Carlos Miele Runway Show Spring 2009 - Exciting, Musical Mix of Cultures

The Carlos Miele Spring -Summer 2009 Runway Show at the Bryant Park Tents was one of the most entertaining and lively shows of the week, thanks in part to live music on the runway, by singer Seu Jorge, a once-homeless kid who lived in a Brazillian slum outside of Rio de Janeiro. Jorge electrified the runway, singing his heart out, while serenading the passing models on the runway. Not just a signer, Jorge appeared in the film: "City of God." He has also created several music DVDs and solo music albums.

photos courtesy of Mercedes Benz

But it's the clothes that everyone comes to see, and Miele's wearable but sexy, Springtime frocks delighted the fashionistas. Miele called this collection: "a dance between nature and the female body." The clothes, delivered.

Dresses floated and swayed down the runway, with lots of artful wrapping and draping The designer found his inspiration in a tropical garden and in the colors of day and night in the tropical rainforest. The clothes, according to the designer's note, are a "a movement of the leaves, the shadows of the native trees and flowers, the lightness and reflection of the water, the sleek shapes, curves, vibrant colors, and rich textures of the rainforest." But there were also very sophisticated, glamorous, body conscious gowns, such as this glittering one.

Miele is part Italian and part Brazilian, and creates clothes that will work on cosmopolitan women in every city with clothes that are sophisticated for women who know what they want, and how to get it. The clothes were structured in some cases, flowing and light in others, with lots of chiffon prints in soft patterns, balanced by skin tight black pants and sheer tops, and a smattering of sparkles that were sensual, but not trashy. Jeweled necklaces held dresses in place, and from where I sat I could only glimpse the beading, feathers and light fringes of tulle.. There were plenty of soft pastel prints and muted tones, but there were also pops of brights: turquoise, green, red, pink, orange and blue.

Brazillian women love long, soft, shiny, swing-y hair. Hair stylist John Barrett created the shiny, bouncy hair look with an uneven part that look exotic and pretty on the runway. Lead makeup artist Romy Soleimani and the M.A.C. Pro Team created the fresh-faced, smouldering eye look. "The look is that "end-of-summer bronze, as natural as possible and really buffed," Soleimani, used deep bronze cream shadow buffed onto lids to create the sensual eye. Romy applied MAC Sculpt and Shape Foundation in one tone darker than models' natural skin tone for a bronzed effect. Her Pro Tip?: "Use your bronzer as a contouring powder with a soft brush that offers control. This will serve as a bronzing technique that will give the face balance and a vibrant finish."She then blended a combination of bronze and orange cream blushes into the cheeks. Like almost all the lips I saw, the lips for Carlos Miele's show were moisturized with a touch of sheer pink gloss, but not a lot of fuss or color.

All content and photos (unless otherwise specifically marked) --Alison Blackman Dunham for the Advice Sisters copyright © 2008 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS® The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. Please feel free to link to this post. For other permissions, email the Advice Sisters advicesisters(at)advicesisters(dot)net