Gorgeous Year-Round Fashion took Center Stage

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore and Maryanne Salvat

New York City’s Lincoln Center came to life thanks to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) from September 4-11, with a line-up of over 100 designers showing their Spring/Summer 2015 Collections. Dozens of top names in fashion presented a variety of looks that, despite having been created for “spring” would be considered “year-round” fashion in South Florida. As expected, resort wear ruled the runways- floral and artsy prints, pastels and patterns prevailed, as did sleek, structured pieces. Black and white and monochromatic looks were showcased once again this season along with bold and bright colors. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Much like the scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy sets foot inside the Technicolor Land of Oz, revelers were amazed upon entering last Thursday evening’s magical 20^th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish Ball kick-off celebration at the InterContinental Miami. We were transported into a whimsical world created by Deco Productions, that transformed the Hotel’s Chopin Ballroom from top-to-bottom into an Oz-themed fantasy, complete with oversized wheel barrels, cool bars with all sorts of potions and elixers, a Fred Flintstone-esque prime rib station, a Tin Man trapped in a block of ice, and, of course, Red designer shoes – in tribute to Dorothy’s ruby slippers The outlandish décor and palpable excitement provided a glimpse of what’s to come at the highly anticipated “Oz-reimagined” 20th anniversary gala taking place on Saturday, November 1, at the InterContinental Miami. Although guests will have to wait for the gala for a special onstage performance by the legendary Diana Ross, there was no shortage of entertainment at the kick-off party. Just as we were delighting in exquisite cuisine prepared by Executive Sous Chef Jhonnatan Contreras, we spied a commotion towards the front of the ballroom, accompanied by Katie Perry’s, “Dark Horse.” Read the rest of this entry »

Adriana Hubbard, Isabel Fontoura, Christiano Braga, & Priscilla Caiad

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

With all eyes on Brazil this summer – it came as no surprise that one of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim’s most exclusive events was all about Brazilian designers. On the evening of Friday, July 18, the Brazilian Association of Fashion Designers (ABEST), the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (ABIT), and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) introduced the international fashion community to the new “Brasil Beyond” campaign during an exclusive multi-course seated dinner at Cecconi’s at Soho Beach House. This new global brand aims to shatter expectations of traditional Brazilian swim fashions and a select group of the industry’s top insiders joined Miami’s social set for Caipirinha cocktails outside at Soho Beach House’s Cecconi’s restaurant. Read the rest of this entry »

Thompson Miami Beach dinner by Seagrape Chef Michelle Bernstein hosted by Lee Brian Schrager, Ricardo Restrepo, Charlie & Lauran Walk

Thompson Miami Beach, along with Republic Records executive, Charlie Walk, and wife, Lauran Walk, and South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Lee Brian Schrager, along with Ricardo Restrepo, hosted a private dinner in Water Mill, New York to preview the upcoming hotel’s Seagrape restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein on Sunday, August 17. Nearly 100 notables, including Brian Atwood, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Diane Lieberman, Ken Gorin, Lawrence Bender, Richard Bressler, and Stephanie Hirsch attended the swanky soiree in the Walks’ home.    In addition to several of Bernstein’s signature canapés, guest’s enjoyed a raw bar inspired by Thompson Miami Beach’s beachside locale inside a glamorous tent decorated to mirror the causal glamour designer Martin Brudnizki will infuse into the 380-room hotel that is scheduled to open October 31, 2014. During the party, guests got to sample Seagrape’s dishes and feasted on a dessert station.

Mayor Philip Levine poses with Lourdes Hanimian, Catherine Bennett, Red Carter, Monica Wise, Sue Dichio, Jeremy Somers, Katinka Somers, Mara Hoffman and Benny Rosset at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2015 at The Raleigh on July 17, 2014 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz)

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2015 took over the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach from July 17-21 for five fun-filled days and nights of splashy parties and sexy swimsuit shows. Mercedes-Benz celebrated the 10th anniversary of MBFW Swim and its collaboration with labels that have shown throughout the last decade by wrapping ten 2015 C-Class cars in custom prints by ten iconic designers. The stunning designer-print wrapped cars welcomed guests to the tents each night, with a rotating selection parked on Collins Avenue. Designers such as: Carmen Marc Valvo, Cia.Maritima, Luli Fama, Beach Bunny, Suboo, We Are Handsome, Mara Hoffman, L*Space by Monica Wise, Red Carter and Nanette Lepore created prints to “dress” the cars. In addition, gorgeous models posed around the pool, donning limited edition cover-ups during the Retrospective Fashion Show during the MBFW Swim kick-off bash on opening night. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

During the weekend of June 27-28, iHeartRadio and Fontainebleau Miami Beach hosted the third annual iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party presented by VISIT FLORIDA. The two-day music fest drew fans from all over the country, including more than 150 contest winners, who gathered for an incredible bash on the lawn, in the pools, and all throughout the Fontainebleau.

Hosted by Nick Cannon, the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party kicked off Friday night with exclusive performances by Lil Jon who set the one with his hit “Turn Down for What?!” The energy boomed from there as Tiesto, Iggy Azalea and Ariana Grande took to the stage. Read the rest of this entry »