Diary From Miami Fashion Week Swim: Day Three

The excitement continued on day three of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim.

Check out my photo diary of the day below and go to Future Claw Magazine for more coverage including articles, videos (my video interviews as well as complete videos for every runway show), and pictures for all of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim 2011.

We started our day back at Plunge, the rooftop pool/bar at the Gansevoort Hotel (where we attended Irina Shayk's Ocean Drive Cover Release Party on our first night in Miami, here). With perfect tanning weather and amazing views of all of South Beach, it was definitely the best spot for True Religion to host their annual celebratory pool party.

True Religion Pool Party at Plunge, Gansevoort Hotel Rooftop

Next we headed down to the banquet hall of the hotel, where we came face to face with Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett of the E! Network's Girls Next Door and now, Kendra! We stopped by to pick up a copy of her new book Sliding into Home (mainly because I am such a fan!), which she signed (with an "I love you"!!!!), and got in a quick chat with the reality star before rushing off to our first interview of the day.

Me & Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett, at her book signing

Jules Kim, whom we met up with in her hotel suite at the W Hotel, South Beach, is certainly not a newby to the design world. With a SICK jewelry line, called Bijules, she has proven herself to be quite the creative guru, plus beyond fun to interview. Nycked, is her first swimwear line, but as a collaboration with Lorenzo Martone, a huge, huge force in the fashion industry, it is more than just a recipe for success. Inspired by the vibrant life and vivid energy of NYC, Nycked, pronounce "nicked," is the ultimate swimwear for the city. Representative of Jules' unique style, and set along the same edgy lines as her jewelry collections, these bathing suits are over-the-top glamourous and super sexy, yet totally wearable with flattering and classic cuts. Ms. Kim, besides revealing that her favorite color is a light aqua-ish blue (yes, she was actually pretty specific about this), envisions the suits to not only appear on beaches, around pools, in city parks, and on tanning bodies up on the rooftops, but she expects them to make their way out at night and into the bars and clubland scenes throughout Manhattan (and in cities beyond!). I'm 100% SOLD on this swimwear. The debut collection, set to hit stores in November, is the first "high-fashion" swimwear line I have ever seen and with two innovative brains behind it, I'm pumped to witness its potential come to life.

Interview with Designer Jules Kim

Some of my favorite looks from the Nycked Swimwear Look Book:

WATCH MY VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH JULES KIM HERE.

As North America's leading privately held swimwear manufacturer, and the company behind fourteen major brands (think: DKNY, Juicy, TYR...) and at least six of their own collections, I was completely surprised to know that this was Swimwear Anywhere's debut runway show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Set at the pool deck of the Raleigh Hotel, it's no wonder that Joseph and Rosemarie DiLorenzo have catapulted their company so high into the ranks of swimwear. Not only did they pick an awesome outdoor setting for the show, but they actually used the pool as their runway! What a FANTASTIC idea! This truly exemplified the wearability of their suits, and let me tell you, they aren't kidding when they call themselves "Swimwear Anywhere"...this brand actually does live up to their name. They legitimately displayed a swimsuit for any and every person, for any and every occasion, and suits that could be worn any and everywhere! From sexy women's bikinis, to flattering one pieces, to men's suits, to suits for lifeguards (as a former lifeguard I had a lot of appreciation for this), to suits for children, Swimwear Anywhere missed nothing. To round out the show, they even debuted a resort clothing collection from one of the top designers of their company,Carmen Marc Valvo. Like I said, they missed NOTHING.

The pool/pool deck of the Raleigh Hotel, the site of the Swimwear Anywhere Runway Show

Models walk through water, the pool as their runway, at the Swimwear Anywhere Runway Show

Interview with Designer Carmen Marc Valvo

Interview with Designer Rosemarie DiLorenzo

Some of my favorite looks from the Swimwear Anywhere Runway Show:

WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER ROSEMARIE DILORENZO OF SWIMWEAR ANYWHERE HERE.

WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER CARMEN MARC VALVO HERE.

TRIBAL! TRIBAL! TRIBAL! Like I haven't been blogging enough about it lately...Mara Hoffman's Summer 2011 Collection was the perfect blur of everything tribal and of course I was more than obsessed with ev-er-y-thing. I died numerous deaths as her exquisite ethnic prints paraded past me (not to mention I somehow scored a front row seat at the show!!). Ugh, legitimately, died. DEAD. And in the words of my girl F, PASSED AWAY. I never thought I could get so, so, sooooo excited about bathing suits! And I am already tallying up the damage that will be done on my credit card when I purchase the entire collection. Yes, including those leggings. Seriously...AMAZING. Definitely, definitely, definitely, and without a single doubt, my most favorite show thus far.

