Five Years of Dreams
Explore the heretical vision of beauty with AVESSA, a fashion magazine that defies conventions and embraces creativity.
Updated 10:07 pm EST, January 8, 2025
Published 01:04 am EST, December 12, 2024
Producer: Mena Lombard
Fashion Stylist: Sindi Pérez
Hair & Make-Up: Ruxandra Milea-Popa
Models: Paulína Grebeciova @ Mädl Talent, Torian Wilson @ Posche Models, Criselys Garcia @ The Walk Collective, Alleya Seaver, Skye Bruan @ Posche Models
Photographer: Flávio Iryoda
Videographer: Jesús Molina
Retoucher: Luis Aponte
Special Thanks: Tyler Molinari, Vicky Parker
Five Years of Dreams
Explore the heretical vision of beauty with AVESSA, a fashion magazine that defies conventions and embraces creativity.
Updated 10:07 pm EST, January 8, 2025
Published 01:04 am EST, December 12, 2024
Producer: Mena Lombard
Fashion Stylist: Sindi Pérez
Hair & Make-Up: Ruxandra Milea-Popa
Models: Paulína Grebeciova @ Mädl Talent, Torian Wilson @ Posche Models, Criselys Garcia @ The Walk Collective, Alleya Seaver, Skye Bruan @ Posche Models
Photographer: Flávio Iryoda
Videographer: Jesús Molina
Retoucher: Luis Aponte
Special Thanks: Tyler Molinari, Vicky Parker
"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
Our Vision
From its inception, AVESSA has offered a unique perspective on beauty. Beauty, as we see it, is not confined to the eye of the beholder; it can be found in the radiant sky during a misty dawn or the harsh sands of the world’s deserts. Artists, designers, and creative minds traverse the darkness to create their version of beauty. AVESSA, however, has chosen to align itself with the vibrant and non-traditional world of experimental artists, offering a fresh and intriguing take on beauty.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
One of the key attributes of AVESSA’s vision of creativity, which can be called heretical, is that it does not need or desire celebrities. For AVESSA, beauty is a lovingly intertwined notion of glamor, individuality, and experimental artistry. True beauty can be found anonymously in the glimpse of a lonely person musing in a purple and orange twilight or in the hyperactive work of a painter consumed in showing off their inner vision.
Who Do You Think I Am?
At AVESSA, we’ve firmly rejected ‘celebritism,’ which is the notion that anyone or anything famous deserves admiration simply because it has been marketed globally. Nonetheless, AVESSA is not some elitist band of goons spitting on well-known people. That is a far too trivial and lazy point of view.
There is, quite admittedly, a band of celebrities that create unique, gorgeous works of beauty while others bask in their notoriety without any genuine intention to make art. Given this mélange of people all yearning to be noticed, all that AVESSA asserts is that true beauty and artistry don’t automatically stem from fame.
In our view, celebrity-driven culture has disfigured the definition of beauty by supporting people who are obsessed by the masses. Magazines went from identifying unique art to celebrating fame, creating countless unquestioning articles that admire people who have no concept of actual beauty.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
Fake parasocial relationships with influencers and celebrities have driven fashion media to chase mirages of beauty. At AVESSA, we have always encouraged critical thought on what defines beauty.
Especially now, when social media polarizes our culture without concern, of course, there is no question that AVESSA would support any celebrity with the skills and foresight to create unique and thought-provoking fashion, art, or literature. But given the confusion in today’s cultural world, AVESSA is firmly committed to redirecting the public’s vision back to true, individualist, and unambiguous beauty.
Our Start
AVESSA, headquartered in Miami, launched in December 2019 as a bimonthly magazine. However, it quickly adapted to the changing times and shifted its focus to small-batch prints and a digital presence. In 2021, AVESSA leaped into the digital world, introducing a corresponding digital magazine with additional articles that complement the quarterly printed themes.
