Cia.Mariacute;tima by Benny Rosset
For Spring 2008, Cia.Mariacute;tima took inspiration from the jet-set chic style of the 1960s and ’70s. The Brazilian brand, which debuted on July 11 at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim, was designed this season for the girl who travels the world. Design-Team Director Patrizia Simonelli imagined her muse traveling to chic resort locales such as Miami, St. Tropez and Rio. She has her own sense of style and buys one thing here and one there and mixes it all with vintage clothing. The prints were inspired by vintage prints of the ’60s and French designs of the ’70s. Prints were geometric in bright colors mixed with pale tones, florals were feminine, and animal prints racy. This was Cia.Mariacute;tima’s second show in the United States following its New York Fashion Week debut last September. According to International Brand Manager Maria Tereza Pessoal de Queiroz, the company decided to show in Miami because of its beach culture. “We believe that Miami has all to do with beach because it’s more of a cultural thing. It’s a beachy place and people can understand—maybe even better what we do,” she said. The collection was varied with styles such as a graphic-print wrap-around one-piece halter, a multi-print floral and snake-skin bikini and a daring graphic-print dress with a sexy low V-neckline. A chiffon caftan with a colorful leopard print was the epitome of resort chic, and a Brazilian collection wouldn’t be complete without the skimpiest of bottoms. —N. Jayne Seward
