CARACAS, Aug 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Ninety fashion aficionados showcased lace, denim, cotton, satin and recycled garments in an eclectic "battle of outfits" on Saturday at Venezuela's National Art Gallery in Caracas, challenging conventional fashion and embracing their "unusual" identities.

On a stage where attitude at times outshone style, participants strutted in bold combinations -- long skirts over pants, plunging necklines, scarves and ties over dresses, high boots and heels.

"It's about existing in resistance, in a country that doesn't always agree with you," said 28-year-old Alejandro Castro, who won the contest.

His outfit, inspired by Venezuelan writer Miguel Otero Silva's novel "Casas Muertas," which depicts a town's decline amid disease and the discovery of oil, featured earthy and cream tones, a deep neckline, a crop top, a long white skirt with a train, and a belt crafted from multiple scarves.

"Fashion in Venezuela has a rich tradition, tied to our colonial heritage, racial diversity, and American influences," Castro added.

The event, centered on urban and street culture, featured rap performances. "We want to promote culture and inspire more people," said organizer and fashion designer Miguel Soriano.

Many outfits were sourced from used material or at low cost due to the prohibitive price of designer clothing.

For the participants, fashion lay not in big brands but in the creative combinations of garments.

Some even blended cinematic fantasies with cultural styles borrowed from other countries to set trends.

Wearing a white overcoat, 20-year-old Anjuliet Duran quipped: "I felt like the Phantom of the Opera."

She later layered an Asian-style dress over it, dubbing herself "the Chinese Phantom of the Opera."