Beautiful People in Passport Magazine!

The Beauty of Vanidades "Magia de la Moda"

Erika Thomas
Fort Lauderdale Shoes Examiner

Friday night, the Bass Museum played host to globally recognized Vanidades magazine as they put on the Magia de la Moda fashion show as a part of Miami's Funkshion Fashion Week. The runway show is an annual event that showcases the finest in luxury fashion, and this year was no exception--creations by Luca Luca, Elie Tahari, Laundry by Shelli Segal, and Trina Turk, among other designers. The models sauntered down the runway in beautifully crafted items from each designer's Spring 2011 collection.

I had the honor of speaking with some of the designers backstage, and they all had wonderful things to say about Vanidades, Miami, and the energy of fashion week. The genius lead stylist of Pantene Pro V had each model's hair swept back in a loose yet regal updo that perfectly channeled the easygoing elegance of Miami. Vera was the epitome of hair chic, with his bouncy curls that didn't have an ounce of frizz. I asked him what he would recommend for a hairspray product in comparison to Loreal's Elnett, and Vera swears by the new Pantene aerosol spray, available immediately at retailers who carry Pantene products.

I also had the pleasure of speaking with Johanna Boccardo and Maria Briceno of Beautiful People handbags, two Venezuelan women who definitely live up to the namesake of their label. They both had wonderful things to say about Vanidades magazine, a well-known fashion and lifestyle magazine especially prevalent in Latin American culture (since moving to Miami, I have become a reader as well!). The beautiful women behind Beautiful People have had tremendous success early on, first launching their line as recent as May 2008. They carry a line of colorfully crafted leather bags that are perfect for the chic girl on the go.

Another gorgeous and kind woman I met who also had handbags in the show was Laura Buccellati, who lives locally in Miami but has each handbag crafted in her native land of Italy. Laura's line experiments with different skins and textures, and one of the softest purses I have ever felt (the one she was carrying) was made out of a type of goat! Buccellati has a great eye for style and silhouette, and her bags are truly individual masterpieces.

Finally, the most surreal interview--Raul Melgoza, Creative Director for Luca Luca was there to showcase styles from the breezy and ethereal Spring line. Melgoza was such a delight in person, and his work is truly unique. Each piece from the Luca Luca Spring 2011 collection that graced the Vanidades show was so feminine and flattering, and it's quite apparent that Melgoza knows how to create clothing to accentuate a woman's body rather than hide it. As for the ties to Vanidades, Melgoza said it was special to him because he has memories of his mother and grandmother both reading the publication.

It was such a beautiful show, and I am so honored to have been invited. Though I spend so much of my time in Fort Lauderdale, I definitely don't mind jumping on I-95 to partake in fashion events. Big thanks to TARA, Ink!

http://www.examiner.com/shoes-in-fort-lauderdale/highlights-of-the-magia-de-la-moda-show-picture?slide=25034251#main

Beautiful People Purses for Everyone | Affordable Handcrafted Leather Bags for Spring 2011

Posted on: Oct 28

You don't need to be a Hollywood glamazon to enjoy the lovely leather purses from the cheekily named label Beautiful People. With the recent launch of its Spring 2011 collection, the brand is beginning to attract some real attention.

"When designing Beautiful People, I identified with every woman's concern of style and comfort by creating a line of sophisticated satchels, hobos, totes, and clutch purses for both work and play," explained the label's Venezuelan-born designer Johanna Boccardo.
She's based in Florida now, but Boccardo clearly holds South America in her heart. Her luxury calfskin bags are all handcrafted by Peruvian artisans. I'm particularly fond of this Spring Little Rose bag, a pleated purse inspired by the brand's Classic Little Rose bag. I love the way its folds subtly suggest rose petals without resorting to an obvious floral motif. What's your favorite?

Beautiful People handbags are priced from $198 from selected American retailers and online outlets including Anthropologie and Carry Me Please.

http://bagbunch.com/beautiful-people-purses-for-everyone-affordable-handcrafted-leather-bags-for-spring-2011/

Beautiful People Handbags: Perfect Fall Accessory

October 25, 2010 Contributor: Carly Zinderman

http://www.justluxe.com/fine-living/

Fashion & Style: So often you reach for an evening bag only to find it's too small to hold even the barest necessities. And sometimes your everyday bag is a little too functional to be stylish. Luckily Beautiful People merges style with substance to create the perfect bags for this fall's neutral tones.

"When designing Beautiful People, I identified with every woman's concern of style and comfort by creating a line of sophisticated satchels, hobos, totes, and clutch purses for both work and play," says Johanna Boccardo.

"Our handbags are exclusive with their paralleled distinction producing the perfect union between design and purpose, resulting in the ideal handbag."

Beautiful People designs are manufactured by Peruvian artisans utilizing the finest quality calfskin leather to ensure craftsmanship and durability. For Fall, Signature handbags - "Little Rose," "Flat Rose" and "Oversized Flat Rose" are available in both warm tones including Earth, Grape, Pebble, Stone and Wood as well as polished finishes in Cherry and Raven.

"Our handbags are the perfect marriage between fashion, form and function - while maintaining their strong feminine flair," says Boccardo.

"For my fall collection, I wanted women to feel fresh and appear strong with my version of the season's shade selection. Deep pleats are featured in the season's fashion garments and by incorporating my signature crisp lines a woman's overall look is easily complemented with a Beautiful People handbag - resulting in an effortless, balanced ensemble."