Palm Trees and Pythons: What Went Down During Swim Week 2015

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IMG celebrated the tenth anniversary of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week this year, and with that more designers showcased their 2015 trends and more people attended, hoping to snatch a front row seat and swag bag at the Mara Hoffman show when no one was looking. Satellite showcases, rooftop parties, style lounges and exhibitions ensued, attracting a frenzy of bloggers, buyers, media figures and guests who managed to keep it classy, despite the smoldering heat.

From the excessive use of neoprene to the overflow of palm prints, we're sharing with you a few of our notes over the four day bonanza, making sure to include the good, the bad and the just plain weird. Click through to see what we saw and thought, and let us know what you witnessed in the comments.

On Friday, Dolores Cortes premiered her collection, with African inspired contraptions holding up sky-high ponytails. There were many metallic pieces, gold accents and bright, tropical patterns that very closely resemble the trippy patterns that Mara Hoffman is so known for. Hmm...

Clover Canyon managed to do the absolute impossible: make androgynous sliders... pretty. They presented their collection of floral neoprene swimwear for the first time at Swim Week to an intimate crowd of what was probably under 100 on the top floor of the Raleigh. Perforated and printed coverups were a thing, as were plenty of mid rise two-pieces, sleek one-pieces and rash guard inspired tops.

We Are Handsome had a Britney moment, recycling a python named Money on different models, making guests wonder if he too would be for sale one day. They brought it in the tropical prints department, drenching their new line of swimwear in hummingbirds, pineapples, cheetahs and palms. Also cool were the headphones that matched their suits, which is a cool way to accessorize in our digital age.

The Wildfox show was like a 90s time machine, with Malibu Barbie inspired pastels, cute gingham and floral two pieces and bold, statement making graphics. Mariah Carey and TLC blasted through the speakers and much lip singing from the audience ensued. Also of note was the return of terrycloth, fanny packs and scrunchies.

It was the year of Mara, as was prevalent by the flock of women wearing her colorful, printed frocks outside of the tents, not to mention the bevy of designers who not-so-subtly ripped inspiration from her signature prints and colors. This year her collection was inspired by a trip to Guatemala, with bright tiled patterns intertwined with Macaw parrots and jaguars, and a whole lot of rainbow fringe.

Also of note were her eco-friendly hair pieces. Could palm tree headpieces be the next festival floral crowns? If so, Miami's at an advantage. You can't find palm trees in Maine...

Image Via Karla Garcia
Meanwhile at Soho Beach House, there were so many events going on, but we moseyed on in to Beach Riot and RVCA's (pronounced Ruca, in case you were wondering) penthouse party, as the California based brands debuted their 2015 collections in the private club's penthouse. The DJ was on point, drinks were hearty and people danced with a prime nighttime view of the coast. RVCA's models looked dangerously cool in sleek black suits, with Converses and tight braids, while Beach Riot's new colleciton was totally about the Magic City blues, with sparkly palm trees atop periwinkle suits, and a pink and blue zebra print alongside tropical patterns.

On Sunday, Mikoh wowed the crowd with some legit Tahitian dancers decked out in gorgeous palm crowns, followed by the swimwear brand's 2015 collection, which contains swim pieces in their signature solid colors, smooth swimwear fabric and symmetrical strings. They also introduced a set of sleek, shiny swimwear, which is probably what Cat Woman would wear if she was real and happened to pay a visit to the tropics.

Luli Fama's show on Sunday was sooo Miami, as giant carnaval style stilt walkers opened the floodgates to models dressed in the colors of a pastel Miami sunset, with hints of flamingos, parrots, and black and white damselfish. Also, the show practically ended with a samba cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." We didn't even know you could make a samba cover of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." Goes to show that anything goes during Swim Week.
· All Swim Week Posts [Racked Miami]
· The Best Looks at the Wildfox Party [Racked Miami]