carioca wear

It was definitely a pleasure to style another CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO fashion show this past week in Los Angeles. The fun Brazilian brand, created by Gil Even, brought to Style Fashion Week a very colorful and of course sexy collection. Mustache prints, happy faces, flags, solid colors, peace themes….it was all part of the CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO SS17 which had 27 looks. With the exception of the first four “kafia” looks paired with swimsuits that carried this theme, the styling for this show was light with the mission to only complement the designs created by Gil which always embodies a good sense of humor while elevating the male body form. I used the new Havaianas Action sandals mixed with the more recognizable classic version of this label. Most of the 13 hand picked models wore the Spice Necklace sharp pieces by Johnathan Cardillo. Tahitians colorful “cangas” bought in the Moorea Island gave a flowy super hero cape movement to some looks, oversized Invicta watches added masculinity when matched to bags and arm band accessories from Gilson Martins. And for the over the top rich eccentric customer traveler, model Kyle Kriesel walked down the runway carrying a $27,000 bag by designer Farbod Barsum / Beverly Hills made for Universal Body paired with the “Por Do Sol-sunset” CA-RIO-CA sunga. Sunglasses were few; Havaianas and two vintage retro round pieces from my personal archives, they perfect framed the faces and hair created by Samuel Rodriguez. The peaceful final walk had white flags created by Rogelio Perez.

Gil Even and his models

ALL IMAGES above by Ken Alcazar

me backstage before the show started

Freak Chic by Gazelle Paulo

the next “carioca sunga co” runway show on style fashion week

March 10, 2016March 9, 2016 by Gazelle Paulo

It is fashion week time again for the CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO brand. This will be the third fashion show of this super cool Brazilian brand created by Gil Even, who is also the designer. Gil will once again bring to the catwalk a taste of the freedom and spirit of the “carioca” people, which means “born in Rio”.
I am very happy to be doing again the styling of the show, and excited to bring to the runway all the ideas that Gil and I keep brainstorming between seasons…for sure it will be a fun show. So, if you would like to attend the CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO presentation at the Style Fashion Week on March 18, please RSVP HERE , and we will see you in Los Angeles.

Check the first two CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO runway shows:

Style Fashion Week 2015 in Los Angeles and Miami Swim Week 2015

Freak Chic by Gazelle Paulo

ca-rio-ca sunga co at miami swim fashion wEEk

September 8, 2015August 7, 2015 by Gazelle Paulo

* Alexander Masson in his third runway look

** Prepping the day before

*** Gil Even, founder of CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO, with Alexander Masson and his manager Adria

I was once again back in the world of CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO created by designer Gil Even; this time around we were in Miami Beach for the Swimsuit Fashion Week. It was of course a very intense few days with casting and styling for the second runway fashion show of this brand that I like so much. Gil’s new collection was just fresh and beautiful what made it easy to style the models; and of course, so many beautiful models, bodies and faces during casting day; the gorgeous Alexander Masson was the chosen one to open the CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO show. He is very handsome, great body and personality but so were all the models casted this time.
This time around our show sponsors were Vita Coco, Havaianas and Sol de Janeiro….cool, cool and super cool !! You can watch the CA-RIO-CA SUMMER 2016 show HERE !!

* Backstage at Swim Fashion Week before show

**Moi and all the CA-RIO-CA SUNGA CO. models after show

FreakChic
by Gazelle Paulo

Gazelle also writes for TheBlot Magazine

ca-rio-ca wear store opening

April 19, 2020June 2, 2015 by Gazelle Paulo

I flew to Los Angeles for the weekend to get the CA-RIO-CA WEAR first store ready for its opening. Gil Even, the brand creator, really put together a super fun event filled with beautiful people and great energy. I was able to select cool “sungas” from the most recent summer collection, and we had the gorgeous models changing into CA-RIO-CA WEAR swimsuits every 30 minutes and rotating at the window display…yes they stopped traffic !! The store is located at 8248 BEVERLY BLVD…so come over or visit the CA-RIO-CA WEAR site.

** with Gil Even, the creator of CA-RIO-CA WEAR

Freak Chic
by Gazelle Paulo

gazeLLe asks thrEE questions to bruno carvalho: the gorgeous CA-RIO-CA WEAR hunk

April 9, 2015April 8, 2015 by Gazelle Paulo

* Bruno Carvalho

** Bruno with the Wilhelmina models and Gil Even, the CA-RIO-CA WEAR creator and designer, backstage before show (photo by Ken Alcazar)

*** Bruno with dancers Ana Massette & Mariza Montoya and Gil Even (photo by Ken Alcazar)

**** Bruno Carvalho opening the CA-RIO-CA WEAR fashion show (photo by Ken Alcazar)

😀 😀

Last month I was invited by Gil Even – the founder of CA-RIO-CA WEAR – to style his first fashion show. The event took place in Los Angeles at the Style Fashion Week, presented by Frontiers Media. Since this was the first show of this super cool Brazilian brand, it was obvious that a very Brazilian mood spirit and energy had to leave a first impression on this special occasion; so it was only natural that samba dancers took over the catwalk before the professional models from Wilhelmina Models Los Angeles stepped on.

Bruno Carvalho is the handsome hunk – and dancer 😀 – who was the first male to ever walk down, or better saying dance down – a catwalk wearing a CA-RIO-CA WEAR swimsuit, and let me tell you that when his dancers colleagues Ana Massette & Mariza Montoya unveiled him on the runway, people couldn’t hold their breaths. Bruno, 26, was born in Ilhéus (Bahia) in the Northeast of Brazil; needless to say that his body is pure perfection; he goes to the gym from Monday to Saturday where he spends 90 minutes each day keeping up what God generously granted him. “I believe it is important to include the gym in your daily routine; to turn it into a natural experience and less painful”, he told me backstage before the show. Bruno, who has a MBA in Marketing & Publicity, lives in Los Angeles. I must say it was a pleasure meeting him, very polite and professional. Of course I had to interview him;

GAZELLE: What is the best thing about living outside Brazil?
BRUNO CARVALHO: Brazil is a wonderful country, but it doesn’t give us a great quality of life, like the one I have here in the US.

GAZELLE: What is the easiest way to get to your heart?
BRUNO CARVALHO: Well, it is not difficult at all; I often joke that I am bahiano (from Bahia), and we were born with a weak heart. We fall in love easy, but relationships must happen naturally, we can’t force them. When I realize something is for real, so then it is half way already. Besides, I need a lot of attention always (laughs). So that’s a tip to get to my heart.

GAZELLE: What do you most admire on people?
BRUNO CARVALHO: Determination. No matter what obstacles they faced, they didn’t become victims of their life story, and that allowed them to succeed. I am also fond of helpful, kind and polite people who are always in a good mood. They really get my attention.

Watch the first CA-RIO-CA WEAR Fashion Show

Bonus Question:

GAZELLE: How did it feel to be the first one to ever step on a catwalk wearing the Brazilian brand CA-RIO-CA WEAR?

BRUNO CARVALHO: I love Brazilian sungas (swimsuits) and for me to be the first to walk on the first CA-RIO-CA WEAR fashion show was a gift, because besides wearing a product that has so much to do with me, I was also representing my country. I was very happy that it was such a success and got so much good press. I want to once again thank Gil Even from the brand CA-RIO-CA WEAR and Tristan Schukraft from Frontiers Magazine for the opportunity. I hope this was my first of many projects for the brand, and I wish longevity to CA-RIO-CA WEAR.