Lenny Lets It Rip

Lenny Niemeyer is the undisputed grand dame of Fashion Rio. The week buzzed with anticipation of her showing, and last night the queen of bathing suits brought the audience to its feet with her unique brand of tropical-chic beachwear.

Using some of the world's top models with physiques to match, Niemeyer sent Isabeli, Maria Boscono, Beatriz Barros and Izabel Goulart down the runway. The powerhouse group marched in perfectly choreographed succession as they showed off new draping cuts, suits with agate insets and a battery of prints—animal, constellations and abstractions—in earthy tan, blue and merlot tones.

The brand's success with bathing suits has reached a pinnacle and, to widen the audience, we're seeing the introduction of more pareos and cover-ups. Niemeyer presented about ten of these off-the-sand looks in short voluminous shapes, some coming with pleats and layered flounces to bring another level of flirtation to the Lenny experience. Her increasingly expansive beachwear lines are so consistently strong, it's only a matter of time before we see a full-fledged Lenny ready-to-wear collection.

www.lenny.com.br

—Jason Campbell