The Portuguese Effect: Fashion’s Savior
Eleanor Waldorf once said that Vogue Paris is the best thing that has ever happened to the world, and yes, anything Paris adjacent is a dream but in 2022 Portugal takes the crown. Vogue is the mother of all fashion magazines, there isn’t a conversation about culture, beauty and design without mentioning the V word. Read all over the world and as of recently the “smaller” publications have outshined by a mile the big ones, aka American Vogue.
Now that the year is coming to an end, let's take a look back at the covers of one of my favorite magazines; Vogue Portugal. If you didn’t know, Vogue is a publication house that belongs to the Condé Nast group and each country has their own creative team and directors. Making some publications better than others in terms of visual communication, diversity, creativity, artistic work, fashion, proposition and boundary pushing images.
What makes some covers better than others?
In my opinion it’s all about the message, a fashion cover shouldn’t just be pretty or have a pretty face on it. It needs to communicate something bigger be it political, social, or cultural. So that fashion has a purpose and meaning. We all love beauty and visually stimulating images, something Vogue America stopped doing. Turning all their focus to contemporary culture and portraying it in a very boring and unappealing way. So thank you Sofia Lucas, Jose Santana and the rest of the Vogue Portugal team for keeping fashion artistic and relevant.
Sofia has an impressive background in publishing and media business, she has been the art director of several magazines, including Vogue. Then in 2015 she pursued her own vision and founded Lighthouse Publishing with Jose. Then in 2017 Vogue joined in and Sofia gave Vogue Portugal a whole new fresh renewal.
Each Vogue Portugal issue is dedicated to a specific theme which usually tackles current global affairs. The last issue of the year titled The Velvet Touch is dedicated to bringing back human connection manifested through touch. “The softness of a heartfelt embrace, the richness of a kiss.” A three cover edition styled by Joana Dacheville featuring Precious Lee wearing Balmain.
In November they released a special cover for its 20th anniversary where they reminisce and look back at the decades long trayectoria of their work. The issue Where Is My Teenage Dream? represents the present as the cover image is an A.I made by Visual Accelerators.
July’s issue was sunny and bright. Exuding joy and good-vibes that makes us wish we could be at the beach relaxing without a care in the world. But remember not everything is what it seems, the Sunny Vibes issue explores how our culture, especially social media, wants us to be happy and perfect all the time and get rid of any shadow that might come in the way.
Courtesy of Lighthouse Publishing
We all love to talk, even when we should just keep quiet but we all do it and deep down love it. Gossips, rumors and secrets are present everywhere and The Gossip Issue explores the destructive power they have and their influence. At the end everything starts with a rumor.
And rumor has it that all other Vogue should take notes on what Lighthouse Publishing is doing; making fashion and art matter.