SAO PAULO - It may not be on par with Paris or New York, but Brazil's metropolis of Sao Paulo will stake out an ever-stronger claim as a fashion capital when it presents its Fashion Week from Wednesday. The event, which over its 13 years has launched the careers of such top models as Gisele Bundchen, is the biggest in Latin America and a showcase for established and emerging Brazilian talent.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the daily shows to get a glimpse of what Brazil's top designers have conceived for the winter season.

Outfits to be presented on the catwalk include those from Fause Haten, Cavalera, Alexandre Herchovitch and Neon.

The aim for this Fashion Week is to "invite us to seek our identity in the middle of all this human confusion," which sprawling cities such as Sao Paulo represent, according to the event's official website.

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