Events, Style

From Runway to Retail: Miami Swim Week Goes Virtual

Need a new bikini? How about picking one straight off the runway at Miami Swim Week? We’ve always believed that when fashion meets digital, great things happen, and this weekend, swim retail giant Everything But Water is taking advantage of technology to give customers a front row seat to the new collections.

In addition to livestreaming the shows on the site, for two days following, customers can shop the collections of four leading designers—Mara Hoffman, L*Space, Luli Fama, and ViX Swimwear—directly from the runway. Perhaps one of the coolest gratifications for shoppers is that in a sense, they become the tastemakers for these labels since data from this inaugural retail event will directly affect what buyers put in stores for resort 2014.

To make your purchasing decisions smoother we got intel on what you can expect to see on the runways. L*Space’s Monica Wise focused on a full range of bright, breezy pieces for the sun worshiper. “From swimsuits to cover ups, dresses and pants, I wanted them all to find their way into a traveler’s suitcase,” she said. ViX headed to the Amazon: “We’ve re-worked, enlarged and enhanced the flora and fauna of the rain forest into bold and graphic prints,” said designer Paula Hermanny. At Mara Hoffman, the inspiration came from farther east. “In our eyes, cobras are symbolic and iconic in Indian mythology, representing transformation and change,” said the designer, whose extra-bright prints echo the hot colors of that country. Luli Fama fans can look for unusual additions to her tropical-colored collection, like fish scale-adorned bottoms, laser-cut trim, and lace cap sleeves.

Watch the shows live this weekend at everythingbutwater.com: Saturday, July 20, with Mara Hoffman Swim at 8 p.m. and ViX Swimwear at 9 p.m. On Sunday, July 21, L*Space by Monica Wise is at 6 p.m., followed by Luli Fama at 8 p.m. Check out the sketches and inspirational photos below, and warm up those credit cards for your weekend shopping.