Vogue Portugal presents Once Upon a Time, a captivating fashion editorial that functions as a masterclass in visual storytelling and conceptual portraiture. Under the editorial guidance of Sofia Lucas, the project weaves together a series of high-fashion narratives that lean into surrealism and cinematic staging. Photographer Mario Kroes expertly navigates these diverse aesthetic territories, shifting seamlessly between the dreamlike motion of multiple exposure techniques and the high-contrast drama of studio strobe lighting. The result is a layered visual experience that feels both classical and profoundly experimental. Central to the success of this series is the creative synergy between fashion editor Coquito Cassibba and the technical precision of hair stylist Hikaru and makeup artist Lilly Pollan. By blending heavy textures—such as voluminous, crimped hair and intricate satin drapery—with minimalist backgrounds, the project achieves a rare editorial minimalism that keeps the focus firmly on the interplay of light and form. Whether capturing the ethereal drift of feathers in a low-key chiaroscuro composition or framing a subject within the whimsical, icing-piped architecture of a gingerbread window, the team crafts an atmosphere that is undeniably immersive. This project stands as a sophisticated exploration of luxury fashion, grounded by the expressive poise of model Amanda Murphy and the meticulously detailed set design of Heath Mattioli, ultimately redefining the boundaries of contemporary editorial imagery through a lens of elegant, deliberate artifice.
