VIVAZ has been on the Brazil fashion scene for the last 15 years making socialites dreams come true. Armed with tons of beading, sexy silhouettes and a rainbow of sugary colors, the Spring 2015 collection was pure eye candy. ”We always think about the woman’s body,” says Isabella Faria, daughter of the founder Elisabeth Faria who now helps her mother with design and production. ”And of course, the beading is the most important!” says Faria.
Beading indeed. If there was ever a collection to be awarded for most intricate beading, it would be VIVAZ – an appropriate name, incidentally, given how much positive energy I experienced while visiting their head office in an industrial area of Belo Horizonte. Located in a converted school, their manufacturing facility is by far one of the most cheerful and well organized that I have ever come across. Given how many times the Faria girls smiled during my visit, I can only assume it is a wonderful place to work.
With approximately 100 employees at their facility, the entire production cycle takes place there from start to finish. Once the design is finalized in their dreamy studio upstairs, the designers work with the technicians on site to perfect the prototype. Next, the fabric is cut downstairs in their open concept work space, then it moves to the sewers so that the garment is fully finished. Finally, it lands on a table where workers hand embroider each piece one by one, bead by bead. Sounds quick & easy? Not really – some of the more elaborate gowns can take up to three weeks to finish.
VIVAZ is available in 150 locations within Brazil and at about a dozen multi-brand boutiques worldwide.
