Considerably lagged by the jet, I started day two in a fog of delays and sun exposure. Melting while waiting for Maria Bonita’s show to start, I felt like Elizabeth Taylor in Suddenly Last Summer, all arched eyebrows and heat-induced hysteria. Still, I was sentient enough to appreciate the architectural shift dresses, artful without being tedious. A few glasses of afternoon champagne helped reboot my fashion radar; thank goodness for the lounges (especially the generous Argentine waiter at APEX Brazil).

The day’s highlight was Alexandre Herchcovitch’s women’s show. Alexandre—or Ale, as he’s known here at Hint—is something of an institution in Brazil, with considerable presence abroad, vanguard cred and a distinctive point of view. This time he revisited familiar themes, playing with medieval proportions and heavy embellishment. The result: Joan of Arc at the club before heading off into martyrdom. Standouts included tile-printed jacquard dresses that picked up on a Moroccan-Turkish theme and paillette-covered coats made to look like armor.

Between shows, the press went into a frenzy upon spotting Lara Stone en route to the loo. She was accompanied by her fiancé, Little Britain funny man David Williams, who flew into town just to pop the question. Stone opened the Forum show (another highlight), and we’re relieved to report that her walk is much improved. The collection of hard-edged cocktail attire, styled by Patti Wilson, was equal parts Robert Palmer and futuristic amazon. It begged—nay, demanded—for another glass a bubbly.