Swim Suits with provocative discretion.
By IVONNE GOMEZ

With the energy of Celia Cruz's song "la negra tiene tumbao" (The brunet has swing), the Dutch top model Charlely, wearing a red swimsuit and a sarong reminding the Cuban salsa dancers, opened the Fashion Show the Colombian designer Barbara Ramos, at the Forge in Miami Beach.

Later the models showed a collection of bikinis, one piece trunks and gym clothes, creations where Ramos showed her talent working with provocative and modern details with subtle manners.

The collection was presented together with the Staying Alive Foundation (SAF) cause by MTV, which has as main goal the creation of consciences towards AIDS and its prevention.

For this occasion Ramos designed some accessories where she made a versatile use of condoms in pastel tones. She worked them on as robes on the sandals, as flowers on the sarongs and on the umbrellas, and with them decked the purses, where she also combined them with pearls.

"This was my message of prevention" the designer said.

Ramos received the Fashion Designer diploma in 1990 in Esmoda, a School of Textile and Fashion Design in Cali, Colombia.

Once she moved to Miami, she decided to take advance of her years of work and experience in some fashion departments of companies such as Catalina, Aquarius and Arena, all of them specialized in swim-wear in her country – and brought together that knowledge to the Couture Swim-wear details.

Then she found the formula to place her creations on exclusives Spa showcases in Miami, like the Shore Club, Delano Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Doral Golf Resort.

"People that use to go to these places are always looking for something different and that was my starting point", she said.

Her work starts with cuts that highlight the body, impeccable seam, with mother of pearls accessories, crafts in macramé, crochet and embroiders in stone.

The fabrics are selected in Paris and New York, guarantying that they have the last trends in colors, fabrics, and also because she likes to select among the difference.

At the beginning business were not easy. "Many doors were closed on me. Sometimes people do not believe in talent when they see that business is small", she reminds.

Ramos started selling her creations to her girlfriends; that she used to sew by herself at her own apartment, at the same time she worked at the Eden Roc Spa Hotel, on Miami Beach.

One day her boss saw her work; she loved it and gave the opportunity to sale the Line in the Spa. The rest was to keep knocking doors.

Two years ago, finally, Ramos launched her Line in a professional way with a company name, a logo and a catalogue for each collection.

Now days, in an Atelier in Miami Beach she designs and creates the patterns and send the production of her Line to sewing workshops.

Ramos designs gym clothing, which costumers feel free to use at the Disco Clubs: also swim wear for men. And her purpose is keep growing.

"I always take a short trip around the place where I wish to sell; I take a look to the people around and this way I assure myself that they will wear my designs", she said talking about on how she has reached the places where she has positioned her collections.

Read more: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2010/07/06/754681/el-bikini-modelo-obligado-de-la.html#ixzz0spqvBAD6

SUNPOST-MIAMI BEACH
EVERYBODY OUT OF THE POOL

Wednesday night, local designer Barbara Ramos showed off her spring collection of swimwear on the runways at The Forge to help raise money for MTV's "Staying Alive" campaign, which educates youth on HIV/AIDS.

Among the crowd was Eva Hughes (Vogue en Espanol), Shareef Malnik (The Forge), Pierluigi Gazzolo (MTV Networks Latin America), Nick D'Annunzio (Tara Ink) and host Elaine Lancaster (every SunPost nightlife column). The fashion show featured one-piece bathing suits and bikinis in pastel greens, blues and pinks.

The show was sprinkled with latex condom accents, specially designed by Barbara Ramos to convey the main message- you can still get AIDS by raw-dogging it in a hot top…so wear a freakin'condom.

The bikini, a must for the season
By IVONNE GOMEZ

Some months ago, Barbara Ramos made a trip to Africa looking for different experiences and also trying to relax from stress. She got both. Also she gathered images and ideas that used for her swimwear collection models for this coming summer season.

"I loved the way African women combine colorful textiles so freely without any fear to loose good taste. You have to get away from conventionalisms and go to innovation" she said. Barbara is a Colombian born designer and founder of the Miami Beach Atelier BR Fashion Studio.

"I have to also say they, African women are very recursive, they know how to take advantage from the little they have, something which is a great example in the middle of scarcity", she explains.

Ramos used some oriental touches for other designs.

Generally speaking, the designer comes from a basic material like lycra for her designs as well as elastic fabrics which she handles strategically to fit the body.

She explains: "Cuts are here essential. A swimsuit can have a good material and pretty accessories but if they don't fit to the silhouette, it is worthless, no body will buy them because they can not wear them up".

Looking for the perfect fit she tries every piece over the body of a woman with standard measurements.

"This way I bring everything to the real world and be certain on how the material I am using, behaves, she explains.

Also, from her method, she finds the way to highlight or better the waist line, the bust or the hips.

Barbara's new collection makes special emphasis on the white color and on the bikinis like season mandatory designs.

Each swimsuit goes with its own accessory according to colors and printings: mother of pearl rings ending belts around the waist, fish shaped accessories at the neckline or crab details on the hip.

Ramos, is a graduate student from ESMODA, a fashion and textiles design school from Cali, Colombia. Some of her collection designs are sewn here at this work's shops.

Barbara Ramos' creations are available in Miami at Espa at Acqualina, Atlantic Hotel and The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotels. They are also shown at the Puerto Rico Ritz Carlton Hotel. All her fashion designs will soon be seen in Mexico.

Read more:http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2010/07/06/754681/el-bikini-modelo-obligado-de-la.html#ixzz0spqvBAD6