Mara Hoffman SWIM 2012

Todd and I have been talking about spending a weekend together in Miami for so long, so when the opportunity to attend Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SWIM came along, we thought, what better reason to book a hotel and head down there for the weekend? You might be thinking, “Whoa, how’d you get your husband to tag along at a fashion event?” Let’s put it this way — a night that included complimentary Skyy Vodka cocktails and swimsuit models didn’t exactly require a lot of arm twisting.

MAKE UP FOR EVER, official makeup sponsor of MBFWSwim, asked if I wanted to head backstage to some of their shows and interview the makeup artists. I could only attend Saturday shows (you know, because of that 9-5 job I have), and since I’ve always been a Mara Hoffman fan (I blogged about her fall collection earlier this year), deciding which show to attend was a no-brainer for me.

Mara Hoffman is a New York-based fashion designer. She is a Parsons School of Design grad and also attended Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. She launched her line in 2000. Known for her hand-dyed couture pieces and original silk prints, she gets inspiration from nature, world travel, and fantasy. Mara’s latest swim collection is for the strong, feminine woman who is not afraid to show her individuality.

Everything was surpringly calm backstage at the Cabana Grande before the show, but we were also there about an hour and a half before showtime. Supposedly, about 30 minutes beforehand is when things start to get hectic. The key makeup and hair stylists were super nice and took the time to give me a rundown of the look for the show.

Get the Look

Cheeks

• For a modern, glowing complexion – MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation
• Flushed cheeks – MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microfinish Blush and MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Bronze

Eyes

• “Blessing”-like smudge between the eyes – neon orange MAKE UP FOR EVER Wet Make Up
• Sculpt brows straight, almost masculine in shape
• Line eyes with heavy black using MAKE UP FOR EVER Khol Pencil #1K
• Apply thick coat of MAKE UP FOR EVER Smoky Lash Mascara

Lips

• MAKE UP FOR EVER Glossy Full Couleur #10, a sheer peach

Hair

• Styled by TRESemme and featured double french braids that extended to fishtail braids. Overall, the look was very tribal and worked to complement the collection.

After stopping backstage, we headed to the MAKE UP FOR EVER Lash Lounge Cabana at the Raleigh Hotel where I had custom faux eyelashes made and got my makeup touched up.

Then we made our way over to the Cabana Grande for the Mara Hoffman show. And since all my photos of the show came out looking like this…

I recommend checking out this YouTube video of highlights from the show. To see more photos from our weekend at MBFWSwim, check out my Facebook album.

Special thanks to MAKE UP FOR EVER for securing press credentials for us! We hope to be back again next year.

Tagged as: designer fashion, swim 2012