Fashion Week flaunts swimwear in Guanacaste

Fashion Week hit Guanacaste last Sunday at Hotel Hacienda Pinilla, and everything about it seemed new: a new location (Pinilla, a luxury golf resort), publicity by a start-up marketing company (Black Duck), and 30 Costa Rican designers flaunting their latest work for an audience of 800 people. There was even a short-lived “Pop-Up Store,” where fans could purchase their favorite items.

Sponsored by luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and usually held in San José, Fashion Week was moved to the Tamarindo resort for a year-end showcase. The event was scheduled for 7 p.m., but models only started to saunter down the catwalk at 8:38 p.m. The scenery was worth the wait: The sky was reportedly clear and starry, and the inventive garments represented such wide-ranging designers as Marcelle Desanti, Cascatta Swimwear, and Guayaberi.

True to its beachy location, the majority of the outfits on display were prêt-a-porter swimwear. The most notable exception was Arturo Calle, a Colombian men’s clothier that presented pastel street clothes of varying formality. The show incorporated 30 female and 12 male models.

Street wear by Arturo Calle. (Courtesy Black Duck Company)

Fashion Week is a vital showcase for the fashion industry, and different versions of the event are hosted in cities around the world. Contrary to its title, Fashion Week Guanacaste was a one-evening event, but packed plenty of glamour into a few hours.

The after-party took place on the Pacific shore, where all guests were requested to wear white.