Mercedes Benz Miami Swim Shows July 15 - 19, 2010 Raleigh Hotel Miami, Florida Written by Fashion Stylist Esther Nash esthernash.com Photographed by Cindy Ord Opposite Photo: Esther Nash

Raleigh Hotel

THE SCENE: VIP everything, ultra-rich elite Miami society everywhere, 100 degrees everyday, nightly swim shows from 6PM-midnite complimented with champagne penthouse pool deck and garden after parties, bright colors, palm trees, white sand, clear water blue ocean, big yellow moons and orange sunrises. In addition to the Raleigh Hotel other venues hosted fashion shows; W Hotel hosted Mod with swim shows at Nikki Beach; Gansevoort hosted the Ed Hardy Pool Party.

THE COLLECTIONS: Mercedes Benz presented Desgners of note Trina Turk, Beach Bunny Swimwear, Dolores Cortes, Ed Hardy, Mara Hoffman, Cia Maritima, Luli Fama, Caffe Swimwear, Poko Pano and Tyler Rose. Styles ranged from playful to sexy, prints and solids, mostly bikinis but making a debut is the shoulderless mini cocktail dress one piece bathing suit. True Religion presented suits that were daisy duke style denim like cut off bikini bottoms and western style bikini tops, halter tops were popular. No g-strings. Ed Hardy’s models looked as if the tattoo art was painted on their figures. Many suits incorporated waterproof jewelry into the suit. Most suits were tied by straps instead of buckles or snaps.

HAIR: Curly is the look, long locks or a short curly bob with bangs.

COLOR: Brunette is the color of the moment and red is sought after.

MAKE-UP: minimal application. Lipstick color is red, purple and shades of pink. Nails are yellow, green, blue, and orange with matching eyeliner.

Facials by Clarisonic are a daily indulgence that we all deserve. I was lucky to be treated to a facial in 15 minutes I felt completely refreshed.

Accessories, Headbands and hats by Phoebe Price really added some electic to the Ed Hardy Fashion Show.

Beach Foot Wear, as long as you have a pair of Havaianas and a pair of wedges by Steve Madden, one can never go wrong.

Ed Hardy

ED HARDY: Ed Hardy Swimwear Spring 2011 Men’s and Women’s Contemporary Swim Collection. The edgy apparel and lifestyle brand Ed Hardy joined the lineup of designers at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2011, bringing an eclectic mix to Miami Beach with its eye-catching swim collections. Maintaining the tattoo edge that Ed Hardy is infamous for, designer Christian Audigier incorporated a feminine flare by mixing bright, bold colors and saturated neon’s. New embellishments included zipper accents, lurex straps, chainlink details and custom hardware and textures, taking the authentic Ed Hardy art and giving the brand a fresh, new upgrade. New tie-dye combinations of lime paired with gold, shades of mango, vivid blues and aqua’s, added a tropical twist to the runway.

True Religion

TRUE RELIGION:True Religion Swimwear Collection Spring 2011 offered vintage-Americana, hippie-esqe style to women’s swimwear in a wide variety of colors and prints. “This season was all about incorporating playful takes to the signature collection, said Fawn Arthur, Creative Director of Sea & Sun Swimwear. “We added touches of fun animal prints and plaids as well as unique fabric washes to maintain the vintage appeal.”

Poko Pano

POKO PANO: Founder and creator of Poko Pano, Paola Robba, invited guests to preview her love for Brazil – a celebration of the country’s pure and exotic environment. The dynamic Summer 2011 collection of swimwear and beachwear was inspired by the country’s intense aromas, attractions and landscapes. The vibrant color palette included variations of yellows, reds, and greens, turquoise, black and white.

TRINA TURK: Trina Turk set the stage with a dynamic collection inspired by the opulence of Acapulco in the 1950's. The Swim & Spa 2011 collection, “Acapulco Gold,” included a strong variation of looks that included a range of exotic influences, vibrant colors and hypnotic prints. Acapulco ’s pure exotica and tropical motif was featured throughout the collection of swimwear, beach apparel and accessories.

Tyler Rose

TYLER ROSE SWIMWEAR: California-based designer Nichole Carroll showcased her latest assortment of swimwear fashion in a collection she is calling “Sweet Emotion,” – retro-chic pieces that are reminiscent of the time period spanning the late 70’s to the early 80’s – a little glitz mixed with a little glam.