AVESSA has featured numerous emerging designers and artists but primarily concentrates on forward-looking fashion and how culture impacts what we wear. Despite being a new player, AVESSA has quickly established itself as a platform for creativity and a voice for emerging designers in the fashion industry.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
Our magazine serves as a platform for creativity and fantasies brought to life in unique fashion editorials. The vision has always been to showcase the art of fashion through strong visuals, inspiring a global community of fashion enthusiasts.
As stated earlier, AVESSA never intended to follow celebrity-driven themes; instead, the magazine emphasizes fashion-forward ideas and the idea that fashion is another visual art form that also tells stories about our culture. Contributors to the magazine have come from South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with themes ranging from environmentalism to gender discussions and how the fashion industry plays a part in defining our world.
Our Definition of Beauty
In mainstream media, celebrities and influencers continue to dominate fashion. In our opinion, the fashion industry has deviated from its authenticity and transformed into an industry centered on status and appearance. Fashion weeks in London, New York City, Milan, and Paris were meant to be where different designers, brands, or houses displayed their newest wardrobe lines in anticipation of the upcoming season.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
They were bright and shiny, with fresh ideas that challenged the world to accept new concepts of beauty. Dating back to World War II, once referred to as “press week,” was initiated when Parisian fashion shows were forcibly canceled due to Nazi occupation, leaving designers and journalists to look for other sources of inspiration. Back then, fashion houses rose to the challenge, and through iconic visionaries like Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, and others, these houses defied conventional wisdom to present their art.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
Fashion weeks were always meant to be more than pedestrian runway shows and presentations. They were created to provide a critical and creative indicator of the industry’s direction. Fashion weeks also highlighted examples of beauty and glamor that would serve as inspirations for the multitude of aspiring designers and artists waiting in the wings for their turn to shine. It was an exciting time, but today, these weeks have become less authentic as celebrities and influencers continue to oversaturate the industry.
Beyond the Celebrity Culture
Fashion houses and designers now employ high-profile celebrities to walk down the runway or design the presented clothes. This surge of lazy marketing is not limited to runway shows. One can also see this creeping influence of celebrity dominance in the front rows during fashion shows. For many brands, creative directors often fill the front rows of their shows with celebrities who they believe represent their brand. A Forbes article stated, “Brands are no longer relying strictly on traditional paid advertising channels; they are tapping creators and influencers to create content tailored to reach new audiences.”
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
While these marketing ploys have provided a bridge between fashion and mass consumers, the unrelenting dominance of celebrities and social media influencers in fashion has been too much. It is shocking how the dominance of celebrities in fashion has altered the direction of the industry and stifled creativity.
Because of this situation, AVESSA is committed to breaking the mold in the fashion and journalism industries. We refuse to overlook genuine designers, artists, and enthusiasts in favor of prosaic influencers who can only draw in numbers. Our focus is on those who dedicate themselves to the art of fashion, and we support them with our editorials and articles. We believe in the power of genuine fashion design and its ability to inspire future generations.
A Rebellious Vision
By uplifting original and artistic designers and content creators, AVESSA is uplifting their hard work and creativity for fashion design and art in general. We firmly believe that our vision will inspire future generations to fall back in love with the craft of fashion, reverting it to what fashion should genuinely be: an appreciation for art and a tool for genuine expression.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
Above all, AVESSA considers itself a rebel in the fashion industry and has morphed into a more stylistic, complex magazine since its inception. We find beauty on a smaller scale, with smaller fashion companies not entangled in an unholy link to consumerism.
The large corporate luxury brands continue to play it safe, while other more unapologetically free designers are touting unorthodox clothing styles, and consummate renegades dare to challenge the world with their version of beauty. Some veteran fashion designers consider avant-garde a little old-fashioned. They conclude that commercial success—not shocking runway tactics—is the key to success. And these veterans have a significant point. Money and fame still command attention, but there is still a place for theatrics and risk-taking. AVESSA wants to be a home for these artists, designers, and writers.
