The concept of designers in tropical Brazil creating winter wear might seem like an oxymoron akin to Icelandic designers pioneering summer styles. Though not entirely off the mark when it came down to execution, the fashion on the catwalks at 
Alexandre Herchcovitch/Zoomp
Alexandre Herchcovitch was called in to manage 
For his signature collections, womenswear proved to be another exercise in which he could do no wrong. Pretty dresses in black and color blocks were cut generously and then attached in a way to play with movement. Urban cowboy was his theme for men's, with open-back vests, fringes and leather galore in the form of hooded jackets and even a chaps entry.
Ellus
The 
The Ellus line itself brought 21st-century punks and rockers with great hair via train, dressed in the brand's signature denim. Dresses had suggestive cut-outs, overlayed with black framing and metal hardware from the punk uniform (spikes and studs) embellished jackets of both sexes.
Cavalera
Unafraid to take a chance, Cavalera took a limited number of press to the stinking and filthy Tiete River and put them on a boat under sprinkling rain to watch the show held on land. Without paying attention to trend, the idea for this season was to re-appropriate fabrics leftover from previous seasons to make a point about recycling. The show's setting was creative directed by Do Estilista's Marcelo Sommer and raised conscience about the pollution and trash that we collectively produce. The styles were a colorful mix of boho and streetwear.
Do Estilista
This writer's favorite Brazilian designer also went the way of the cowboy for winter, bringing bright oranges and yellows mixed with blue to ruffled dresses and rodeo-style shirts complete with fringes or sequins. Flame imagery lent brightness for a season when everything including fashion goes dark.
Ronaldo Fraga
Always the designer to get the loudest standing ovation and brings the most tears from the audience, Ronaldo Fraga is dear to the hearts of fashionistas because his collections refer to a specific experience Brazilians share. This time it was about the neighborhood sew and tailor shop becoming obsolete with time. I loved the dress adorned with fabric swatches and another one silkscreened all over with bolts of fabric.
Samuel Cirnansck
Red plaid worked well for the inventions of Samuel Cirnansck, who put gorgeous metalwork on top of short evening dresses to accentuate the female form. People were saying it was a bit Alexander McQueen, a bit Vivienne Westwood—either way, it was well executed and lovely.
Erika Ikezili
Erika Ikezili's decidedly Japanese take, standard in her collections, resulted in wonderful dresses with all sorts of trimmings. Instead of a chaotic effect, the look was romantic and sweet.
Also see: São Paulo Fashion Week Summer 2007 Part 1, 2
