From São Paulo with fashion -Rhodia 1960s Fashion

São Paulo is a big and vibrant city. I only had two days to have a feel of life in this dense city with its skyscrappers. I was told the most encompassing way to absorb the essence of São Paulo was to explore around Jardins which is one of the most culture- centric and artistic area of the city. Lucky for me, my friend lives a block away from Avenida Paulista, ‘São Paulo’s Wall Street’ so it was easy for me to get around.

São Paulo street art – Jardim da Luz

Few hours after my 17 hour flight and I was wandering around shopping malls and I also took a lap around Rua Augusta which is a hipster-esque area with colourful and vintage shops. I decided to escape the noise of the traffic for a bit and visit the Trianon Park which is just off the Paulista Ave. The fresh breeze and sound of birds chirping made me forget that I was still in a big city of near 12 million inhabitants.

One of the highlights of São Paulo was the Museum of Modern Art (Museu de Arte de São Paulo – MASP). The MASP architecture is very interesting. Suspended from two large columns, the building hangs in the air like a large block of concrete – amazing engineering!!

I decided to check what was being exhibited and i was in total awe with what welcomed me. Yes, there were rows and rows of clothes!

For the first time MASP was showing 79 pieces of its Rhodia fashion collection which featured clothes created through a collaboration between artists and designers in the 1960s. This collection in MASP is the only one still remaining.

I was mesmerised by the colourfulness of the collection. A mixture of afro print and a touch of Asian fusion gave the collection a very rich look. These two evening dress were my favourites.

This printed palazzos were also amazing. They were well tailored and the fabric was well weaved. This could be a lovely evening wear if you are bold enough to wear it.

This well presented collection showed that fashion certainly revolves, because what was fashionable in the 1960s is certainly unique and inspire creativity today. Judging from excited faces in the gallery, it will inspire creativity and boost current fashion system.

My trip had no fashion on the agenda but São Paulo unexpectedly brought history of Brazilian fashion to me. What an adventure!!