Sao Paulo Fashion Week

And Kate Moss says she would love for Jennifer Lawrence to wear her Topshop collection.

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For the third season in a row, Fashionista has covered Sao Paulo Fashion Week. Outside of the four main fashion weeks, Sao Paulo is proving to be an i

Sao Paulo Fashion Week may not be as big as New York or London or Paris or Milan (yet), but it's gotten pretty substantial. In case you had misconcep

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Sao Paulo Fashion Week for the first time. Despite still being in its infancy, it is definitely a legitimat

Lea T. took to the runway in São Paulo Saturday night in celebration of Elle Brazil's 24th anniversary--but her turn on the catwalk marked an impor

While in Brazil for Sao Paulo Fashion Week, I had the strange experience of doing something that would be unthinkable in the United States: I went around asking young women about their breasts. Namely, if they were fake or not. Let me explain: We heard a rumor that Brazilian models often had small implants dubbed "Brazilian Bs," and that implants of this kind were pretty commonplace. Naturally, I asked around to see if this was a real thing. Again, I don't need to explain the kind of shocked reaction I would have gotten in America--but in Brazil: NBD. Actually, Brazilians couldn't understand why I had been so shy to ask. And the general consensus? Most young women said that yes, "many" or even "most" of their friends have breast implants. They agreed that, unlike in the U.S. perhaps, most women in Brazil opt for smaller, more natural-looking implants. The reason for the rise of surgeries in Brazil is no secret:

Sao Paulo's fashion week may still be in its infancy (in comparison to NY, London, Paris, and Milan anyway), but believe you me, the city already has an established roster of industry A-listers who always sit front row--or Fila A, as it's called here--get street style snapped, parazzo-ed and generally own the industry. You may not know their names (yet) but you should: Thanks to their robust economy and booming consumerism, Brazil is poised to take over the fashion industry in the next few years, according to the Associated Press. Read on to find out who you need to know in this growing industry.

SAO PAULO--Remember ravers? Well, Brazilian label Osklen sure does. The brand used the subculture as the main inspiration behind their fall 2012 collection. But before you start picturing oversized Jnco pants, and pacifier necklaces, note that these are not the raving clothes we remember (and wish we could forget?): This time, they are all grown up, high fashion--and eco-conscious. Sure, there was a lot of neon, camo and brightly colored furry things (from purses, to hats, to sweaters), but there was also expertly tailored outerwear, filmy blouses and a digitized floral print that was decidedly 2012. Of course, what else would you expect from designer Oskar Metsavaht, whose background is not in design or fashion--but snowboarding. Fun fact:

I went to Sao Paulo fashion week to learn about Brazilian fashion, and I was surprised and impressed with what I saw. (I was also tickled by some extreme looks that came down the runways--extreme looks are de rigueur on the runway and most folks don't get to see them--and so I wrote a lighthearted humorous post about them. Some folks were amused, many were not. So it goes.) Brazilian fashion, I learned, is much more than colorful printed beachwear and bikinis (though Brazil does both those things exceedingly well). Here are five Brazilian labels that should be on your radar. There are, of course, lots more to know about but here's a start. *My travel and accommodations for Sao Paulo fashion week, courtesy ABEST (Associação Brasileira de Estilistas). **All photos: © Agência Fotosite/Zé Takahashi via FFW.com.br

While hurrying between shows at Sao Paulo fashion week last week, I nearly ran into Kecya Felix, a Brazilian stylist/designer, who was wearing what looked like a burqa (it's actually a niqab and abaya) embellished with sequined interlocking Chanel "C"s and an iPad around her neck. A slide show played on the iPad--"Could Coco Chanel Create This Look?" one slide asked. I approached Felix to ask what she was all about. She shook her head and pointed towards her boyfriend, American Ryan Donnelly, who was functioning as her voice for the ever growing throngs of showgoers who stopped, intrigued, to find out more about Felix and her provocative outfit. "She's doing a project about sexism in clothing and it's going to involve visual art as well as a small collection of clothing," Donnelly explained. "We went on a trip to the middle east where she bought this [abaya and niqab]--she didn't create it. We bought it in Amman, Jordan." While Felix wouldn't talk during her stunt at SPFW (she did the same thing at Fashion Rio) she sent over an email with her artist statement (written in the third person):

