Made in Brazil

A Brazilian On The Cover Of VMan 11?

18-year-old Renan Bonin, who you have seen here before, is currently the model with the most online votes on the VMan Ford Models Model Search 2008. The winner of the contest, however, will not be determined by the number of online votes, but by VMan's editor Stephen Gan. The overall winner will score a Ford modeling contract and the cover of VMan 11. The winner of the popular vote will guarantee a fashion story in the issue.

Brazilian Pablo Dias is also competing for the cover. Head over to vmagazine.com now and cast your vote.

A Semana: Gay Publications, Tourism, Kaká, And Rihanna

Brazil's newest gay publication called AIMÉ has apparently already been released, but nobody I know has seen an actual issue of the magazine. So far all that has surfaced is the cover with ex-Big Brother Brazil Fernando Fernandes.

Tourism minister Marta Suplicy stated this week that the government needs to implement more gay friendly policies in order for Brazil to start attracting more gay tourists than Argentina. Unfortunately the minister did not propose any solutions to the problem other than suggesting more support to the gay pride parades which take place in São Paulo, Rio, and Salvador. Now how about trying to make the country more safe in general for tourists, then focusing on the gay agenda?

Ford and V Man began their nationwide model search at the Diesel store in Union Square in New York this week, and Models.com has caught some of the action on video.

I am loving the cover of the new issue of OUT magazine featuring the 2008 Hot List, as well as some of the hottest male models around (unfortunately no Brazilians).

Soccer player Kaká is the only Brazilian featured on Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people.

Talking about lists, head over to AfterElton and vote for who you think should make it to this year's list of the to 100 Hottest Guys.

DNA magazine launched DNAmobi online.

Singer Ricky Martin has reportedly paid US$8 million for an island off the coast of Rio, which I hope will lead to more pictures of him in speedos.

Maroon 5 and Rihanna team up in "If I Never See Your Face Again".

Brazilian funk group Bonde do Role will be performing at Europa in Brooklyn on May 14. Tickets can be purchased at Ticket Web.

Madam Andreia Schwartz will be hosting a party tonight at nightclub The House in Rio to celebrate the release of the May issue of Sexy magazine, for which she posed naked.

Model Izabel Goulart will be meeting fans and signing photos tomorrow afternoon from 2pm to 4pm at the Armani Exchange store in SoHo. Armani Exchange will be donating 10% of total sales at the store tomorrow to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, so make sure to stop by, shop, and email me pictures.

It's Fashion Week In New York And...

Alexandre Herchcovitch scored only mild reviews from Style.com. I liked the collection when I saw it in São Paulo last month, but agree that it never actually took off. If all the cocktail dresses on parade had been paired with outerwear the story could have been different.

Brazilian label Iodice made its New York debut on Monday night, but I have not found reviews for it online yet. Considering the (extremely distasteful) collection I saw in São Paulo last month, it is better off unreviewed.

Raquel opened the Halston show, which looked to me like one of the worst investments Harvey Weinstein ever made. Rachel Zoe is going to have a rough time convincing celebs to wear those dresses.

I am digging Patrick Ervell, especially because of the gold section that closed his rather somber presentation. Unlike so many of the new menswear designers, he does not seem inspired by an indie rocker who has never seen the sun, which is refreshing.

The men's collections confirmed the need for plaid and tartan next fall.

Shorts for fall? Sign me up. I loved everything from Michael Bastian.

Sexy Brazilian Bruno Santos returned to the runways at the Nautica show.

Southern Brazilian Kees Hattem is having his best New York season ever.

Newcomer Daniela Borges has already scored bookings for Narciso Rodriguez, Monique Lhuillier, and DKNY.

For my favorite candid coverage of the New York shows, check out Ford Models TV. My friend Matthew is doing an amazing job.

Now do yourself a favor and read what Cathy Horyn has to say about the shows.

SPFW: Wild West, Vivienne Westwood, Raquel, And The Absence Of Black Models

Reinaldo Lourenco looked at cowboy boots for inspiration for his fall collection, and the result was probably one of his best collections to date, and one of my favorites so far this week. It was conceptual, elegant, and rich.

Apparently western is also going to be the inspiration for Herchcovitch's men's collection shown on Monday.

Unfortunately designer Mario Queiroz has not moved on from his 90's gay aesthetic yet, sending out boys dressed in patent leather jackets and jeans, leather jumpsuits, a skirt, and metal masks I had seen a year ago at the Dolce & Gabbana show. It is time for Mr. Queiroz to hire some young blood to bring his label forward a decade or two.

Luckily the Mario Queiroz show produced these shots of model Matheus Verdelho backstage.

Photographer Andre Schiliro shot the mega babes of the season for SPFW.

It has been reported that Raquel Zimmermann cashed in R$ 900K to do the Animale show and ad campaign this season. You can see her channeling Madonna on the latest issue of V magazine.

