Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2008-Gottex Runway Show

My last show of the day was actually the one I was most looking forward to because it was the Gottex show, and nothing says "warm weather ahead" like bathing suits. I was informed that supermodels from the September issue of Vanity Fair were walking in the show, including Fabiana, Cintia Decker, Yasmin Brunet, Emina, Guisela, Lisalla and Cisia.

I went backstage to talk to lead hair stylist for Redken, Hanan Shauriki, who was already busy at work creating an adorable and very unique ponytail for his first model. Basically, this very sleek ponytail is anything but same-old, same-old. The model's hair was painstakingly pulled sleek and straight, and hair extensions added. Then the hair was "sectioned" with clear plastic bands into three pieces, to give it dimension, and the very end piece was back-combed to give it a lion's tail look. Another piece of hair (or hair extension) was wrapped around the top of the ponytail, to give it a more chic look.

Lots of Redken products were on hand to keep this look under control, but Hanan basically used Curl Force #17 Texturing Spray Gel on the ponytail, while Fabricate #03 heat-activated texturizer, and Headplay #12 Pliable Working Spray kept the look sleek and in shape.

You might not be able to re-create this look as perfectly without an extra set of hands, but you can do a more simple version yourself if you have naturally long hair or are good with hair extensions. Be prepared to do a LOT of brushing to get that ponytail, perfectly straight! The models with shorter hair had it ironed stick straight, and slicked back for a perfect, Brazillian/beachy look.

I also watched Philippe (Chansel) work on his first model, Stacey. The look was to be a bit Brazillian "Carnevale" to reflect the bright colors and sexy styles of the swimsuits. As Philippe said, it's a "classic, sexy, Latin look." Lips were done in a corally pink, and of course, the emphasis was all on the eyes, with a slightly upturned line on top for sex appeal. Of course, there was a bit of bronzer which was also dusted on collarbones and anywhere else the sun might actually shine.

And what of the Gottex Show? It was one of the longest shows yet--with 72 different pieces including two women (Fatou and Ajuma) wearing white bikinis, tethered together with bridal tulle at the end of the show. But styles were minimal and body conscious, but for those who can carry them off, the barely-there bikinis and "one pieces" with cutouts and burn-outs, mesmerized the crowd. And, there was a lot of color, not just black, but black with vibrant yellow, brilliant purple, turqoise, white, lime green, brillian blue, and finally, diaphonous scarves with beautiful birds of paradise, that can be used as a coverup or an amazing accent on something else. The models wore delicate, curlicued, multi-colored headdresses that looked like feathers. When they held the scarves out at the sides (some were attached to "sleeves" or fingerless gloves) they really did look like rare birds on a tropical, enchanted, island. I will be addiing lots more photos of the swimsuits on the runway in my photo/text feature (check our FEATURES page at: http://www.advicesisters.net/Features/Features.html in mid-September, where I will be listing all the Fashion Week Spring 2008 features as they are posted) but for now, one of the photos shows a closeup of one of the lovely scarf/cover-ups featured in the show and how it looked on the runway, plus a few of all the models with Gideon Oberson, the designer, being applauded by all the models at the end of the show. His idea of Spring 2008? Brazilian-Bond Girls--"This collection is about fusion...Fusion of cultures and fusion of colors. The strength and edginess of the legendary Bond Girls mixed together with the festive colors and shapes of Carnival."

Call it what you will, but I call this collection: sensational!