Palácio Chiado

Opulent rebellion in whispering corridors

Set in Lisbon’s grandiose Palácio Chiado, our shoot embraces the passage of time, a young and diverse cast with the historic essence of this culture-laden location. From the palace’s aristocratic origins in 1726 to its place in the beating heart of modern Lisbon. Orchestrated by photographer Rita Castel-Branco and stylist Anderson Vescah, each scene unfolds as a living canvas where our models embody characters in eclectic, genre blending, looks.

Photography Rita Castel-Branco
Assisted by José Pereira

Styling Anderson Vescah
Assisted by Barbara Mart and Isabel Speck

Beauty Antonia Rosa
Assisted by J oana Lopes • Frederico Sim ão • Zoé Peres and Marcelo Duarte

Production assistants Jerome Lopes Neves • Eline Simon and Maxime Pereira
Interning with ZOOT from ESDM Diderot Marseille

Models
Carolina Melicio and Margarida Zhang from Face Models • Afonso Peixoto • Pedro AKA Bomshell • Anton Prodan from Karacter Agency
Vincente Santos from We Are Models and Paulo Veiga Nuno

Words and layout Maxime Pereira and Eline Simon

Special thanks to Gabriela Vasconcelos and Palacio Chiado

In the vibrant heart of Lisbon, Palacio Chiado proudly stands as a fusion of the past and present. The Palácio Quintela, renamed Palacio Chiado in 2016, was built at the end of the 18th century by the Barons de Quintela. The palace is distinguished by its architecture, blending Neoclassical and Neo-Baroque. Built in 1781, it still echoes with the sounds of aristocratic feasts and gatherings. Since 2018, it has undergone significant transformations into a dining destination, embracing new gastronomic concepts by the Chef Manuel Bóia.

This historic setting serves as the backdrop for this photoshoot by Rita Castel-Branco, filmmaker and photographer. Rita grew up in an artistic environment, developing a keen eye for aesthetics and the creation of imaginary worlds from a young age. Having studied film in New York, she brings a very cinematic approach to photography and staging.

Teamed up with Anderson Vescah, Lisbon-based stylist and fashion consultant originally from Brazil, known for his commitment to sustainable fashion and conscious consumption. For this shoot Anderson drew inspiration from a broad spectrum of sources, with its raw, edgy aesthetic, and a touch of rebellion; combining vintage, second-hand and current fashion. This eclectic mix, creates a compelling and dynamic visual narrative. Antonia and her makeup team, brought the diverse visitors of the palace to life, underlining their personality with bold pink blush, dramatic high-liner looks or fine fake moustaches.

Having a diverse casting of models and people with authentic beauty helped to create this image with much more personality. All this having the sophistication of Palácio Chiado with that renaissance air that contrasts and creates a clash of images between the past and the future, the classic and the modern, enriching and welcoming this celebration of the diversity of styles and ethnicities.

— Anderson Vescah, stylist

A western affair

**Margarida** wears shirt PINKO; skirt MARCELO ALMISCARADO; shoes FLY LONDON.

The location was beautiful and felt like a character in itself, it inspired me to imagine various scenarios and blend the talents with the surroundings, creating a reality where they could naturally inhabit the space, much like in a movie.

— Rita Castel-Branco, photographer

Golden blindness

Vicente wears shirt XANA MODAS by ALEX BASIM; pants vintage BURBERRY; glasses LINDA FARROW from OPTICA BOAVISTA.

The duo and trio compositions enabled me to craft different narratives by positioning the talents to interact naturally and using framing and lighting to capture the ambiance and mood of each scene.

— Rita Castel-Branco, photographer

Family´s dinner

**Carolina** wears vest MAISON MARGIELA; short PHILIPP PLEIN from the NEW BLACK CONCEPT STORE; fake fur from the RETRO CITY STORE. Margarida wears a shirt from the POP CLOSET STORE; gloves and shoes from the RETRO CITY STORE; skirt ELISABETTA FRANCHI. **Afonso** wears vest from the BARRO STORE; skirt GAELLE PARIS; headband CHANEL vintage.

The joker’s show

Vicente wears coat XANA MODAS; pants MAISON MARGIELA; glasses stylist own.

To edit the outfits for the editorial, I looked for references that range from the clubber movement, and the famous Club Kids of the 90s, to the iconic Harajuku Girls from Tokyo, with hints of the grunge movement and a touch of London punk rock. It seems like a big crazy mix, but dosed in the right way, they are proposals that fit perfectly at some point, forming a strong image construction.

— Anderson Vescah, stylist