SAO PAULO, Jun 21, 2004/ FW/ --- After looking at swimsuits for the past several days, seeing real clothes on the runway is a sight for sore eyes.

Waldemar Iódice captured the essence of the legendary “gauchos,” cowboys of the Argentine and Uruguay “pampas” (prairie), put them into feminine format and came out with a very original collection that is truly South American.

Though the gauchos are more closely associated with Argentina, an extensive literature about them was developed in neighboring countries that include Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Add the fact that rural inhabitants of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil are also called gauchos, it is a natural inclination for a Brazilian designer to get inspiration from them, same way that U.S. designers are inspired by the cowboys.

But this is collection is not about a “city girl” who just decided to descend to the pampas and play gaucho girl. It’s more about the romance of the legends. The gauchos lived during the 18th and 19th century South America, but they gradually disappeared with the mass immigration of European farmers in the area during the late 19th century.

But their legends and romance lived on in literature and history, and during the Spring 2005 Sao Paolo season, Waldemar Iódice brought them center stage on the runway.

Embroidered denim pants and shorts, paired with sexy bustier-inspired tube top or tight jacket, Capri-length cigarette pants with matching cape and hats; even the salon girls were represented with the bodice hugging minis in the collection.

Every piece is lovely and will definitely sell. Some pieces are more revealing than others. But, again, this is Sao Paulo, where lots of skin is shown all the time! Iódice actually covered more that it showed!

Iódice

Iódice

Iódice