Água de Coco by Liana Thomaz Spring/Summer 2014

Unapologetically focussed on swimwear and loungewear, and unequivocally proud of its Brazilian identity, label Água de Coco (or ‘Coconut Water’ in its literal translation from Portuguese to English) presented a vibrant Spring/Summer 2014 collection during the latest edition of São Paulo Fashion Week. Very much stimulated by imagery related to Latin-American folklore, flora and fauna, designer Liana Thomaz used prints made from exclusive photographs taken by Eduardo Rezende that featured a bright palette of oranges, yellows, reds and blues against a predominantly verdant background in lightweight and flowing fabrics such as silk, linen, neoprene and Lycra.

The inspiration for the looks exhibited on the runway came from manifold sources: prints of leafs and highly textured plants stemmed from the work of Brazilian landscape architect and artist Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994); prints that evoked basket weaving and making were born out of a celebration of national folklore and the work of the Campana brothers (that, coincidently, curated the designs of this 35th edition of São Paulo Fashion Week); images of mangos, passion fruit and bananas reflected an appreciation of tropical flora, and drawings of birds such as macaws and toucans revealed the richness of Brazilian fauna. In addition, the country’s mineral (and financial) wealth could be witnessed in a variety of precious stones attached to swimsuits and bikinis that made some garments cost up to 12000 Reais (or nearly USD 6000).

In many ways, Liana Thomaz’s runway show to display her Spring/Summer 2014 collection for Água de Coco was a very Brazilian affair that confirmed that very few countries and their designers are able to confidently produce swimwear and lounge garments with such a stylish penchant.