featuring the bold silhouettes of the rooftop-pools and strong colours. We take it to the pool for a shoot. What a photogenic little number indeed. Very Brasilia. You know, all those curvaceous buildings. I’m sure, Oskar, who’s always been too much in love with women, will love the Prado SS10 collection. Particularly so, because it adds the perfect party dresses to celebrate Brasilia’s 50th anniversary coming up next year.

To give you a little taste, I mixed backstage pictures from the show with my hotel’s pool.

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BRASILIA PLEASURE CRUISE

the scene: backstage Lei Basica SS10, CFWB, Brasilia, Brazil

It’s midnight local time in Brasilia. From my hotel room, I’m overlooking Lago Paranoa. On a Saturday night, it turns into a huge dancefloor courtesy of blaring soundsystems from the yachts speeding past. Yes, life this week has been a real pleasure cruise.

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SPACE CONTROL TO GROUND CONTROL

This is the lobby view of my Brasilia space age bachelorette pad. It’s the closest I’ve been to Space Odyssee living.

And this is the models’ space suits for today (designer: Romildo Nascimento):

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THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Good morning, this is space control calling from Brasilia. The eagle has landed, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast. This the most surreal place I’ve ever been to, and I haven’t even been to the city itself. Having spent a gruelling 9 hours stopover at the bunker guising as Sao Paulo’ Guaroulhos international airport, du to a missed connecting flight, due to 80 mins waiting at immigrations at 5.40 am, I was really on my last leg. Then, we arrived at Brasilia airport and bang! I was immediately over the moon. This is definititely the best looking airport, a Wallpaper fantasy come true, and, even better, the most efficient in Brazil. No immigration queue, no epic waits at luggage claim. Time from touch down to driver: 15 minutes. I want to marry this airport.

The drive to the hotel was very odd too. Fingers on the camera trigger, I was expecting to snap a few Niemeyers or at least a bunch of modernist conrete slabs, but it was just vast empty space and motorways, interspersed with the odd futurist glass building and glimpses of Lago do Paronoa, the huge artificial lake framing the capital like a giant statement necklace. Still, as it was rush hour, I managed to spot a few human beings, even – now hold your breath- a group of cyclists.

Having arrived at the hotel, I couldn’t take much in of its stunning postmodernist architecture, swimming facilities, and spectacular view on the lake. I jumped straight into bed and slept like a baby for 12 hours.

Things are going get even more surreal today as Diana Pernet of Shaded View on Fashion will join us this evening for the French Ambassador’s Reception.

In the meantime, I think I shall treat myself shamelessly to the Good Life with swim in the outdoor hotel pool and a sunbathing session. Maybe I’ll add a hike to the President’s residence. It’s next door, but in Brasilia this means at least a 15 min car drive;-)

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FLY ME TO THE MOON, BRASILIA ACTUALLY

My homebase for this week will be…. Brasilia! Yes, I’m back to Braziiil, this time for Capital Fashion Week.

Please forgive my uncoordinated babble, I was intending to do an in-depth post on this but again, real life and deadlines have had the upper hand. So let me just drop a few hints.

The schedule will again be packed packed packed with fashion. But luckily for Niemeyer-slave PLAY, we’ll kick off with an extensive sightseeing tour. I so wished I had any space dresses to wear for the occasion, but hopefully, a better equipped American fashion editor will stand in for me. I did, however, manage to throw together an outfit for The French Ambassador’s Reception. It will be based on my all time favourite ad: Ferrero’s 1993 The Ambassador’s Party.

As for HQ, I’ll be residing at Brasilia Alvorada Hotel which looks so out of this world but actually sits right next door Alvorada Palace – home to the Brazilan president.

Regarding the fashion designers, I’m very keen to see the shows of Camila Prado, Talentos do Brasil, and Sandra Lima.

Now let’s hope Brasila will live up to it’s space age bachelor reputation, providing fast and nonstop internet connection.

In the meantime, check out my tweets from the Swiss lounge.

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