Three women in the heart of Lisbon spin a tale of sisterhood, channeling our favorite ’90s girl groups in vivid, coordinated looks on trend for the summer. All told on the storied streets of Baixa Chiado through the lens of Andrew Kuykendall, the LA-based photographer captured the spirit of Lisbon and the essence of the true friendship that Dilsa Pereira, Janina Tati and Milena Cunha share.
Photography Andrew Kuykendall
Beauty editor Antonia Rosa using Clarins
Assisted by Frederico Simaõ • Micael Cardoso • Beatriz Bontempo • Isabella Glock
Hair by Paulo Vieira using JOICO
Styling by Márcia Marques and Andrea Probosch
Styling assistant Laura Farrajota
Production by Michele Lumiere
Models Dilsa Pereira • Janina Tati • Milena Cunha at DA BANDA Model Management
Words by Michaela Doyle
Research assistance by Leticia Lima
Special thanks to Michele, Laura and to Michael.
Now based in Lisbon, Dilsa has roots in Cape Verde, Milena in Mozambique and Janina in both Cape Verde and Angola. The three friends have bonded over their upbringings in Sub-Saharan Africa, expat-hood in the City of Fado and of course their lives in the fashion world, having met each other when they were modeling newbies and forming a deeper connection when they joined the same agency.
Photographed in a ´90s mood by Andrew (who used to be a regular contributor during ZOOT’s print days) with styling by Marcia Marques and ZOOT’s editor in chief, Andrea Probosch, complemented by the beauty team led by ZOOT’s creative director, Antonia Rosa, the models capture the effortlessly cool vibe of girl group style from the 1990s, with fabrics and shapes playing off each other. From TLC’s baggy jeans and crop tops to the modish athleisure of All Saints and Sporty Spice of Spice Girl fame (needless to say), our celebration of feminine harmony runs deep. Structured corset dresses and tops harken back to the iconic Funky Diva album cover, and the references to the musical heyday of GenX remind us of En Vogue’s fashion throwbacks to their own girl group predecessors of the ’60s and ’70s. Fashion trends, like music, are cyclical after all.
In the words of the renowned street fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, “The point is that fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.” And with fashion-forward friends by your side, you’re even stronger.
Corset Chronicles
Structured tops, midi skirts and mini dresses define the narrative
Eclectic athleisure
High-energy style with patterns galore, featuring Milena
Milena Cunha about friendship…
I love the friendship I have with them, whenever we are together we have a lot of fun, we share good moments and we also talk about different subjects. You could say that fashion is what made all this possible because that’s where I met them and because we all belong to the same agency we end up getting closer and closer because there we are all like a family.
Midnight hues
Hard-working cotton and raw denim in tailored, diagonal cuts
From sand to street
Puff-sleeve swimsuit meets powder-pink pencilskirt, featuring Janina
Janina on what inspires her…
My Parents. Their values and habits turned me into the the person I am today. I have a lot of respect for their determination, life has a lot of ups and downs, and their will of not giving up in the bad moments is what gives me strength and inspires me.
Denim duality
Full denim on denim, featuring Dilsa
Dilsa Pereira on friendship…
Friendship is important to me whether male or female because I think it is one of the best things there is: having people I can trust, support, is divine.
Mixology in colour
A chronicle of splendent hues and the art of layers
Back to bare
Neutrals, lace and patterned cutouts in celebration of bare skin
Girl group mode
Mixing to match: crop tops, bathing suits and ’90s silhouettes
FAHION REFERENCES
ANDRE OPTICAS @andreopticas
For eyewear of
GUCCI @gucci
OLIVER GOLDSMITH @olivergoldsmithsunglasses
Vintage ALPINA
Vintage CLAUDIA CARLOTTI
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT
ARMATURE Jewellry @shoparmature
BEATRIZ JARDINHA Jewellry @beatrizjardinha
BIRDSONG PR @birdsong_pr
Representing
MANGO @mango
DUARTE @duartebrand
FILIPE FAISCA @atelierfilipefaisca
PRESS CLUB PR @prpressclub
Representing
LONGCHAMP @longchamp
LEVIS @levis
MARC JACOBS Eyewear
STIVALI @stivali_lisboa
For
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN @alexandermcqueen
BOTTEGA VENETA @newbottega
DION LEE @dionlee
GIAMBATTISTA VALLI @giambattistavalliparis
JACQUEMUS @jacquemus
JIL SANDER @jilsander
SHOWPRESS PR @showpress.pressoffice
Representing
ALVES GONÇALVES @m.alves.goncalves
GUESS @guess
HOUSE OF WILDFLOWERS @houseofwildflowers_how
LUíS ONOFRE @luisonofreofficial
LACOSTE @lacoste
MARCIANO by Guess @marciano
PORTUGAL JEWELS @portugaljewels
VIRZI JEWELLRY @virzijewellery
