With the Miami Design District growing faster than Paris Hilton's bank account, it's no wonder some of the hottest names in the fashion world are emerging right here in South Florida. We found six hot young designers whose work is causing whiplash in anyone who sees it. Lila Rivera is designing slinky, South Beach-ready swimsuits. Christian Alexander is creating meaningful T-shirts. Carrie Cochran's making fashionably funky clothing, while Joy Haizen and Jake Jacobson have started a clothing line to celebrate a movie they adore. And with a little turquoise and coral, Daniela Swaebe has given new meaning to the term arm candy. So in an area where all eyes are on labels, these designers' work is completely stare-worthy.



Lila Rivera

"I like fashion because you express who you are. My suits are for women who are strong and confident."

Lila Rivera has been a fashionista since the age of 6, when she began working as a runway, print and commercial model. After graduating magna cum laude from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, she launched Amaya, a sexy line of women's swimsuits that has already gained global attention through her Web site, www.whattowear.net.

"I like fashion because you express who you are," Rivera says. "My suits are for women who are strong and confident."

Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, she developed a love of fashion by watching her mother design garments and accessories. "I've always wanted to design, and I've always loved fashion," the 25-year-old explains.

"My No. 1 inspiration is Roberto Cavalli," she continues. "I love the colors and cuts he uses, and you don't have to see the label to know it's his. I also like Brazilian designer Ricky Sarkany's work and La Perla swimwear."

Ultimately, Rivera would like to design costumes for the movies. "I loved the costumes in The Lord of the Rings, The Last Samurai and The Matrix," she says.

The designer, who appeared as an extra in 2 Fast 2 Furious, hopes one day to have celebrities wearing her threads. "If I could pick any celebrity in the world to wear my suits, it would be Carmen Electra, Roselyn Sanchez or Jennifer Lopez."

Soon, Rivera may begin designing swimsuits for guys, too. "I've been getting a lot for orders to start a men's swimwear line," she says, "so I'm gonna have to jump on that."



Christian Alexander

"I took my art and wanted to hit consumers in a different way. So I got a little heat press and started making shirts."

Christian Alexander didn't set out to be a designer. Originally from Queens, N.Y., he studied advertising at Miami Ad School and interned throughout Europe. But when he returned to the United States in 2002, he couldn't find a job.

"I took a 60-day trip across America," Alexander recalls. "They kept telling me, 'You work a lot, but we can't afford you.' What does that mean?"

While living in Chicago, he apprenticed for a master of silk-screening and started his own brand, Armed y Dangerous. "I took my art and wanted to hit consumers in a different way," Alexander says. "So I got a little heat press and started making shirts."

Now working in Miami, the 25-year-old can usually be found drawing new T-shirt designs. He creates them by hand on acetate sheets and prints them on a machine he calls The Beast in his 69th Street studio/living space, which he has dubbed The Cockpit. "I want to promote myself as an artist [more than a clothing designer]," he explains. "I do everything by hand."

Designing shirts with images of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar (to reflect the designer's Colombian heritage) or strategically placed breasts (to raise money for breast cancer research), Alexander emphasizes he's not just pumping out any old T-shirt.

"My shirts are ideas, not just logos," he says. "And each shirt is part of a different campaign, but it's up to the consumer to decide what it means."

He's in the process of starting a new line, Gentleman Bastards, which will be an edgier brand using much of the same art. "I hate when people say nothing is original anymore," he complains. "I'm inspired by everything."

View more of Alexander's work at www.armedydangerous.com.



Carrie Cochran

"The more extreme it is, the more I'm interested. I really like the client that comes in open-minded."

Carrie Cochran loves the way rock stars dress, which is why she hopes to clothe them someday. Strongly inspired by pop culture and fashion icons such as Steven Tyler, Lenny Kravitz and Elvis Presley, Cochran has an appreciation for the unusual. "The more extreme it is, the more I'm interested. I really like the client that comes in open-minded," says the 24-year-old Florida native.

