I don’t find much exciting these days in fashion and Miami fashion boutiques, except maybe in workout clothes, beachwear and accessories. And then there are the price points – either very pricey as in day dresses the price of an overseas vacation, or fast fashion that’s cheap, and generally looks cheap (in my vocabulary fashion is “cheapie” as in looks cheap or looks expensive and isn’t, my ultimate accolade). Fortunately this is changing because of the young, new Latin American designers coming on the scene in Miami who are opening up boutiques (and selling online). Here are some great new finds to put on your list in a two part series.
Yours truly isn’t the only one to really like the glamorous statement pieces of Colombian designers Andrea and Eliana Salazar in their boutique Seta in City Place in Doral. They sell wholesale and retail, and their business is going gang busters. They take casual clothes and add a “wow” — beading, lace and other embellishments — from beaded collars framing the neck on t-shirts and epaulets on work style shirts to silver chains hanging from pockets on shorts and distressed jeans with embroidering and beading. They’re the kind of pieces you wear one of, and they take a casual outfit to another level. And then there are the different moods the fashion conveys – hippie to romantic, bohemian to rocker, classic to modern. Most of the fabrics are for our year round climate here – cotton, lace, jersey, mesh, light velvet, though there are also some woolen jackets.
And speaking of woolen jackets, the biggest sellers are the military jackets, the kind Michael and Janet Jackson wore, retro 80’s, with the braiding in silver or gold, frog closures and epaulets on the shoulders. They come in black or blue with red and/or white . Another popular item is a dusty rose, beaded Chanel type jacket that’s soft and romantic. Also find lovely eyelet dresses and blouses which they said were big sellers for graduation parties (parents bought them too), jumpsuits and skirts.
A limited selection of costume jewelry is also on hand, designed by the Salazars and also by Colombian designer Irma Lopez, as well as studded black leather shoes and belts and rubber soled shiny gold platform laceups.
Tops range from $20 to $350, jackets from $250 to $650 and jeans from $150.
And by the way, if you haven’t been to City Place in Doral, it’s definitely worth a visit.It takes less time to get there than you think – from Brickell, going late morning, it took me 30 minutes. It’s amazing the higher end development that’s going on there – million dollar homes, quality shopping malls that are restaurant and retail destinations. Tomorrow you’ll read about other shopping finds in City Place.
Seta, 3535 N.W. 83rd Street Suite 121, Doral 33166 (1-866-970-7382).
