Da Farofa ao Caviar

Naughty fashion with a heart of gold...

On Monday night I joined some friends for a very special fashion show. "Da Farofa ao Caviar" (means something like "from rags to riches" - farofa is toasted manioc, a humble food) was the latest collection from Daspu* the line of clothing that raises funds for the Brazilian NGO, Davida which works for prostitutes' civil rights. The unveiling of their new line was hosted at the Vai-Vai samba school in the neighborhood of Bixiga and featured members of the percussion section backing up the models as they strutted down the runway.

I had no idea what to expect at a prostitute fashion show. As it turns out, like most things I've experience here in São Paulo, they're a lot of fun. The first thing I saw when I walked into Vai-Vai's large central performance space was a press area packed with cameras and journalists there to record the event. This was apparently a bigger deal than I realized. We waited around for a while, sipping cheap beer and talking to some of the volunteers that helped produce the event.

Then the lights dimmed, and the show began.... Inspired by prostitute-wear the fashion was pretty exciting: tango-flavored bustiers, a sort of Borat-esque short suit, multicolored strappy platform sandals, hot pants--you get the picture. There was also some menswear--all pajamas. Instead of merely parading across the catwalk, the performers, which included prostitutes, professional models, and university students, danced and acted out in short, sultry vignettes to much applause and catcalling from the audience.

After the show a DJ appeared and a dance party began. My friends got their pictures taken with some TV personalities that had appeared to support the event and we danced our booties off alongside the models to everything from samba classics to the Cure. Not bad for a Monday night.

*Daspu is a clever play on the name of Brazil's poshest department store, Daslu.