As the rest of the country shivers in the snow, Miami prepares to welcome the fashion and culture extravaganza that is Miami Beach International Fashion Week (MBIFW). The celebrity-studded week, which was declared the official Fashion Week of the city of Miami by Mayor Tomas Regalado last year, starts with a bang on Thursday, March 3. The opening night of the largest Latin American and international fashion show in the world will be a feast for the eyes with both a lingerie/swim showcase and a Miami Style showcase.

The lingerie and swim showcase will take place at 7:30 p.m. and features designers MaddSexy Lingerie, Zella Machado Swimwear, Eugene Jones Swimwear and many more. Following this show, at 9 p.m., the Miami Style showcase will take center stage. This showcase features both established and up and coming Miami designers. One of these designers is Somy Ali of So-Me Designs, who was honored at the MBIFW Humanitarian Awards in January for her brand’s efforts on behalf of the No More Tears organization. A portion of So-Me’s proceeds go to the charity, and the line also aims to increase awareness. The Miami Style showcase will also include up and coming designers Erin Healy, GooRoo Baby,  Zula Khramov, and Kimberly Henriz as well as established Miami designers Julian Chang, Nicolas Felizola, Samy Gitcherman and Viviana G.

The opening night ends with a VIP party at Plunge Rooftop at the Gansevoort Hotel. Other highlights of the week include a relaxation lounge and “Boost of Energy” bar, provided by Equinox Fitness Club, and the daily VIP Culinary Style Café with an appearance Thursday from chef Angelo Elia.

To purchase tickets for any of these events or for more information go to MiamiFashionWeek.com.

Like Haute Living South Florida? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingFL. Want Haute Living South Florida delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.