Northeast fashion and culture are celebrated at Dragao Fashion

After three days packed with programming and filled with fashion shows, talks and workshops, the 16th edition of Dragao Fashion House, one of the largest fashion events in northeastern Brazil, came to an end last Sunday (May 10). The location chosen this year was the Passenger Port Terminal, with around five thousand visitors daily coming to take an up-close look at the most innovative original fashion in Brazil.

At the invitation of Texbrasil, the Brazilian Fashion Industry Internationalization Program, developed by Abit in partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), six international journalists covered the event, whose theme this year was “Hands on Fashion.” Mercedes Sanchez, a correspondent for media channels including the Daily News and El Diario, was fascinated by the variety of designs and cuts shown by the designers. “The trip also gave me the chance to experience a bit more of Brazil’s rich culture,” she says.

Laura Yannakou, of WGSN, was in Brazil for the first time and at the event she said that the highlight was the successful mix of fashion and culture. “I loved the traditional embroidery work I saw here; it’s so different than anything I’ve ever seen,” said the journalist, referring to a visit the group made on Friday to the Richelieu Flores do Campo project, which, through the Coelce’s Social Energy Program, supports and trains lace and embroidery workers in the region. This year, the professionals worked in partnership with designer Ivanildo Nunes, in one of the public’s favorite fashion shows.

Natasha Melyukh (Fashion Collection), Maria Fortunato and Thibaud Jean-Jacques (Fox Collection) and Adriel Gutierrez (Daily News and El Diario) were the other international journalists at the event. They were unanimous in their opinion: the creative and original potential of Brazilian fashion is inspirational.