Claro Rio Summer's Ipanema Beach Closing Party

As the sound of the surf breaking on the shore blended with the strains of bossa nova, the models paraded on a wooden boardwalk against a catwalk backdrop open to the skies which revealed the twin peaks of the 'Dos Irmaos' (Two Brothers) mountains.

Other key swimwear trends from Claro Rio Summer for next season have included:

Hippie Revival – Bue Man's thong-bikinis with plaited straps in flower-power and Marrakesh tile-patterns, accessorized with matching head-bands and oversized, coloured bead earrings, worn in one ear only.

Samba-Chic - ruffles and flounces in metallic cheetah and fluorescent, disco brights on bikinis and one-pieces, shown by Amalia Spinardi in her Jo de Mer collection. Unusually, Ms Spinardi prefers, as she calls it, "to cover the butt" and her bikini bottoms are a little less skimpy than the traditional dental-floss style of the city's beaches.

Cut-Outs – slicing away strips and circles of fabric in one-piece swimsuits to reveal glimpses of tanned torso were favourite techniques at Totem and Iodice

Boudoir Beach – Corsetry was one of the main trends in the Rosa Cha collection, shown on a catwalk where the models splashed through a pool of water. Stretch lace panels and inserts injected a lingerie note into halter-neck one-pieces and tiny bikinis.

Preppy Looks – Jacquelina de Biase took the sporty route in her Salinas collection, styling her swimwear with racer-backs and a mix of horizontal and vertical stripes. She also showed baggy "clown" suits in deckchair stripes, cut low at the sides to reveal the swimwear underneath.

Native Notes – Hand-beading and "fuxico" – the little appliquéd 'florets' of fabric produced by the 'Coopa Roca' co-operative in the hillside 'favela' of Rocinha – characterized the collection of Carlos Miele, with brilliant, tie-dye silk kaftans in fuschia and orange to accompany his bikinis and maillots

Iconic Images – Standout pieces in Adriana Degrea' collection were men's swim-trunks and women's bikinis and one-piece costumes printed with sepia images of Rio in the 1950's. The show ended with a gold and sepia silk kaftan printed with a life-size image of Christ the redeemer, the world-famous statue which towers over the city.

Pretty Sexy – Chris Barros's lilac, pink and blue floral chiffon djellabas, beach-pyjamas and bias-cut maxis with matching bikinis

Carnival Colour – Isabela Capeto's hot, tropical coloured dresses and skirts trimmed with fringing, beading and crochet details

Accessories: Wood and shell jewellery, swimsuits with matching wrist-bands and those funky Rio straw hats.