English Version | Backstage: Love & Hope issue

Making of: Open Letter

The behind the scenes of the Fashion story on page 200 shows that there are even more images behind the images that are worth a thousand words. In a shoot that writes down love letters as inspiration, what is not written is what speaks loudest: the expressions, the poses, the props, create an environment within an environment – one that has a hard-working team, cameras, lights, action… or rather, love.

Love is also… a chemical reaction

Because the metaphors that manifest being in love also arise from biology: there is a chemical reaction that is triggered the moment we surrender to love – we are flooded by oxytocin, better known as the "love hormone", causing a wave of happiness and a well-being that flows through the veins from the brain to the spinal cord, then spreading throughout the body. This process acts as a neurotransmitter, uniting the physical and emotional aspects of this feeling. If we say that a hug is a gesture that is worth a thousand words, it is not the result of chance. When skin touches, the first reactions that appear are “butterflies in the stomach” and tremors in the legs – at times, the nervousness can seem so intense that it almost becomes tangible, involving the entire body. This complex interaction between chemical and emotion creates a unique and profound experience, highlighting the intrinsic and powerful nature of love.

Love & Hope

Just two words summarize what we need most right now: lots of love and a good dose of hope. The recipe seems too simple, but when the formula works, why mess with it? In a world plagued by conflicts, wars, inequalities and lack of freedom, there is still hope that the love we have for life - human, the planet, our neighbors, our own - is greater and more powerful than the force of violence. May this issue be the trigger to increase the love and, above all, make any ray of hope shine - an emotion that is not new for Vogue: September 2020 was entirely dedicated to the theme. You can grab this 100% Hope at shop.light-house.pt.

GQ MOTY Awards 2023

Closing an issue of Vogue while and, at the same time, helping prepare for the Gala of the year for GQ Portugal, Vogue Portugal's sister publication? This is Love. At Lighthouse Publishing, there is no distinction between who belongs to what when it comes to getting work done to make one of the most anticipated events of the year happen: the MOTY Awards, which this year featured internationals Aron Piper and Ashley Graham, and also portuguese names worthy of the award, such as the National Rugby team, athlete Miguel Trindade, skater Madalena Costa, among others. Between Vogue and GQ, the uniform is the same – that of Lighthouse – to applaud a gala, award winners and achievements in a ceremony that you can (re)see through the QR Code.

Very typical

Also called “love scarves”, these boyfriend scarves are handkerchiefs embroidered by girls, whether from the noble class or the common people, and became popular from the 19th century onwards. They served as a disguised declaration of love to the boy they liked and, if reciprocated, the boy would wear the scarf around his neck. Adorned with hearts, keys, doves, all of the emojis of the time, so to speak, they included – and still include – love rhymes. Vows of love? Better to embroider them. Or purchase one that best reflects what goes in your heart – these traditional scarves are sold in typical portuguese product outlets.

Translated from the original in The Love & Hope Issue, published December 2023. Full stories and credits in the print issue.