MIAMI FASHION WEEK: L*Space by Monica Wise

It was the mermaid parade at last night’s L*Space by Monica Wise show.  The show was styled with wet wavy hair to look like they were walking out of the sea on a runway printed with water patterns.

  There were sexy fisherman’s net dresses and tunics that acted as cover-ups for the swimwear.  The swimsuits were a mix color blocked details, art deco prints and solids.  Feminine touches included ruffled bikini tops or wrapped details.   Colors included soft black, coral, foam green, shades of ocean and lapis blue.

The models were styled to have wet, wavy hair. Giant pearls were woven into their tresses or a part of long, hanging necklaces to enhance the mermaid royalty look.  Metallic tattoos from Flash Tattoos gave a fish scale effect to the skin. 

I have to say, the models strutted their stuff as if they were wearing stilettos, even though many were in bare feet.  With swagger like that, I would love to see what they could do with a tail…

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L*SPACE Statement Swimwear - Miami Swim Week

How do you jazz up the a simple swimsuit into a spectacular outfit? L*Space designer Monica Wise pairs a dramatic statement necklace with it to complete the look.  The swimwear of their  Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami show had simple silhouettes but maximum impact on the runway.

Designer Monica Wise draws inspiration from the various beaches of where she lives.  She lived in Florida and now Southern California.  You can see the South Beach muses in the dark, sexy Latin looks of the black bikinis accented with straps and fringe.  They were paired with edgy chain necklaces and black mesh cover-ups.  The West Coast influence is in the group of pastel teal and coral colors with light colored cover-ups that doubled as sun dresses.  Hair was pulled back into twisty braids for all the models (a popular style this week in the heat).

I loved that the models really knew how to work the swinging jewelry when they posed on this catwalk.  As pretty as the swimwear was, this show proved how accessories can truly make an outfit shine.

photos by Mariana Leung

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L*Space by Monica Wise Summer 2013

Can you show three swimwear collections down a runway and tell them apart? Designer Monica Wise and her L*Space runway show tried to prove that it could.  Last July's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami hosted all three of the designers collections on the same catwalk to mixed results.

The main L*Space collection had happy colors in mixed zig zag prints and some interesting cutouts here and here.  Simple shapes and silhouettes with tie front or tie-side details on the bikini tops and bottoms.   

The second part of the runway show was "The Collection".  This was meant to be a group of resort wear for when you are not going to be around water I suppose.  The colors were mainly black and linen white.  The silhouettes were exceedingly simple and relaxed.  Why this couldn't be merchandised back to one of the original swimwear labels to expand the brand, I don't know.  

The Maio collection had some mixed color prints as well, along with some retro-inspired high-waisted bottoms or vintage bustier styled one piece suits.  However, the most distinguishing thing about this label on the runway was the horrible over-bronzing of the irritated models.  

If one of your collections is not distinguishable from another one of your collections, using terrible makeup is not the way to go.  I'm wondering, and would love some feedback, whether or not dividing your brand into separate identities like this is making too much work for yourself an if it isn't a much better strategy to consolidate and elevate a larger lifestyle brand with different looks around it.  

Almost a year later, that over-burnt tan look was what I most remember about this show, and not what the models were wearing.  If your product looks too much alike, you have to ask yourself if there is really a good reason to create another label?  This is a shame, because when I went through my archived photographs here, the swimwear really was quite pretty. whether your skin was crispy or not.

All photos by Mariana Leung

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