SAO PAULO--Wunderkind designer Pedro Lourenço (he's just 21) presented his resort collection at Sao Paulo fashion week this past week. It's his first resort collection and the first time he's ever shown his designs in his hometown even though both his parents are designers there--he showed his first two collections in Paris to much critical acclaim. Lourenço presented his collection a la runway shows of yore (and Tom Ford last year): in an intimate setting in the back room of a luxe hotel in Sao Paulo, Lourenço stood in the center of the room with a microphone and described each look in his collection, one model at a time. Occasionally Lourenço would forget a detail, and ask the model to come scurrying back and turn her around to show off a particular seam or fabric. Of course, I was inferring all of this as Lourenço presented his collection in Portuguese (luckily he was on hand to translate later). But it was easy to tell just from looking at the clothes that they were a slight departure from his past two leather-heavy collections.

I just got back from Sao Paulo fashion week. I saw a lot of great clothes come down the runway. I also saw a lot of wacky out there clothes come down the runway. Sometimes the crazier the clothes and the styling, the more fun they are to watch. So here are the top 10 most out there looks from Sao Paulo fashion week. **All photos: © Agência Fotosite/Zé Takahashi via FFW.com.br

SAO PAULO--Showgoers at Sao Paulo fashion week were greeted by a group of about a dozen protestors from non profit organization Educafro Brazil, who had chained themselves together in front of the Fundação Bienal (Sao Paulo fashion week's official venue), to call for more black models on the catwalks in Brazil. While 12 protestors outside an event might not seem like enough to raise a stink, the story was all over Brazil's papers and news sites for the rest of the week. Brazil is known for its beautiful models almost than for its fashion. While Gisele, Brazil's most famous model, didn't walk in Sao Paulo fashion week this season (she walked last season for Colcci), Brazilian models Raquel Zimmerman, Daiane Conterato, Bruna Tenorio, and Viviane Orth walked countless shows. The pervading look of the models on the runways in Sao Paulo is undeniably blond, white, and European. As Educafro Brazil pointed out in their literature, the models do not reflect Brazil's population, which is over 50% black.

SAO PAULO--Osklen's spring 2012 was easily one of the standout shows of Sao Paulo fashion week. While Osklen has a US presence, and a store on Wooster Street in SoHo, I didn't know much about the brand until I saw their show this past week. Their show show made me want to know more--and buy their clothes. The label's got a real urban sensibility--clean, simple yet sophisticated silhouettes in luxe materials--so their brick-and-mortar location on Wooster makes perfect sense. For spring, Osklen paid homage to African culture in Brazil, hence the title of the show: the Royal Black Collection. While Sao Paulo fashion week mandates that at least 10% of the models in each show are black, Osklen's show opened with seven black models. The collection was elegant and flowing and comfortable.

SAO PAULO--Outside the fashion world, folks aren't quite sure what to make of androgynous male model Andrej Pejic. Borders and Barnes & Nobles censored his topless cover for Dossier Journal, and men's mag FHM appallingly referred to him as a "thing" when listing the in-demand model as number 98 on their "Hot 100 Women" list. Thankfully, within the fashion world, Pejic is accepted and in demand. He's served as muse to Jean Paul Gaultier, landed Marc by Marc Jacob's spring campaign, and been featured in numerous high fashion editorials. Last night, at Brazilian designer Lino Villaventura's spring 2012 show in Sao Paulo, he proved he is also a catwalk star. Pejic walked twice: first in menswear, and then he closed the show in women's evening wear--holding the packed room rapt as he vogued at the end of the runway. From my seat below the photographer's pit, I could see that Pejic was trembling a bit even as he nailed pose after pose at the end of the runway. Watch Pejic do his thing.

Sao Paulo might not be one of the big four fashion cities, but when it comes to swimwear, Brazil is second to none. Brazilians dress for the beach like it's the red carpet--the suits here are just as glitzy and glamorous as evening gowns, only much (much) more revealing (they don't call it the Brazilian wax for nothing). Many labels showed last week at Fashion Rio, and more showed this past week at Sao Paulo fashion week. As one Brazilian fashion writer put it, swimwear is Brazil's haute couture. Here's why. (Also if you need any motivation to go to the gym, this is it.)

