Miami-based swimwear line Luli Fama is bringing paradise to the masses.
Designer Lourdes “Luli” Hanimian and her brother-in-law Augusto Hanimian, say theme of their show Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami Beach this week is tropical and happy.
“This is where we are from, it makes it more special and we know what happens in Miami,” Luli Hanimian said. “Being form Miami gives us the flexibility to give our show a bit more of a treat.”
The designers are known for adding live music performances and dancer to their runway shows and this year won’t be the exception.
“It will be something fun and entertaining sets the mood for the runway,” said Luli Hanimian, who did not want to give specifics on the performance. “But it’s very Miami, there is no doubt about that.”
This year’s collection is called "Paraiso" or Paradise in English, will be Luli Fama’s 9th season. It will be a “tropical, happy” collection that will include flowy silhouettes, underwire and corsets.
“The inspiration is based on paradise,” she said. “It’s an island in paradise where everything is possible and fantasies come true.”
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They have named the main print in the collection “La Isla Bonita,” and say naming their collections, swimwear and prints in Spanish has been very successful for their line.
“We are Latin and when we started the collection we wanted to make it ours, it’s who we are,” Luli Hanimian said. “It’s great because the buyers want to know what the names means and it’s exotic and interesting. It creates excitement and it’s cool, people like it.”
As she looks back over the growth of her label, Luli Hanimian highlighted the increasing demand they received after celebrities such as Beyoncé, Shakira and Adriana Lima began wearing the line.
But it’s the Luli bottoms that have kept the customers faithful, Luli Hanimian said.
“We knew we were onto something when girls started asking for our scrunchie bottoms,” she said. “It’s a style that many copied and still, our brand sells best.”
“Our customers are very loyal. Once she gets hooked on Luli Fama bottoms, she doesn’t want anything else,” she said.
And for the 2014 collection the Luli Fama brand has a grand finale planned. They have prepared a special suit which a model will wear at the end of the show.
“It’s really different from anything that we have done,” Luli Hanimian said. “But we stay true to Miami, to our upbringing and to our culture.”
