It's in the air.

Well, I have said in the past (in a post in Portuguese) that I smell in the air my end of year and graduation runway show. That sensation keeps on going and everyday I see something different that confirms that what I am smelling is the right way to go for me… It’s in the air.

An important thing that happened yesterday is that I saw the new Proenza Schouler (summer 08) collection. I felt connected. I saw Lycra looking fabric, loved the silhouette with the accent on the waist and some cute looking skirts that could perfectly be used in a dance performance because of its possibility of movement. The skirt doesn’t limit it. And the designers: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, whom I feel are smelling the some of the same thing I am, said: “It’s about elevating sporty.” they really hit the spot for me.

Proenza Schouler - Spring Summer 07
Photogralher: Marcio Madeira
www.style.com

Life is so round.

A few days back I had a thought: A good goal could be want to be part of the design team for sports apparel (specially such as dance and tennis) of a mega sports company.

The funny thing about that is that I AM working in one of the most import sports brand in the world, ASICS. Here in Uruguay, I am in charge of their fashion and apparel department, I love the ASICS clean and fresh design and certainly appreciate all the technology… A coincidence? I think not, it’s destiny, it’s life being perfectly round. I really love the ideas of intelligent fabrics and have come to the conclusion that that is the type of material I want to work with in the near future. Technological, lycras, spandex, sports apparel, etc… Unfortunately Uruguay is really going behind when it comes to technological fabrics, but I have seen good lycra and that will work for now. Everything keeps on repeating and by now I am sure it is not a coincidence. I believe everything in my life happens for a reason. (in yours too by the way)

I know I have studied Cunningham technique for a reason, I know I had to come to Uruguay for a reason, I finally realized I had to study fashion and found my career, I know dance will always be part of my life and I understand I will be designing dance costumes.

I really feel that my original idea for studying fashion, which was so I could design costumes for dance performances, is coming true. And now I also enjoy the idea of designing tennis and sports apparel (I remember I almost freaked out when I saw Stella McCartney’s collection for Adidas – spring summer 06 and I just freaked out again cause I saw her new fall winter 06 07 collection, it’s amazing - photos in following post). I think designing apparel is perfect for me.

But I also have my prêt a porter side… where I want to make dresses that mold into the space: the same dress you go to the beach with, you could go to a dressy party with high heels on, a night dancing with sneakers, a dance performance or a charming and sexy dinner with the boyfriend. I like ideas of democratic, intelligent, adaptable, different, playful, sexy, original and artistic fashion with strong personality.

LYCRA

Today, I want Lycra to be my primal material. I always loved lycra and since the beginning have experimented with it. My first “prêt a porter” collection’s main piece was a silver lycra balloon dress that had a large, by chance made print (texture) with all the colors of the collection… It was also inspired by bikinis. So if I think well about it, what is happening right now is that I am going with what I wanted to do originally, I’ve smelled this for a while and I will actually make it happen now.

By the way, I often find that original ideas are some of the most important, after you think about something too much and keep living life you start to change your original idea. I often find myself going back to original ideas.

So I am all about lycra, dresses. Color. Movement. Dance. Sports. Technology. Freedom. Comfort.

I also like tropicalismo and my Brazilian roots. The northeast of Brazil, beaches, drinking coconut water and caipirinhas, getting dirty in the sand, swimming in the ocean, bikinis, lycra (Brazil has some of the best lycras in the world).

I love dance, I love Cunningham dancing, I love the feel of lycra and how it molds in your body, how it holds everything tight, feels comfortable and gives you total freedom of movements.

Love colors and combination of colors that people usually do not put together.

Accessories made of plastic, vibrant colors, different colors.

Large intricate sleeves. Accent on the shoulder and waist.

And I feel like showing legs. (just like everybody else in Brazil and NY).

I also love the idea of going to a wedding on the beach with a beautifully colored dress, which is fun and sweet and perfect for the beach because it is made of lycra. So maybe, if the energy is in the air and the wedding is so beautiful I feel like taking a swim in the Ocean, it would be totally fine because the dress is made out of lycra. I will try this out (““haute couture”” made out of lycra) this November for John’s and Paula’s wedding. My friend Gonza will be making the dress.

So I am proposing making dresses for special occasions made out of lycra. Long gowns for weddings and important parties. Why not a wedding gown made out of lycra?

And I want to end this with saying that another interesting goal would be to maybe one day design costumes for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Not only a goal, that would be a dream.