Our Editorials
As we progressed and increased the quality of our visuals, AVESSA has also focused on improving our journalistic chops. We have encouraged our contributors to take on more complex and divisive topics for consideration. AVESSA, through its talented writers, is exceptionally proud to be a proponent of irony, idealism, and, of course, a bit of humor. We now combine intelligent writing and original photography, meaning we create content with well-crafted text seamlessly integrated with visually compelling imagery.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
AVESSA works together to tell a story, convey ideas, and evoke emotions in the reader for a more impactful experience than either element alone could. AVESSA ensures that our writers and photographers are thematically linked, supporting each other to convey a unified message. We are proud to capture photos that are not just pretty but actively contribute to the narrative by capturing key moments in a story, stylistic details, or raw emotions. AVESSA uses vivid language in its writing that complements the imagery, drawing the reader into the scene depicted in the photos.
Breaking Conventional Wisdom
Another of AVESSA’s goals is breaking conventional wisdom about what a fashion magazine is. Magazines have historically followed a pattern of presentation and style, and although we do not disparage the old way of operating, we want to be different.
AVESSA has asked our writers to comment on fashion history, such as fast fashion, and, more importantly, how social culture impacts fashion. AVESSA’s creative, complex writing style has manifested in profoundly personal and evocative editorials that go beyond simply describing trends.
Happy 5-Year Anniversary to AVESSA, a fashion magazine that showcases the art of fashion through strong visuals and intelligent writing
Instead, AVESSA weaves elements of personal experience, social commentary, and artistic interpretation to explore the deeper meaning behind fashion choices, often using rich, figurative language and a unique narrative voice. We continue to pick divisive social or cultural issues.
Our contributors research these issues and create declarative and passionate arguments about their points of view. AVESSA synchronizes the written word with visual editorials that describe beautiful fashion. We pride ourselves on the unique and rebellious manner in which AVESSA presents our ideas. We love pairing serious, comedic, and gorgeous images to show our fashion point of view. AVESSA does it the hard way because we want people to think.
“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world”
AVESSA has tried to stay ahead of the swirling, changing world of fashion and fashion magazines. Many magazines have gone out of print in the past five years by sticking to tradition. AVESSA looked at conventional wisdom and decided to forge another path. We improved the quality of our content and offered different approaches to presenting the world of fashion. We have tried to reinvent ourselves to make more of an impact and a way for our contributors to be heard.
Celebrating our Future
AVESSA has made severe predictions in our 5-year history, such as our thoughts on fast fashion, environmental fashion, and fashion ethics. Opinions may differ, but we feel pride in predicting the consequences of pollution, societal upheavals in politics, and women’s rights. We will continue to revisit our predictions and see what needs to change in the conversation. AVESSA will continue investigating gender fashion, men’s impacts on fashion, and how fashion will fare under war, peace, and surging economic changes.
We will continue to be rebels, and we cannot stop.
Many people around the globe debate and argue to impose their ideas of a better future, while others have cried to stop, slow down, and maybe return to safer, more predictable times. In either case, AVESSA will be another voice and influencer moving forward, or we will be a flickering light in the ensuing darkness. But we will not be shut down. We welcome our audience to change, improve, and celebrate with us as we continue for another 5 years.
Recovering from an obsession with Italian-designed menswear, Alfonso decided to take a deeper look into women’s fashion to see how our relationship among clothing, society, and business has changed. Educated as an economist with an MBA, he travels between Chicago, Miami, and Mexico on a search to see what happens next to fashion.
DISCOVER MORE
By The Editorial Board
By Liubov Lavreniuk
By Kiki Khairy
By Pomy Hailu
By Dana Yurglich
By Omar Enrique Matos
Join Our Newsletter
Get the latest fashion, culture, and art updates, including magazine releases release parties
Sponsored Content
