Carmen Miranda: icon of tropicalism

Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, better known as Carme Miranda, was born in Portugal, February 9, 1909. She was a Brazilian samba singer, a dancer, and a Broadway actress, popular from the 1930s to the 1950s and nicknamed "The Brazilian Bombshell". As a young woman, after moving to Brazil with her family, Miranda worked in a boutique of Rio de Janeiro, designing hats and often singing on the job. Before long she was discovered and got a singing job on a local radio station. That attempt proved successful and she went on singing on radio and in clubs. In1930, she had already become the most important interpreter of the increasingly popular samba genre. In 1940, she made her first Hollywood film. It was during this time that Miranda developed the costume with the distinctive fruit hat from the traditional headdress seen on black women fruit sellers. She became famous for this signature fruit hat outfit she wore in her American films, especially in The Gang’s All Here from 1943. Miranda made a total of fourteen Hollywood films between 1940 and 1953 and by 1945 was said to be the highest-paid woman in the US. Icon of the Fifties, the artist died aged 46 in 1955. Her costumes have been collected by her sister and are exhibited in the Carmen Miranda Museum in Rio de Janeiro.

Being tall only 1.52 cm, she was also encouraged to wear platforms, once famous, especially crafted for her by designers like Salvatore Ferragamo.

From styleandfashion.blogosfere.it. Salvatore Ferragamo sandal.

Miranda exotic and extravagant costumes became her trademark. She created a sort " Miranda brand" that has always influenced fashion, from 70s till today. For this spring summer, Charlotte Olympia, has created a collection called “Let’s go Banana” totally inspired by the tropicalism of the “chica chica boom chic” Carmen Miranda.

By Charlotte Olympia. From charlotteolympia.com

By Charlotte Olympia. From matchesfashion.com