Funkshion's South Beach Fashion Week: Fall/Winter 2011 /// Day 1

Drink all day (not really)

Play all night (hum...)

Let's get it poppin! (yeahhhhh)

I'm in Miami trick!!

Great weather, good looking people and fashion: What more can I ask for?  My first day at a Fashion Week out of Canada went well and I have a lot to say about it!

Note: Pics taken from a camera phone. Camera died

I was especially looking forward to this opening night! I didn't know what to expect! Would it be full of champagne like in Montreal? Would there be celebrities? What will people wear? I had no idea! I got there at around 9 pm, thinking I had missed the 1st show that was scheduled at 8 p.m. and surprisingly, that's when everyone started arriving! I thought to myself "Thank GOD I didn't miss it" but was a bit skeptical at the same time, hoping that it wouldn't be like that everyday. The lists were well organized and they had no trouble finding my name on the media list....nice job! The tent was nicely set up (directly on the beach), the lighting was sexy, giving the whole event a "lounge" feel. The chairs were well set up around the stage and it was our choice to decide where we sit. Sitting in the 1st two rows was not the privilege it usually is because the stage was so high: The view would clearly suck. I took a seat on one of the rows with the high chairs, so that I could get a nice view of the outfits. That's one thing...I believe that the stage height could have been lower, allowing people to take more decent pictures. Anyways! Since the show was taking a bit more time to start, I decided to go around, socialize, meet some people, have a drink etc. No champagne (bouuuhhhh!) but a nice selection of alcohol....I went with the organic vodka and pineapple juice, which was delish! Going around I met socialites, models, photographers, artists from all around the world and a couple of celebrities (including "Lady Gaga"...article on that coming soon). Nice! I'm talking, laughing, drinking, looking at my little goody bag full of sun tanning products (not useful for me at all but hey...) and without any notice,
BOUM! Music! The first show started, just like that....hum....okay?

VILLIONNAIRE by Richie Rich with creative director Angelo Lambrou

Never heard of Richie Rich before, but I did my research and found that he is a very popular designer and performer. I had high expectations, since he would be opening this Fashion Week! Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed by the first outfits (and how the show started in general): skirts with a slit on the front leg (???), quasi-transpareent tops, dresses that are way too short, glitter (me and glitter don't get along), teal colors....more glitter (fml)....etc. I remember when I was like 12 years old and I used to go to Cohoes (if anyone remembers that store) and buy those little tops with only tissue in the front and lace to tie it up in the back...The whole beginning of the show looked like the window from Cohoes or Limité (back in the days). Then came the dresses: Thank God! There were a lot of pastel colors and long dresses. Although these are things I usually appreciate, I had some trouble with the quality of the materials that were used. Nevertheless, the evening dresses were interesting with an elegant touch and the "ooh's" and the "ahh's" were heard especially when noticing  the sexy, lower back design that some of them had. I would definitely wear a few of those dresses at a wedding, if the materials were of higher quality. Finally, I appreciated the sleek hairstyles that some of the models had! 

No.

yes!

 

Gorgeous!

Pros: The diversity of the models! The lower back of some dresses, the gold, purple, and teal colors. 

My criticism: The quality of the materials is very important! Please take it up a notch next time. The inconsistency in styling and hairstyles could also be revised, especially for an opening show.

SEXXY POP by Richie Rich and Pachi Lake

The beginning of the show was much better than the previous one! A cute lingerie-like outfit started the show: I was already excited! I mean, if there is the word SEXY in the collection, I am hoping to see a whole lot of sexiness! After this first outfit, I wasn't sure what exactly was going on, as there was a tye-dye explosion in white, pink, purple and blue (???). Then...yay...a sexy male model! Only thing is, he was wearing more tye-dye...and glittered shorts. Not so sure about that.... Right after came an array of cute cocktail dresses (I particularily loved the Herve Leger inspired one), a black catsuit (with very sexy high boots) and them...BAM!! Bathing suits! The introduction of this section was done by a sexy male model wearing sneakers and a turquoise speedo-like bottom, with a glittered bow on his package. The bathing suits for the ladies were colorful, wearable and sexy, most of them having a brazilian cut on their bottom; the ones for guys were a bit too shiny for my taste. However, it is sad to say that most of the bikinis were DÉJA VU, nothing new, nothing extravagant or that i have never seen before. Even at Target or Wal Mart...

Herve Leger inspired

Cute!

Highlights of the show: 

Royce from Basketball Wives looking fabulous in a cocktail dress

Suzie, also from Basketball Wives, rocking a silver mini dress, heels and VERY HIGH YSL high heels

A sexy male model, rocking sneakers with a glittered bathing suit and tye-dye vest, smoking a cigarette on stage.

Pros: More consistency on the hair! Much better! Better music, wearable dresses and bathing suits.

My criticism: Say no to tye dye. And also, mixing porn stars and models during a show is not classy. Finally, a better organization of the collection showcase would be useful: For example, dresses, followed by lingerie, then bathing suits. Not lingerie, dresses, bathing suits, a casual outfit, then lingerie, then a porn star. Again, this is a question of consistency. 

AFTER-PARTY in the tents

There wasn't really an after-party in the tents it was more about everyone wanting to take pictures with the famous people and looking for an after-party at a club. I went to dance salsa, merengue and bachata at a latin club! Now THAT'S an after-party! My feet still hurt but I had a blast!

Here are a few pictures (again, from a camera phone) of the people seen backstage

With Richie Rich

Suzie of Basketball Wives

Spotted! Jude Severe (keyboard player of the haitian band Zenglen) with gorgeous friend and model Nayeli Fanfan

Overwhelmed backstage

A porn star that was part of the show

With Chris Phashion

SO! Up to now I think that...

-Montreal Fashion Week killed Funkshion in terms of organization. I heard people saying they never got replies to their RSVP's, but their name was on the list anyways. And a show starting over an hour late? Really? 

-They bring in some pretty cool celebrities!

-Organic vodka is very strong. Beware.

-A seating arrangement would be nice

-The people attending were all GORGEOUS! Wow!!

-When an after-party is mentioned on the schedule, an after-party should happen, right?

-Suzie, from Basketball Wives is super sweet and down to earth. Too bad Evelyn tried to bring her down during the whole second season.

-I think I met Lady Gaga (Click HERE for the article on that subject)
-The lighting on the stage was a DISASTER! I know my camera died but the one from my cell phone is usually pretty good....here's what taking a picture of the end of the stage turned out like: 

fail

P.S. Photo credits from Vision Studios Photography. Click HERE to see more pictures of the event on their facebook page


-Click HERE for my article on DAY 2 (TV Moda: Roberto Cavalli, Moschino etc.)
-Click HERE for my article on DAY 3 (Fashion Loves Haiti)
-Click HERE to check out what I wrote each day


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