A Sherlock consultant had the unique chance to walk down the runway of one of Brazil’s most prestigious stylists, Ronaldo Fraga
Fashion isn’t all about the latest trends, it is a form of art – a way of expressing an idea, a feeling or a belief. Many stylists all over the world have been using their visibility at fashion shows and on social media to make statements with their pieces. Clothes are no longer just well-sewn cloth, they carry a message.
Ronaldo Fraga’s show at São Paulo Fashion Week was one of the most commented and memorable moments of the event. Setting himself apart from others, Ronaldo showed the audience a glimpse of what he had witnessed in Israel. According to him, it was a tribute to Israel and its diversity. Tel Aviv, a city where he had seen Arabs and Jews, black, white, gay and straight people coexisting, was the inspiration for his fashion show. On the runway, many of his models were ordinary people of different backgrounds and appearances.
Nira Worcman, one of Sherlock’s consultants, had the privilege of being one of the people to walk down his runway. “It’s not every day that a 56-year-old woman can strut down a catwalk at SPFW. But at this show, Ronaldo Fraga wanted to promote diversity in age, colour, gender, sexual orientation and religion. And so, there I was”, she said.
At the centre of the runway was a large table filled with wine and food. The audience had no idea what was to come. The models walked around the table and sat in the chairs placed around it. The show kicked off with a kiss between the first two male models. Applause erupted. Another two kisses took place later on, making the audience cheer. “I was so excited to be part of a fashion show so different from anything, promoting liberty and equality”, Worcman beamed.
“It was all a matter of keeping a quiet mind, a straight spine and a peaceful heart. I was wearing beautiful overalls and all the flashes and cameras were pointing at me. I put on a shy smile and in that instant, I felt like a star.”, Worcman exclaimed. Jeans were the material of choice for most of the clothes as it embodies resistance and uniformity. “It’s a very present fabric, it units past and future like no other”, said Fraga in a press conference. Ronaldo Fraga’s show was a protest. With the second round of the presidential election around the corner, hate speech and prejudice were at a historic high. His show fought back with love and acceptance.
After all the models had taken their seats on the runway, they stood up and held hands in a circle around the table – a gesture of unity. And then something unusual happened. Ronaldo Fraga invited Israel’s Consul General to join him on the runway. Then, the models started inviting other people from the audience to join them at the feast as well.
One by one, people from the audience were invited until everybody was on the runway, participating in the show. People were ecstatic to be part of this inspiring gathering. Certainly, it was a lot more than what is usually expected from a fashion show.
