We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Glaucia Stanganelli a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Glaucia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

When I was working as a fashion designer and creative director for my clothing line Philosofée I worked on this collection I named Shakespearean Love & Tragedy. For many reasons it was a very meaningful project I created, for one, it was the last collection I created in Brazil, where I founded the brand, before I moved to New York City and moved the brand with me, starting all over with a new team and everything.
Besides that, after many years struggling to put all pieces of a clothing line together, I finally had the dream team, from pattern makers, seamstress, photographer, models, location, stylist and beyond… Each of them were essential on making my vision come to reality, and they were just as passionated as me bringing to life my crazy ideas in somewhat crazy deadlines too.
We were all happy having creative ideas and insights from all the team on the launch of that collection. The photoshoot was made inside a Bronze statue’s Foundry, the last one standing in the State of Sao Paulo. We spent a whole day and most of the night there, it was creepy, dusty, and so inspiring, we had a blast. The result, still to these days, one of my favorites.

Glaucia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born and raised in Santo Andre, a suburb of Sao Paulo in Brazil, and since I was a little kid I was always creating something. I remember writing and illustrating comic books with characters I created, customizing outfits for my dolls, making colorful drawings on the walls against mom’s will, among other creative adventures.
My first artistic expression in the world was as a dancer, I was a professional ballerina for 12 years, I danced in a company all over South America. I have a dancer soul, I always want to move my body like a constant dance.
When it was time to choose a college I decided to study fashion, I went to London and later FIT in New York City. I first choose London for that seamless balance between traditional and vanguard in all they do, design, fashion, art, music. I love starting with traditional and deconstruct it, breaking all the rules and challenging the techniques, almost not even wanting to know too much so I can keep doing art or fashion my own way, with an open mind and creativity.
I then had a career in fashion, and eventually started my own line, called Philosofée, I launched and sold collections for around 15 years. I’ve been part of designer collectives in London and New York, I had the amazing opportunity to present runway shows in both cities fashion weeks.
Every time I created a fashion collection it was never about the clothes, but the inspiration and story I was telling through it. I created characters, and an universe for them with photoshoots and short movies that I produced almost every season.
On the side, as a creative outlet, just for fun, I was painting, but in the closet. I never showed anyone my paintings for years, I did not see myself as an artist by then. Until a couple friends saw them in my house and really had strong reactions to my pieces. Then something shifted in the way I was looking at myself as an artist, I realized it is a good thing to cause emotions and reactions through my art and that they are meant to be seen. Since then my motto is if it inspires one single person in the world it was already worth it, if it puts a smile on a face, if it brings tears or memories, it means I did it from my heart, with depth and truth connecting with other hearts and souls. Isn’t it what art is all about?
I slowly and organically started shifting most of my time and energy towards painting rather than fashion and the ways started to open in this field for me. I did a few collaborations with other artists, I had a solo exhibition in Los Angeles, I have my pieces in a few designer collective stores, and I have my paintings and illustrations in books, including my own first poetry book, called Unfiltered Thoughts & Poetic Moments.
I am now based in Austin, Texas, since 2022, I moved here following my intuition. When I got here I reconnected with dance and that inspires me even more to keep creating, moving the body, moving my energy, expressing myself in different ways.
My family still in Brazil and I visit at least a couple times a year, I spend lots of time in an island I lived for 6 years, Florianopolis, my favorite place there. It is recharging and inspiring to me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have to be passionated about whatever I am working on, just going for the financial reward does not work. For me it is so transparent when the passion and authenticity is not there. And I say from experience, as every artist and business owner, I had bad seasons, and from lack of experience I listened to generic opinion from sales people and it was a disaster, all the things I created with sales in mind I hated and it did not solve the problem.
Everytime I dove in with my heart and soul not knowing how it was going to unfold, taking the biggest risks, those were the times were I was most successful. I was happy and proud with the final project, that being either a fashion collection or an art exhibition, and they all ended up being financially profitable.
At the end of the day any creation is self expression, and for that to touch someone and be successful, it has to be authentic, deeply real. These kind of things can be felt from far, even though it is subtle, it is the energy and the frequency surrounding it all. And when it touches, it can heal, it can inspire, it can move us.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Yes, the earlier the artist/ the creative, understands that self expression is what we are doing, the earlier we put time and energy in taking care of ourselves, mentally and physically. That is directly related to the work we want to delivery in this lifetime, self care is not luxury, it is essential for successful artistic expression in the density of the physical world.
Another important point has been the discipline and organization, in my opinion and experience, we get way further when we have those in place. The times when I lacked those, everything went downhill. It is not that hard to get to the top, the challenge is to stay there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.glauciastanganelli.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyglaucia/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyJffiJwNXNV9py9mJOlSgQ

Image Credits

pictures by Rogerio Alonso
pictures by Joseph and Yuki Paradiso

design and creative direction by Glaucia Stanganelli