Diversity becomes a big focus on Brazil's fashion week runways

Women perform in the middle of a water fountain during a presentation to mark the opening of Sao Paulo Fashion Week. Photo: AFP

Bold styles are usually the talk of the town for Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW). This year, couture connoisseurs in Brazil’s most cosmopolitan city have focused on the models – more specifically, the colour of their skin.

For the first time, designers in Latin America’s largest fashion show, which wraps on Sunday (Nov 8), have been obliged to ensure 50% of their models are either Black, Afro-descendant or Indigenous.