Other than Raquel, Carol, and Coco, designer Vivienne Westwood was the main attraction this week in São Paulo. She was here to promote her collaboration with Melissa.

Korean Hyoni was the winner of Ford Supermodel Of The World.

BBC reported this week on the absence of black models on Brazilian catwalks. "There are several black models who do shows, and there aren't more because I believe the history of the black race in Brazil is still about having little access," commented Paulo Borges, the man behind SPFW. I could not agree more. The only two black girls I have seen working this week are Carmelita (Ford) and Gracie (MM).

Pictures of the collections courtesy of Agencia Fotosite.

Straight To Paris

Newcomer Max Motta skipped the shows in Rio and São Paulo after winning Ford Supermodel Brazil, and is in Paris for castings. Hope he is going to have a good first season.

A Semana: Carnival, Angels, SPFW, Alessandra Ambrósio, And Will Smith

CNN features a guide on how to celebrate and survive Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. If you are heading that way (singer Fergie is), make sure to read it.

Ford's Supermodel Of The World contest takes place tomorrow night in New York.

Adriana Lima will appear in Victoria's Secret new Super Bowl ad, which will run only once during the game for a mere $2.7 million.

Victoria's Secret angel Alessandra Ambrósio is pregnant from bf Jaime Mazur.

Victoria's Secret angel Izabel Goulart kicks off São Paulo Fashion Week tomorrow at the Forum Tufi Duek show. She is booked with exclusivity for the designer's fall campaign.

Model Juliana Imai is booked exclusively for the Ellus show and the brand's ad campaign, to be shot by Jacques Dequeker this season.

Actor Will Smith kissed a cardboard version of Brazilian actress Alice Braga last night in Rio at the premiere of I Am Legend . The actress could not attend due to other work commitments.

Keira Knightley and James McAvoy score the cover of W magazine. I just actually saw the two of them in Atonement last Friday, and highly recommend the movie.

Photographer Joe Oppedisano celebrates the Calvin Klen man in the latest Collezioni Uomo.

Fashion Rio: All About Camila Finn

One of the best surprises this season in Rio was Camila Finn, who had been absent from the runways in the city in the past due to a law that does not allow any models under 16 to work at Fashion Rio.

The 2004 Ford Supermodel Of The World winner booked shows such as Victor Dzenk, Colcci, Juliana Jabour, Coca-Cola Clothing, DTA, Redley, and others.

I hope that she will be in São Paulo this week.

Fashion Rio: Rômulo, DTA, Vivi Orth, Recovered Works Of Art, And Andre J

Actor Rômulo Arantes Neto closed the Victor Dzenk show in peacock-printed tights.

Who the hell did the eyebrows for the Mara Mac show? I am just asking because anyone who can make Michelle Alves look scary should be working in sci-fi movies and not in fashion.

I could have lived without the keyboard-inspired scarves and the woven sweater worn by Rodrigo Calazans at DTA, especially considering the collection needed some fine tuning.

If I had to pick three good things to say about the DTA show, they would be the names of the models below.

I am loving Viviane Orth as a blonde. Hope that she will be doing the shows in São Paulo as well so that I will get to see her.

Brazilian Police recovered the paintings by Picasso and Candido Portinari which had been stolen from São Paulo's Museum of Art. Two suspects were arrested yesterday.

In the meantime, in New York my friend Matthew (who looks like he has been working out hard lately) turned it out with Andre J for a special edition of Ford Models 360.

The New Brazilian Supermodels

Exclusively at Made In Brazil, here are comp cards from Brenda de Souza and Max Motta, winners of last night's Ford Supermodel Brazil.

I absolutely love them both.

The global finals a.k.a. Ford Supermodel Of The World will take place in New York on January 16.

Evandro's Privates

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on Visionaire #52, you get to see Evandro Soldati wearing nothing but a veil, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

Click here for the version sans star (warning: NSFW), and watch the promo clip at Visionaire.

Evandro In Undies

With Agyness Deyn in the ad for Emporio Armani underwear.

FYI, I just got news that Evandro will be replaced by two other Brazilians in the spring Emporio Armani campaign.

Working It

Flavia de Oliveira and Marcelle Bittar, directly from Paris to Made In Brazil.

Love it, love it, love it.

From Paris With Love

This must be my lucky week: first Alessandra in New York, and now Flavia, Bruna and Marcelle directly from the shows in Paris last week.

Thanks to my lovely friend who made it happen. More coming tomorrow.

The Brazilian Newcomers At Ford

New York Fashion Week starts today, and Ford has two new Brazilians in town who I am certain you will be seeing on the runways at Bryant Park: Laila and Fernanda Reis.

One of my favorite Brazilian girls at Ford, Samira, is also in the city. She has an amazing walk, so I hope she has a great season.