Brazil is an enormous country--27 states, 180 million people (we're unscientifically calculating that at least ten million of them must be supermodels), and now, three official fashion weeks. The Minas Trend Preview, under way this week in the city of Belo Horizonte, is an initiative by the Dupla Assessoria and FIEMG to promote the design vision and heritage of the region. What? Never heard of Minas? A little history: The state actually has an impressive legacy of intellectual and artistic output, and in the 1980's was home to some of the country's most important designers. Today, many accomplished designers still hail from Minas (Ronaldo Fraga and Tereza Santos are just two), but the region has lately been surpassed as a fashion capital by São Paulo and Rio. Enter the Minas Trend Preview: a showcase of 115 designers, with both runway shows and a trade fair that aims to re-establish its fashion cred. Opening night was celebrated by the Oi Fashion Tour, an event packed with Brazilian fashion folk that echoes the breathless excitement of VH1 and Vogue's Fashion Rocks show. Ten labels, including Brazilian powerhouses Patachou, Walter Rodrigues, and Victor Dzenk, staged runway shows in the famous Palácio das Artes theater, each accompanied by performances from some of the country's biggest musical stars—the legendary Alcione, crooner Thalma de Freitas. The tabloid highlight of the night? The audience tittering as Aécio Neves, celebrity guest and the governor of the state of Minas Gerais, squirmed in his seat as his bombshell of an ex-girlfriend, Miss Brazil 2007, Natália Guimarães, modeled on stage. Wherever you are in the world, a little taste of scandal is always in style.