Tassels, ruffles and fantasy

The sun was out in Miami and Ocean's Drive - the promenade overlooking South Beach - was once again teeming with top-down convertibles, bronzed bodies and over-sized straw hats. In downtown Miami, the beat was no different as South American designers turned up the heat at the deceptively deserted SoHo Studios with their bright psychedelic creations.

Unlike the opening night of the 11th Annual Miami Fashion Week, the second day was about jazzing up the style stakes and saw a generous helping of drama, fantasies and futuristic fashion fare. But in the midst of all the action, unfortunately for me the casualty was English at the chaotic backstage.

In short, if you did not know Spanish, it was best to resort to a sign language to understand the genius behind some the creations.

But, like they say, fashion speaks a universal language which was clear from the vociferous cheering from Miami's well-heeled fashion set.

Many designers even pushed the sartorial envelope by weaving their own stories and were a contrast to the stylish but LBD-clad crowd.

Case in point: Dominican Republican designer Cinthia Avelino took more than a strand from the Alice in Wonderland saga while her fellow native Damaris Rubio had designs on Flamenco and the swish of its skirts. Tassels, ruffles and architecturally engineered hemlines were another popular staple of the night. Lubricating the evening further was the newly-unveiled International Food Pavillion, which laid out divine tasting morsels of gourmet goodies.

When it came to injecting a variety and drama in a show there was no beating the Dominican Republican gang.

Round 1:

Tropical colours and jazzy accessories

The showing on second night began on a sunny note with the designer from Universidad Autonoma del Caribe unleashing a torrent of tropical colours on the runway. Steering away from sober tones, the models strutted down the catwalk in staid one-piece swimwear.

But the strapless suits were jazzed up with oversized bags, wide belts, chunky multi-stranded beads, turbans and clunky heels. Half way into the show, it was clear it was less about the clothes and more about the tribal-inspired accessories and straw-laced gladiators.

Next in line was Colombian designer Jeronima Palacios who seemed to be suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. Lacking in structure or any form, her collection was dominated by maroon, softly structured gowns and leather suits with a shock of fur on the shoulders.

Even the background score of Arabian music was a misfit and was lost in the ruffles, flared sleeves, tassels and impractical hemlines. On the whole, her collection failed to impress.

Meanwhile, designer Sulma Arizala got the show going once again with brightly coloured capes, kaftans and linen trench coats. Clearly, recession rage - blacks and greys ­- were anathema to her as she proceeded to showcase vibrant summer dresses.

Round 2:

Flamenco dramas

If Cinthia Avelino was inspired by Alice in Wonderland and rolled out a whimsical collection with puffed sleeves, then Damaris Rubio turned up the heat with short flirty backless numbers and flamenco-inspired evening gowns. But if there was one common thread that was running among all of them, then it was their love for tassels. Designer duo Jorge Luis Gutierrez and Julio Marcano of the label Guiterrez Marcano kicked off the tassel trek with their predominantly black and white collection. But the monotony of it was broken by bursts of mustard and black stone encrusted gowns. "We have used a lot of silk and lace in our collection. And we want the women to feel sexy and good about themselves when they wear them. It's free-spirited, free-flowing yet sensual," the designer duo said. Carlos de Moya put organza and heavily brocaded silks to good use. Gathered hemlines, mixing of fabrics and halter-necks dominated his innovative collection. Floral designs paired with mustard tights were also a part of his sartorial stock. Incidentally, Moya has no qualms about slapping on the heavy embroidery. "I have used rich materials but in pale colours. It is so bad to see rich fabrics and bright colours being mixed. But embroidery is beautiful. It adds beauty to a dress the way a carpet brightens up a room," Moya said in broken English. His colleague Belkola has a different take on fashion. Presenting an avante-garde futuristic collection, models were transformed into robots wearing steely grey dresses and silver hairdos. When it came to entertaining the crowd, the Dominican designers knew a thing or two.

Hit of the evening: John Estrada

Prior to the show, Colombian designer John Estrada described himself as a free spirited designer whose clothes reflected his bohemian side. True to his word, he kicked off his collection with multi-coloured silk and chiffon kaftans. Models pranced around the runways sporting crochet knit hard-shelled bags and eco-friendly hoops. But soon, the bohemian odyssey was replaced with a string of bling gear. The slinky silver shimmery gowns and the gold-dusted capris sat well with the viewers. But the show stopper was the sight of former Miss Panama Patricia de Leon gliding down the runway in a