Miami just wrapped the second annual Florida Men’s Fashion Week, and it’s safe to say—this isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement.
The largest men’s fashion event in the state brought together over 25 designers from 12 countries, celebrating diversity, style, and the growing presence of male representation in the fashion industry. The event’s creative directors and owners, Rusland Esveev and Valentina Varnavskaia, joined Inside South Florida alongside model Daruma “The Falcon Boy”, who served as the face of this year’s showcase.
“I see what's happening around the world, and men's fashion weeks are shrinking. It's happening in Milan, London, and New York,” said Rusland. “We were thinking about a location where there is a concentration of masculinity, great bodies, their static, beautiful faces–Miami was the answer.”
This year’s event went beyond fashion. With more than 4,000 menswear designers in their growing database and a thriving community of 1,000 male models, the platform is quickly becoming a vital industry network.
“Modeling is not just using clothes.,” said Daruma, a Cuban-born Miami native. “It’s the way that you walk, how you attitude, and the way people see you.”
Valentina added that after two decades in women’s fashion, the camaraderie in the men’s space has been refreshing. “For me, it's not only Fashion Week. It's the biggest men's community,” she said. “I've been working in women's fashion for 20 years, and there is a huge difference, because there is a lot of competition between women models. When we start working here, I see a lot of ‘manhood’ in the community,” added Rusland.
Looking ahead, the team is already planning next year’s edition of Florida Men’s Fashion Week, with secret locations and surprise pop-up events around the state in the works. To stay connected with the event and catch upcoming announcements, visit their website at FloridaMensFashionWeek.com.
