Daily Front Row

2010 July 20

Florida’s Finest: Our Swim Week Awards!

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Red Carter
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(MIAMI) After sitting through 22 shows at the Raleigh during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, The Daily has at last identified the best moments of this year's bikini hustle and bustle. Enjoy!
VALENTINE UHOVSKI

Most elaborate set-up: Red Carter. Those who did make it inside enjoyed a dramatic, 60-something looks display that spanned two floors of the historic South Beach art mecca.

Most dependable guest: Perry Reeves at Marysia. She is, of course, the designer's sister-in-law.

Most dependable uninvited guest: Shaggy, who still shamelessly manages to go through goody bags after all these decades.

Strangest hair: Ed Hardy...but you can always cover that up with those lovely Christian Audigier-designed baseball hats we found in the gift bags.

Loudest ovations: A tie between Mara Hoffman and Caffe Swimwear.

Breakthrough models: Shelby Coleman (IMG) and Avril Alexander (IMG). Brisbane-born Alexander only lived in New York for five weeks before packing her bags to Miami and closing the Mara Hoffman show, among others.

MIA citation: Chris Brown and John Legend for missing out on their girlfriends’ efforts at True Religion.

Best swag: Oversized towels at Trina Turk, bikinis at Cia. Martima, and everything you ever wanted from True Religion.

Strangest accessory: Those pastel guitars at True Religion, which by our count have been used on the brand’s Miami runway for at least three years running.

Most confusing invite: Red Carter, who held a 6-8 p.m. show at the Bass Museum. Those who assumed that the two-hour window was a presentation (like Tori Praver and at least few dozen others) were shut out with no front of the house assistance for nearly fifteen minutes.

Best invite: The scroll from folks on Poko Pano, which made guests feel like contestants on Survivor.

Best music: A tie between bombastic Kardashian-approved pop soundtrack at Beach Bunny and a pair of Hawaiian drummers at Marysia.

Most random (but welcome) front row cameos: Bow Wow at Trina Turk. He proudly told us that this was his sixth ever runway show. At least someone is keeping count!

Best cheering sections: Jules Kim, Lorenzo Martone, Tori Praver, and the Zimmerman girls at Mara Hoffman; Carlos Miele at Cia. Martima.