Amalia Bracho
BRACHO+BOSCH
For Amalia Bracho, CEO of BRACHO+BOSCH, merging art and fashion was something instilled in her at a young age. As a 15-year-old girl, her father, a renowned muralist, painted her plain white dress before a party. Her mother dried the paint with a hair dryer as he went. The result was a one-of-a-kind piece that inspires her work at BRACHO+BOSCH to this day. She still has that dress decades later.
That merging of original art with design will carry through to her new collection shared at this year’s Tampa Fashion Week. “Guests will experience works of art. Each piece has been created to stand on its own with meticulous attention to silhouette and storytelling. This collection is one of a kind. We will not enter them into production. What is shown on the runway will remain the only original created,” shared Bracho.
Bhavna Kanakia
Bhavna Kanakia
The color and craftsmanship found in Mumbai, India have always been an inspiration for Bhavna Kanakia, founder and designer of her signature line of elevated fashion accessories. Her work started when she couldn’t find stylish headbands for her two daughters that were comfortable to wear. So, she made them herself. She had so much interest in her work that she launched Missy fashion accessories, found in nearly 55 stores across America. She took that idea further, expanding into beautifully intricate and finely handcrafted pieces for women, offered through her signature Bhavna Kanakia line.
“My jewelry is quite sculptural, so a lot of women see it as wearable art. They love the artistry, and every piece is very unique,” shared Kanakia. The pieces she’s revealing at this year’s Tampa Fashion Week will combine timeless craftsmanship with a more sculptural and contemporary feel.
Erik Wise
Urban Native
Erik Wise, founder and lead designer of Urban Native, didn’t follow a traditional path to become a designer. “It was evolutionary. I am not classically trained. I actually learned from my grandmother,” shared Wise. His first designs were maternity clothes for his wife 35-years-ago. What he thought was a one-time thing turned into something far more. Today, Erik’s designs cater to women with “curves and kids and all the things that go along,” encouraging them to live boldly and confidently.
For this year’s Tampa Fashion Week, he will bring his iconic West African tribal vibe meets Florida coastal look to life in a new way by focusing on multi-use pieces. The intent is to offer pieces that can work seamlessly together or with other pieces in your closet, with the change of one or two items completely altering the look.