5 Brazilian women who remind us to dream bigger
Their work and the little more that they share on social media remind us of parts of ourselves that sometimes are sidelined in everyday life.
You know the feeling of talking to someone about something that you're passionate about but scares you, and that conversation triggers something in you that makes you want to go get your hands dirty and take your ideas out of paper? Even though I don't know them personally (yet!), these women inspire me to live and create an authentic professional and personal life.
1. Maria Helena Pessôa
I started following her at the beginning because of her business: Maria Helena is the founder of MH studios, a brand of stationery objects whose signature is artisanal development, with a charm of customization and an obsession with every meaning and detail. We have something in common: she came from a career in law before moving to a creative area. Her courage is clear to those who watch her — "user doesn't do boring", as her Instagram bio says. Maria Helena took MH studios to Moda Operandi, with the blessing of Lauren Santo Domingo herself. She closed collaboration with Hermès, the pinnacle of a brand that everyone dreams of collaborating with, but which practically doesn't do collabs. All this while living a fully energetic life that fits professionally and personally at the highest volume. At @mariahelenapq, she shares snaps from her daily life, but they're so well narrated that they're enough to trigger the urge on us to get up and get shit done right away.
2. Paola Vilas
Paola Vilas seems to be one of the greatest examples of the natural balance of a creative who also means business, and how being authentic makes each of these sides stronger. When she founded the eponymous brand, the jewelry design was completely different from what was commonly seen in both national and international markets. The success is proven by the recognition inside and outside Brazil, in addition to the avalanche of copies and "inspirations", that don't seem to shake her next steps. Paola creates sculptural pieces, the main medium is metal itself — they are emotional, expressive works, and curiously as palatable to avant-garde or more traditional tastes. Not to mention her brand editorials, which are so unique that they clarify how much creative work is behind them. At @vilas.paola, you can follow her creative processes, snapshots of her interests and influences, and a lot of hands-on work (she even made the sculpture on the walls of the store).
3. Lane Marinho
Watching what Lane Marinho posts is almost like reading a nice book: she gives you an image, and you can imagine everything else, the movements, sounds, smells, and narratives. She is an invitation to a more peaceful and observant life, I venture to say. Not to mention the desire to do it with her hands when seeing her making her brand's shoes, but also jewelry, paintings, ceramics, and clothes. She's an example of the result of dedication and enchantment to what is done and lived, and all her creations make sense because of that. Seeing her work makes me want to take more control of what I create, be more confident in my knowledge, and be attentive to my instincts. You can find her at @lanemarinho and listen to her teleporting playlists on Spotify.
4. Nathalie Edenburg
Nathalie is an artist at her best, with expertise in different media: she is a painter, goldsmith, jewelry designer, model, and also runs the social project for children How Do I Feel Today. The latter proposes to the participants to make a painting over their photographic portrait, once a day for a year, as a record of their states of mind. It was because of this project that I heard her name for the first time, in a newspaper or magazine. Nathalie's work is the perfect example that genuine creativity can permeate different forms, that can be more or less commercial, but with the same relevance and quality. You can find her at @natyedenburg.
5. Mari Giudicelli
This woman is absolutely cool. She is from Rio and lives between her homeland and New York. Mari conveys a passionate mixture of iconic and unpretentious energy. She is the founder of the shoe brand Mari Giudicelli, which truly lives up to her name. Her shoe designs seem to make sense over time, and I wouldn't dare call them timeless because it could imply neutrality or simplism that would in no way match the brand or her. But watch out, because the simple act of following her on social media makes me want to buy a motorcycle every now and then. See more at @marigiudicelli.
Signing off,
Isis May