Having graduated from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in 2003, she now works seven days a week designing sportswear, eveningwear and accessories, and has a part-time job creating costumes for the new Cirque du Soleil show on Celebrity Cruises. "I like to find odds and ends and make sense out of things," Cochran says. "I love costume-designing, but I can never focus on one thing. I have a look I make [that] I call Palm Beach pimp. It's suits for the socialite in bright pinks and greens. I also like rock 'n' roll style. I used to ride a motorcycle, so I'm influenced by that."

Cochran has wanted to pursue a hands-on career since she was a little girl working on wood projects with her grandfather. "I always liked being creative and using my imagination," she says. "Later on, it led me to want to create art. I like doing art, and fashion is really art."

Cochran is not only a visual artist but a performer, too. As an entertainer who does theme parties for clients, she designs her own outrageous costumes. "I've been dancing and entertaining since I was 14. My friends and I dress up and are hired to do themed shows, like Arabian shows, '50s- and '70s-themed shows, circus shows and fire shows," she says. "I like to keep busy."

One of her goals is to have her designs modeled in New York during Fashion Week. "It's about $100,000 [to put on] a 20-minute show. My goal is to keep my momentum going and for someone to recognize me and give me my big break," she says.

Cochran can be contacted at carrycochran@aol.com.



Joy Haizen and Jake Jacobson

"It's fun; it's different. We're working with the Marleys. Reggae is getting so big. This is just the beginning."

The design team of Joy Haizen and Jake Jacobson has gained worldwide adoration for Joy and Jake, its line of retro bags and bed linens. Now, the duo has started a clothing line, Rockers: It's Dangerous, that Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, Naomi Campbell, Sean Paul, Akon, Dave Chappelle and Lil' Kim are already wearing.

Inspired by the 1978 Jamaican film Rockers, the couple has created a line that's fun and functional. "It's a lifestyle brand inspired by the movie, people and culture of Jamaica and the entire Caribbean," Jacobson says. "It's also a celebration of the raw energy of the culture."

The women's collection features sexy "dancehall queen" mesh dresses and funky, cropped military jackets in red, gold and green. The men's collection, meanwhile, features eye-catching pieces such as T-shirts with images of Jamaican life, retro track suits and Jamaican-flag-inspired ties and dress shirts. Most important, the pieces are highly fashionable yet very wearable.

"It's fun; it's different. We're working with the Marleys. Reggae is getting so big," Jacobson says. "This is just the beginning."

The line is currently available in Miami Beach at Reggae Wear, 943 Washington Ave., and the Vintage Marley store, 233 12th St. View more of Joy and Jake's designs at www.rockersitsdangerous.com and www.joyandjake.com.



Daniela Swaebe


"My line is for someone who doesn't want to be safe. It's not a simple line. I like doing pieces that are yummy to the eyes, with colors and movements."

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but jewel queen Daniela Swaebe knows that when it comes to glitz, women like to sparkle in unexpected ways. Growing up in Miami with gemologist parents, Swaebe didn't originally want to end up in the family business.

"I was in health-care administration and got my MBA from the University of Miami," she says. "I started designing hats in Miami and I wasn't very good at it, so I went back to school. But about five years ago, I decided to start up my own jewelry line."

Influenced by Bvlgari and Van Cleef and Arpels, Swaebe has put together an exotic line that's selling in Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. "My line is for someone who doesn't want to be safe. It's not a simple line," she notes. "I like doing pieces that are yummy to the eyes, with colors and movements. A diamond, even though I use them, doesn't always speak. I use a lot of pearls, turquoise and corals."

This designer has been known to sell her jewelry right off her body. "It keeps you going," she says. "I do trade shows and trunk shows, and I'm always thinking of my next piece. My favorite piece is always my newest."

Swaebe travels all over the world to select the stones she uses in her work. "The whole business is so global now. My rubies are from Africa; the coral is Tahitian," she explains.

And she is still on her ongoing quest to show women that they don't have to wait for their birthday or the holidays to get new jewelry. "Just treat yourself!" she says. View more of Swaebe's work at www.danielaswaebe.com.