Jungle boogie

This is a story of girl meets girl. She designs dresses with bold prints that prevent any chance of blending into the background at a party, unless the walls were smeared with feathers and the hides of wild animals, with a flotilla of flowers and deconstructed tribal patterns thrown in for good measure. The other creates clutches made of wood, shell and exotic leathers, handheld jewel boxes of indigenous origin but decidedly European appeal. Rocio Olbes’ bags are as precious and tiny as Rosanna Ocampo’s hemlines are scanty, and when women rock either of these designers, purse in hand or dress poured on, the roof is raised high.

That the two should come together on a collaboration makes sense, given their luxe summery vibe. ORRO, a mirror play on their initials, is a new collection of dresses and bags that conjure an African safari, with zebras, pythons, leopards, and giraffes coming out to play on the catwalk. Oversized clutches and totes in snakeskin depart from Rocio’s eponymous label of boxy clutches, and the six pieces serve as a preview of a bigger collection she plans to roll out. Rosanna on the other hand uses mainly chiffon and satin on beachy cover-ups, rompers and tent dresses to distinguish from her own line of jersey cocktail numbers.

While both tried their hand in the other’s territory, Rocio designed most of the bags and Rosanna made a majority of the outfits. The collection was presented at a garden party (more like a sea-of-legs party) with models and friends Solenn Heusaff, Ines Lobregat, Stephanie Kienle and Joey Mead werking it, while Ruffa Gutierrez closed the show in a serpentine green gown with a midriff cutout and long tail. It’s uber glam resortwear for the gypset crowd, and don’t be surprised if you see ORRO go international next year.