Courtesy of: The Morning News
By: Rosalie Klein
This year, the Westin Resort Aruba was the host of the third edition of Aruba In Style, the island’s premiere annual fashion event. AIS co-founders Evelin Wever, Damilice Mansur and Ronchi de Cuba welcomed international designer, Layana Aguilar, originally from Brazil, but with now New York, who hosted the Thursday evening opening event “Aruba One Look.” Aguilar was a Project Runway Season 11 designer finalist.
Also personally welcoming the dynamic young designer was the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes. She expressed her belief in the importance of the Aruba in Style event for showcasing the mix of contemporary culture with fantastic shopping the island has to offer.
This year, the three days of Aruba in Style featured the collections of designers of Catalina Alvarez and Mariana Hinestroza from Agua Bendita, Arubianas, Rebecca Paz of Beck Dutch Caribbean, Aruban designer Berjheny Del Mar, the EZ line and Arubianas from Venezuelan desinger Eva Zissu and Gigliola.
The evening’s event showcased Aguilar’s new collection, plus the resort wear of Berjheny Cel Mar and Aqua Bendita swim and beach wear around the pool of the Renaissance Resort in Oranjestad. Friday afternoon Aruba in Style hosted their first “High Tea,” at 3:00 with the work of Rebecca Paz and Beck Dutch Caribbean the featured designer. The fashion show took place in the Pago Pago restaurant of the Westin Resort in Palm Beach beginning at 3:00 PM.
Saturday the collections of Oakely, BCBGeneration, and Gottex opened the evening, followed by the flowing tunics and caftans of designer Eva Zissu and her EZ collection. Completing the final show was the Arubianas Event, showcasing sheer, stunning designs inspired by aspects of Aruba’s flora, fauna, flag and architecture, in vibrant, tropical colors with sparkling sequins and beading important accents. In every way, they underline the vibrancy of life in the tropics that inspired the designers. Arubianas garments are also complemented by moderately-priced flip-flops that are designed to bring comfortable, elegant footwear not only to the beach, but while shopping or even disco-hopping.
The climax was the unveiling of the newest edition of Bacchanal, Aruba’s “bible” of Carnival, edited and published by Chibi van der Hans. The new issue is a tribute to Carnival group leaders, in honor of the landmark 60th anniversary carnival coming up in January.
The fashion show ended with the introduction of former Carnival Queen Alina Mansur, wearing an Arubiana design that complemented her sparkling queen costume. She was escorted out by Arubianas founder Eveline Wever. This segued into an introduction to Aruba’s most popular annual event, Carnival, with the Coco Rico Dancers and singer Buchi Cunucu performing the Roadmarch “Pan di Dios” for the international media present for the fashion week.
Aruba in Style was pleased to welcome, along with the designers, a coterie of international fashion media, who are gave the event widespread coverage in recognized publications and on the net.
