Thursday, May 28th, the well known and “Criollo” designer Algimiro Palencia of Venezuela, hosted a major runway show at MACZUL (Museum of Contemporary Art of Zulia) to benefit Fundation Cero Limites (Funceli), an organization for handicapped people.

The  event incorporated a collaboration of the designer with students from the School of Social Communication at the University of Zulia.

The collections name “ALITASÍA: tradition and fashion”, was a tribute for  the Zulian town  that last year named him as "The adopted son of La Guajira." Palencia´s inspiration was the Wayuu ethnic group and his work is full of colors and textures from their fabrics with a contemporary hint in shape and detail. He emphasized that the results seen on the runway is truly the work of the Wayuu. "I'm just the bearer of all that effort. My fight is to sensitize Zulian”.

Adding a 60’s and 70’s flair to the shape "It's a reminiscence of those decades so important for the contemporary style in fashion," he said. At least 80 pieces were displayed on the catwalk including 10 other "green" pieces which the designer also featured in Miami Fashion Week last year.

The night’s beats and rhythms were provided by a very energetic band named "Santo Negro" with a line-up full of drums and electronics. Their performance was the perfect balance to the night’s criollo offering.

The runway was vibrant and stimulating with an ambiance that delighted our eyes with ethnic flairs the way a reef loaded with tropical fish delights the masked snorkelers. We hope to see his creations on a New York runway soon…

- Carolina Leon Veljovic & Michael D Ellenbogen