SAO PAULO--Gloria Coelho is one of the doyenne's of Brazil's fashion scene (also the ex-wife of Reinaldo Lourenço and mother of Pedro Lourenço). She presented her spring 2012 collection yesterday which she called "Spiritual Psychedelic." Before I get into the clothes, Coelho's line sheet merits quoting: "After 184 years Neptune enters Pisces upon returning to its home, the deep sea, resstablishing the universal love, compassion, solidarity and fantasies dissolving the rigidness of concrete and infinite. By shuffling the mind and giving a lysergic air to everything it touches, we created clothes with energy of love and healing intension, clothes that heal." Coelho says she looked to "1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 2011 and X-Men" for inspiration (yes, X-Men is a year). As for colors, the collection uses "colors from the sixties," and "Pokemon colors." As you can imagine, after reading Coelho's line sheet (and I had plenty of time to do so seeing as how her show was nearly two hours late), I was intrigued to see the clothes. And despite the wacky descriptions and inspiration, the clothes were pretty great.

SAO PAULO--We usually see Alexander Herchcovitch's shows in New York--he's been showing in the city since the early oughts. But the Sao Paulo native also shows in his hometown, so we got an early look at what we'll be seeing from him in a few months. For spring, the always bold designer (remember that football-inspired collection?) sent out a surprisingly subdued, ultra-feminine collection of ladylike silk dresses embroidered and printed with flowers. His color palate may well have been taken from an Easter egg basket. Waists were nipped and tied up in bows. But this is Herchcovitch after all, and the collection stopped short of saccharin. Flouncy silk day dresses got a sporty kick when paired with matching embroidered silk baseball caps, and flashes of poppy livened up the Easter basket. So did the cleavage on display in bustier tops and one-piece swimsuits. Oh, and a lone black dress closed the show. Click through for photos and video of the show.

SAO PAULO--If you blinked, you might have missed it. Ashton Kutcher walked the runway for Brazilian label Colcci last night at Sao Paulo Fashion Week. And he didn't seem too thrilled about it either, despite the hefty paycheck he undoubtedly received for making the brief appearance. Perhaps he was sad to be without his wife, who accompanied him to last season's show when he walked for the label for the first time. Kutcher, who got his start has a model, opened the show alongside Alessandra Ambrosio wearing a mariniere with the sleeves casually pushed up, cuffed jeans and white oxfords. Ambrosio wore far less--a bright orange swimsuit with a cropped puffer coat (makes total sense, right?). Kutcher and Ambrosio also star in the label's print campaign. Kutcher looked good if a bit lackluster and scratched his back as he walked down the runway next to a smiling Ambrosio.

SAO PAULO--For Spring 2012 (yes, we're already thinking about spring in Sao Paulo), designer Tufi Duek infused his collection with tribal motifs: metal bands around models' arms and thighs framed quirky paneled mini dresses done in couch-upholstery-thick fabrics. Some dresses were printed and had flouncy skirts, while others were stark white and had cleaner shift-like silhouettes with contrast black seams to create chevron-esque patterns. The collection verged on Pocahontas at times--models' hair was styled pin straight and parted down the middle and leggings were laced up in leather--but it never crossed the line into over-the-top schtick. And despite the thick heavy fabrics, the collection had an overall light, fresh feel. Heavy beaded tunic tops were rendered delicate, held together with dainty straps across the back. Take a look:

SAO PAULO--Envelope-pushing Brazilian designer Samuel Cirnansck closed the first day of Sao Paulo fashion week yesterday with a show to remember. He picked up where Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton left off (in a manner of speaking), incorporating bondage and fetish into his spring collection. Where Marc handcuffed his girls to Louis Vuitton bags, Cirnansck put horse bit gags in his models' mouths (he handcuffed them and bound them with rope, too) and they looked more uncomfortable than models usually look (which is pretty uncomfortable). A newbie to the world of Brazilian design, I learned this is apparently par for the course for Cirnansck. His line sheet informed me that "once again" the designer had "entered the world of fetish to make his collection." The effect of his models walking in beautifully draped full-skirted Baroque wedding dresses done in ivory silk and lace and embroidery while bound and gagged was certainly impacting. His models turned in profile at the end of the runway, arching their backs to emphasize their bindings. A statement on the restricting effects of marriage on women? Maybe. A stunt for shock value? Absolutely. And it worked--I won't soon forget his show. Take a look at Samuel Cirnansck's bound brides.

After walking down Colcci's runway at Sao Paulo Fashion Week, Ashton Kutcher is now the star of the brand's Fall 2011 campaign, according to Made in Brazil. His costar: Alessandra Ambrosio. What do you think? Totally sexy or too slick?