Last night, on a balmy evening in Rio de Janiero, the fashion set ascended the Santa Teresa hill for what was meant to be a sunset showing of Carolina Herrera’s resort 2024 collection. But Mother Nature had other plans. With the majority of the crowd dressed in the house’s pieces, the rain commenced; fortunately, ponchos were on-hand to cover the guests’ looks, and soon, the deluge ceased for just long enough for a select few to be seated for the main event. (The rest opted to dry off and instead saw the models at the after-party, where they hit the dance floor clad in the new resortwear.)
The runway was a parade of the elegant designs in vibrant colors, with prints and patterns that have fast become signatures of designer Wes Gordon’s take on Herrera. The clothes are exactly what you’d want to pack for a tropical destination such as Rio, from crochet column gowns to multi-colored stripe knit hot pants and cardigan sets. In particular, the white shirt and ball skirt, an iconic combination of the house, was given the island treatment—both via stripes (on top) and two-toned ocean blues with a slit down the middle and a rosette that sits low on the waist (on the bottom), styled with bare feet and shoulder-grazing gold earrings.
The collection included a few men’s looks as well—a first for the brand—along with an all-Brazilian cast on the runway, with legends such as Isabeli Fontana and Caroline Trentini walking. Also in attendance was Carolina Herrera’s daughter, Carolina A. Herrera, the brand’s creative director of fragrances and beauty, who offered to take us along as she got ready.
BY SARAH ZENDEJAS