ZOOT Magazine official

For The Self & The Avatar, Antónia Rosa invited former model and fashion creative Maria João Baginha to lead the art direction and casting. Drawing on decades of experience, Baginha selected the models whose individuality would define the story, while Diana Silva, a student from Antónia Rosa’s makeup course, created the monochromatic beauty looks.
„I entered the world of fashion purely by chance,“ Maria João tells ZOOT.

What began as an unexpected opportunity evolved into a career shaped by Portugal’s emerging fashion scene of the early 1990s. Working alongside designers and photographers transformed her understanding of fashion into a creative language.
„My world broadened, and I expanded my creativity by merging it with the works of artists.“
Today, Baginha channels that experience into mentoring the next generation.

„I don’t create clones or extensions of myself. On the contrary, I provide all the necessary tools so that the model can sculpt their own image.“
For The Self & The Avatar, she cast the models for their individuality, expressive ability and diversity—creating what she calls „a polychromatic ode to beauty through diversity.“
„As part of the training process, I teach the language of fashion—how to communicate with your body. Before working on the model’s expression, I correct their posture to foster a new awareness of their physical body. It’s an ongoing process.“ — Maria João Baginha

Creative direction @antoniarosamakeupartist
Art direction & casting @mariajoaobaginha
Photography @barbara.martons
Styling @dky.bymr & @jaypfort
Makeup @_dianasilvaa_
Hair @jordan.alves63 
Models @karacteragency —
@eliza.kuzmenko_
@lera_ish_
@_angelinaterentyeva_

Words @callmecillaa
ZOOT digital editorial design @lo_wenberg

#zootmagazineofficial #antoniarosamakeupcourse #mariajoaobaginha #karactermodels