In one of my past-present-future lives, I just gotta be Brazilian. The country’s history and culture is as complex as my relationship with it. In the late eighties, the first soap opera ever to broadcast in the Soviet Union was Brazil’s (in)famous Isaura the Slave Girl. For years, school bullies called me by the heroine’s name. It haunted me until… Fast-forward to me seeing Madonna perform in the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio-de-Janeiro in 2008. #ItGetsBetter indeed. The activist within me cheers the street protests against FIFA/Olympics & salutes sustained indigenous-led global resistance to environmental atrocities such as the Belo Monte dam in the Amazon. I get massive inspiration from Paulo Coelho and massive ****-on from Brazilian erotica. Between delicious food (moqueca, mon amour) and delicious alcohol (cachaça, yes please) I am a lifelong fan. All that is to say… The 20^th anniversary season of Sao Paulo Fashion Week was everything I expected-feared-hoped it would be. Detailed reviews coming up, but for now… a bright foreshadowing of the delights by Amapo, Ronaldo Fraga, Lino Vilaventura, Iodice, Joao Pimenta, Patbo, TNG, Apartamento 03 and others. UPDATE: reviews of the one and only Lino Villaventura and multi-designer Botanical Invasion and the fun-luv-tastic collection by Amapo and the minimalist shenanigans by Apartamento 03, 2nh Floor, UMA🙂