Event Recap: Vitamin A Collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim [Gallery]
Many collections during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim were neon or lingerie-like but Amahlia Stevens' Vitamin A show at the Raleigh Hotel proved to have a more sophisticated aesthetic. The brand counts Jessica Alba, Scarlet Johansson, Halle Berry, and Anne Hathaway among its fans, and, at the Vitamin A show Friday night, it was easy to see why.
The collection centered largely on elegant basic swim pieces in relatively modest, but body-flattering cuts, accented with the occasional loose, boho cover-up and splashes of bright prints. All were designed to form various complementary parts of an expandable resort wardrobe.
"You start with your basics, like your black bikini with a perfect cut, that's very easy to put on and makes you feel instantly slim and chic. Then you build from there. I really like to mix and match separates, the same you would with your regular clothing wardrobe," Stevens said backstage before the show.
As such, black, navy, and the occasional taupe bikinis and one-pieces abounded, showing just enough skin to stay classy. Bikinis, for instance, might have featured a high-waisted bottom, and dramatic plunging necklines were reserved for once-pieces. Solid bottoms often appeared paired with batik tops, and the occasional dangling tassels added a little bit of gypsy-ish flair.
The boldest pieces were, naturally, saved for the end of the show, when suddenly riotous colors and prints appeared. There were tops in electric pink and green snake print, ombre washes of orange and magenta, and rainbow-ish stripes of blue, pink, and green. These were, said Stevens, inspired by a recent trip to Sayulita, Mexico.
"It's a really beautiful, simple fishing village, but it's also kind of got this really cool international, jet-set undertone to it. It's very earthy and natural and pure and beautiful," Stevens said. "In the collection, you can see the silk prints look like a real sunset that you would find in Mexico, or the colors of the desert and the sky and the ocean. There are beautiful turquoises and shimmering gold."
Still, those came with carefully chosen accessories, like simple but bold cold cuffs and chokers. Often, they also appeared dressed down with flowing cover-up tops, almost cape-like and just barely tailored enough to stay up. It all added up to paint a portrait of a woman who likes to be noticed, but for her good taste rather than sense of flash.
"She's a really natural beauty, and she's all about nature, with a minimalist aesthetic. She's not over the top, but she does have an element of glamour," saisd Stevens said of the quintessential Vitamin A woman. "She travels, and she's worldly and well-read. She's not a Beach Barbie."
Images by Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
