Commemorative edition of Dragao Fashion ends with diversity on the runway

With the theme of “Fashion moves the world,” the fifteen year anniversary edition of Dragao Fashion Brasil ended yesterday (27/Apr), in Fortaleza (Ceara). Year after year, Dragao Fashion has taken its place as the largest event in the country featuring original fashion, presenting around forty debut fashion shows, partnerships between Artist Studies and major names in fashion in Brazil and Ceara, such as Lino Villaventura, Mark Greiner, Lindebergue Fernandes and Agua de Coco by Liana Thomaz.

In addition to fashion shows, this edition included talks, debates, workshops and the Newcomer Contest, drawing over 5,000 people to the Centro Dragao do Mar de Arte e Cultura. Students from eight universities in Ceara showed collections on Saturday and Sunday nights in the Contest, whose winners where young designers Davi Lopes, Nilo Lima, Pedro Oliveira and Felipe Marques (Universidade Federal do Ceara) with the Impetus project.

In an effort to promote the image of fashion, art and culture abroad, Texbrasil (Brazilian Fashion Industry Internationalization Program, developed by Abit in partnership with Apex-Brasil) invited a team of international journalists to cover the event. The group included: Dario Varela and Monica Felix (Moda y Estilo – Argentina), Marco Corral (El Universal – Mexico), Elisabeta Tudor (HintMag – France), Seb Law (Notion Magazine – England), Gabriele Verrati (Grazia – Italy), Elle Hankinson (WGSN – England), and Joao Paulo Nunes (Huffington Post – England).

Journalist Marco Corral, who attended the event for the first time, underscored the diversity of styles he found on the runways: “It is quite different from other fashion events that I am familiar with in Brazil. A large diversity of work is presented, with a little evening wear, casual wear, beachwear.” Marco also commented on the exclusive agenda that the group had in parallel to the event. “The visits that we did were very enriching. With the visit to Vicunha, I was able to understand the real dimension of denim production in Brazil and was impressed with the size of this segment in the country. In addition, we all had an idea of what is being done in Brazil at large companies as well as in small projects, like Conexao Solidaria,” he said.

Elle Hankinson was in Ceara once again to cover Dragao Fashion Brasil after her initial visit to the event in 2012. The WGSN editor highlighted some changes: “I enjoyed seeing how the event is more participative and inclusive, especially in relation to the public. For this edition, I would highlight the work done by fashion designer Carol Barreto.”