Supermodel Tori Praver (who is wearing Mara Hoffman) and Me, backstage after the Mara Hoffman Swimwear Runway Show

Supermodel Tori Praver and Designer Mara Hoffman, backstage after the Mara Hoffman Swimwear Runway Show

Interview with Designer Mara Hoffman

Some of my favorite looks from the Mara Hoffman Swimwear Runway Show:

WATCH THE MARA HOFFMAN SWIMWEAR RUNWAY SHOW HERE.

Brazil is the spot to buy and wear bathing suits and Paolo Robba is one of the country's go-to designers. Her brand,Poko Pano, is twenty years old, and Brazilians and Americans alike adore her suits. With mix-match two pieces, sequins, and bold prints, Robba displayed a young, contemporary collection. Twisted bandeau tops proved innovative and upbeat music plus pretty flowers in each models' hair gave the entire venue (the Oasis at the Raleigh Hotel) a relaxed, "I'm on vacation," tropical feel.

Interview with Designer Paolo Robba

Some of my favorite looks from the Poko Pano Swimwear Runway Show:

WATCH THE POKO PANO RUNWAY SHOW HERE.

Fringe and studs. Two of my favorite things. Period. So I was totally loving the fact that both made their way down the runway at the True Religion Show! True Religion Brand Jeans are among America's most popular and most identifiable premium jean lines, and are best known for their 1970s-inspired, hippie, bohemian, and American look, as well as their distinctive labeling...Come on, who doesn't recognize those back pockets of TR jeans!? Their swimwear line was no different. With a hippie-chic vibe and total rugged feel, TR's Creative Director, Fawn (who also just happens to be the Creative Director for Ed Hardy Swimwear, which we saw just one day before, here. I mean, this woman has talent. You don't just become the Creative Director at two of America's most well known companies for nothing!), made sure to incorporate everything that the brand stands for. The end product was a young, on-trend collection, that of course included that famous denim-in the form of cut off shorts.

Interview with Fawn, the Creative Director behind True Religion Swimwear

Some of my favorite looks from the True Religion Swimwear Runway Show:

WATCH THE TRUE RELIGION SWIMWEAR RUNWAY SHOW HERE.

WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH TRUE RELIGION CREATIVE DIRECTOR FAWN HERE.

For the final show of the night, we were actually treated to two shows in one! Reyhan Sofraci, who is award-winning and one of the most lusted after swimwear designers in the world, first presented her famous Aqua di Lara 2011 collection. Known for her sophisticated and original designs, her newest collection stays classic and formal, yet is uber-sexy. With unique cut outs, high-waisted two pieces, and one shouldered one pieces, her structured silhouettes embodied a very "high end" persona and were true examples of her sought-after talents. The show ended on a bit of a lighter note with the debut of her Qiss Qiss (pronounced "Kiss Kiss") collection. Her signature cut outs were still present, but with a lighter color palette and teeny bikinis, the line seemed much younger and more playful than Aqua di Lara. With lingerie inspirations, cutesy prints and details, plus references to the trends-of-the-moment, this inaugural collection diversified Sofraci's work and showed that she could create everything from the most timeless bathing suit right down to suits that are fun and trendy-with-a-twist.

Shoe mishap. One model lost her shoes mid-show!

Interview with Designer Reyhan Sofraci

Some of my favorite looks from the Aqua di Lara Swimwear Runway Show:

WATCH THE AQUA DI LARA RUNWAY SHOW HERE.

Some of my favorite looks from the Qiss Qiss Swimwear Runway Show:

WATCH THE QISS QISS RUNWAY SHOW HERE.

WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH QISS QISS DESIGNER REYHAN SOFRACI HERE.

What I wore: Dress by Millau, Biker Shorts by American Apparel, Belt by DVF, Shoes by Zara Collection, Scarf (worn both around neck and as headband) by Pucci, All jewelry by Anjua Tolia

Official photos courtesy of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

To see the rest of the collections for each brand, click here.

For more coverage, pictures, and videos from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim 2011, check out Future Claw Magazine, here.

Big thanks to my Assistant for the week, Alex Reisner, who is responsible for much of the photography and video. Check out her blog here.

xx.

M