Daily Front Row

2012 November 5

Meet Aruba's Very Own Ronchi De Cuba

Comments | | Print

A model with Ronchi at the end of his show.
Getty Images View Gallery

Over the weekend editors from around the world dusted off their summer looks and headed to "Aruba In Style"  on the island dubbed "one happy island". The annual event returned bigger and better than ever with a big bonbini (that's welcome in Papiamento, Aruba's local language of Afro-Portuguese Creole origins) to designers such as Allan Vos, Edwin Oudshoorn, Elisa Lejuez,  Samuel Cirnansck, and Charlotte Ronson. Chic was fascinated with man about town Ronchi De Cuba (The name alone is pure joy! We can only dream he's somehow related to Yolanda Vega!) of Trash by Ronchi who showed his collection at private mansion on Saturday night.

Talk us through this collection.
I was thinking about the skin of locals and tourists when they're here and how they get sunsoaked. You'll see all shades of sun-kissed skin and the glow you have when you are on the beach. Those were the elements that inspired me.

Are you the mayor of Aruba?
No, I wish.

That's not what we heard! You didn't show last year…
I didn't. Since it was our first event with IMG and I do the production for "Aruba In Style," I wasn't sure what I was getting myself in to, so I didn't want to take two things on. [De Cuba is also the co-founder and production director for the event.]

Why it important for Aruba to have a major fashion event?
Fashion drives tourism. Fashion tourism is growing worldwide, so Aruba should get into that niche market. People in Aruba love fashion, all of them in their own separate way, they do. It's a great fit.

What's typical Aruban style?
It's a mix between preppy and [showing] skin, but not showing too much. Very loose, very beautiful, lightweight in the day. At night they like to glam it up, go out, and have fun. We're really into designers and fashion labels. 

Is Ronchi your real name?
Since birth! It's not my real name, but a nickname that my grandfather gave me. My actual name is Ronald, and he thought it was a very heavy name for a baby so he called me "Ron-Chi", which is an abbreviation for little Ron. It's "Ronchi," not "raunchy."