It’s Time to Basel in Your Best Couture Fashions

The worlds of fashion and art have long been linked, mutually inspiring and feeding off of each other’s creative displays. So while all across the city, from the beach to Wynwood to the Design District, art will be on the forefront, the art of fashion will also be considered.

In this issue, I invite readers to come along as my “plus one” at some of the season’s finest fashion events. From handbags at The Webster to exotic jewels at the Riviera South Beach to an exclusive Versace fashion show, here are a few high style events that have been on my radar recently.

What: E.T.N.A. trunk show
Where: Penthouse at the Riviera South Beach
When: November, 10, 2009
Who: Hosted by myself, and five other fashion-savvy fans of the designer

One of my dear friends, Elena Tablada, wife of the famous Latin recording artist David Bisbal, stepped out of her studio for a bit for a trunk show to present her most recent line of unique jewelry. Elena has become the designer darling for renowned Latin celebrities, including one of my best friends, Alejandro Sainz, as well as Luis Fonsi and Miguel Angel Silvestre and she has built her resume working with international industry greats like Donald J. Pliner, Mango, Nelsy Chelala, Kamoli, and EVAX. Elena’s collections for E.T.N.A. Jewelry are often described as eclectic and fashion forward and they bring to life her philosophy of merging the rich cultures of the East and the West. As Elena explained, the purpose of E.T.N.A. is to make the wearers feel special and unique.

What: The Mochila Project cocktail party
Where: The Webster
When: November 11, 2009
Who: Hosted by Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo, Laure Hériard Dubreuil, and Angela Maria Tafur de Barco

I could not have been more thrilled to be at this event. Mochila handbags are traditional Colombian bags woven by indigenous South American women. Their rise in popularity in the world of high fashion is no longer in question. My friend and fellow fashionista, Lauren Santo Domingo, recently called together a bevy of her beautiful friends to browse through The Mochila Project collection. According to Lauren, the idea for the project was so inspiring that it only took two months to conceive and launch the line. When crafting the bags from scratch in Colombia, it can take 40 hours of labor-intensive work to complete just one, but selling the totes to local vendors is a vital way that the women help sustain their villages. Lauren and company envisioned the bags embellished with the touches of some of her favorite luxury designers. Phillip Lim, VBH, Missoni, Badgley Mischka, Roger Vivier, Calvin Klein, and Mathew Williamson all lent their hand to the project, which Lauren launched with a cocktail party at one of my favorite Miami Beach boutiques, The Webster. The collection remained on temporary display at Laure Hériard Dubreuil and Frederic Dechnik’s four-story designer store before being auctioned for BeLive on November 19.

What: Exclusive Preview of Versace 2010 Spring/Summer Collection
Where: My Miami Beach estate, Casa de Sueños
When: December 5, 2009
Who: Hosted by Vogue, Versace, and myself

I included some looks from the Versace Fall line in my last column and I have been so enamored with the fun and funky designs that the brand has been producing that I could not resist the idea of hosting a fashion show at my home to preview the Spring/Summer collection.

I know that with the winter holidays approaching, the last things on many of our minds are spring color palettes and sleeveless summer silhouettes. However, we also know that the fashion industry operates seasons ahead of real time reality, so keeping current with the present season probably means your closet is already passé.

Without a doubt, this is one of Donatella’s most exciting collections yet as it highlights everything sexy and fun about being a female. Backstage at one of her shows she attributed her inspiration for the collection to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, which debuts in March 2010.

Make sure to visit HauteLiving.com after the event to view what is certain to be a stunning gallery of images from this high fashion event.