Earth, water, fire and air are the stars of the 28th edition of Portuguese Soul. The theory of the four elements has helped us reflect on the evolution of time. Although overturned by modern science, this theory has contributed greatly to forming contemporary thought, influencing philosophy, alchemy, medicine, and even astrology and the occult sciences.
In the year in which the designer Luís Onofre celebrates 25 years in the business, we have decided to highlight his creations and make him the protagonist of the front pages of Portuguese Soul. The lines that outline the career of Luís Onofre transcend time and, at times, space. They bear witness to a journey of creativity, resilience and transformation, and are synonymous with elegance and sophistication. His brand saw the light of day in 1999, but the love of footwear was already running through his veins, had it not been for the third generation of the family, Conceição Rosa Pereira, his grandmother.
Earth is the first element to appear in this issue. We begin in the south, with the backdrop of the Galrão Group quarry. The protagonist is actor Nuno Nolasco, who, inspired by Earth Bender, takes us into the universe of the fantastic. The photos were taken by Pedro Afonso, and the styling is the work of Fernando Bastos Pereira.
Still inspired by the earth, Luís Pereira stars in The Ground Beneath His Feet.
This is followed by the chapter on Air, where Ricardo Santos and Joel Alves present ‘Can you feel it coming in the air tonight?’. The music starts automatically in our ears, and we linger between nostalgia and emotion. Light and agile, that is the air. Adaptable, mutable, and capable of transforming its surroundings. Ricardo Santos and Joel Alves are divided between fire and air. They start with air, but Fire on Fire follows.
Light, free as the wind. That’s what the air is like, and that’s what man rises to be in his most perfect dream. Movement, communication, freedom, spirit. Air is a symbol of connection to life, thought and spirituality, acting as a bridge between the visible and the invisible. 'She’s like the wind' is the proposal of Frederico Martins and Paolo Turina.
The connection between the body and nature, the body and water, opens the chapter dedicated to H2O with 'Make Me Water', a proposal by Pedro Afonso, styled by Fernando Bastos Pereira.
Popular wisdom advises that those who play with fire may end up burning themselves, but what this teaching overlooks is the fascination and complexity of this element, which is absolutely vital to human survival. Often associated with concepts such as transformation, renewal and passion, fire is also a symbol of life and destruction. This is the theme of 'Fire on Fire', by Ricardo Santos and Joel Alves.
We conclude with transcendence. The transcendent that unites and balances the other. The mystical. The spiritual. The divine and the delicate. The fifth element can be anything. Just like José Condessa, photographed by Frederico Martins and styled by Nicholas Galletti.
As children, we are taught not to play with fire, to respect the sea and therefore the water, that words are carried away by the wind and that earth and limestone are very poor coverings.
These are probably Portuguese teachings and traditions (which make any translation or explanation difficult), but we are intimately linked to the elements of nature; otherwise, we wouldn't have lived with them from the cradle.
