If you’ve never opened it, you will soon become addicted! It is bubbling, colorful and happy! Yes, happy because it just turned 25 years (picture above) : – ELLE Portugal is trying to uplift women’s life and to keep the dream alive! So if like me, you need positive vibes and to escape with beautiful images and punchy fashion shoots, check out the fresh breeze blowing across the magazine thanks to Sandra Gato, the new Editor in Chief. 

– Words are my passion. Communication too. When you work as an Editor in Chief, you have to accessorize words with editing. After studies of journalism and a training in Cosmopolitan, Sandra’s worked for the ELLE Portugal for 21 years : – The magazine changed a lot and I changed with it. I wrote about so many interesting things, it’s always new. We want to anticipate the trends and cheer the change with Portugese women to give them the choice. We don’t want to dictate anything. 

Talking about the change, have Portugese women changed a lot? – Yes, they are so different than they used to be. They are educated, career wise and much more trendy aware. They take more care about themselves. And they are enjoying life. Smiling, Sandra adds : – We’re not doing crazy fashion shoots. We always mix high fashion with other brands like H&M for exemple. We are close to our readers, the real women. We just want to inspire them. 

What about the new generation of Portugese Fashion Designers? – For us Nuno Baltazar is one of the best : trendy clothes easy to wear, with great details. Very feminine dresses well cut in really good material. He’s been successfull for 6-8 years. And of course there is Felipe Oliveira Baptista, but he’s based in Paris. It’s difficult for young talents here, but crisis brings more creativity. We’ve still had to believe more in our talents to promote them. We are very good professional when we are outside the country. We need to have more self esteem. But every decade, we are growing and getting better.

Last October “to expend ELLE world“, ELLE.pt was launched : – It’s a complement of the magazine. There are two different things, with a different language : we are closer to readers on the site. The communication is more immediate. It’s the future. And in the magazine we want to be a luxury product.

As Sandra used to be a lifestyle editor, I asked her about some of her favourite spots in Portugal :

1. In Lisbon, they are always new small restaurants, like Taberna da Rua das Flores in Chiado. For a luxury shopping, check out Avenida da Liberdad and Fashion Clinic. For trendy spots, LX Factory and Embaxiada.

2. O’Porto is blooming. There are a lot of new shops with a vintage vibe. They have a new way to look at our past. And you have to go to Douro to see the beauty of the landscapes.

3. For me, Alentejo it’s like peace : very friendly people and the food is beautiful. Visit Evora, a beautiful town and the Alentejo coast!

Many thanks Sandra and happy birthday to the ELLE Portugal!

Photos : Mademoiselle Le K – copyright 2013, tous droits réservés.   

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INTERVIEWS, FASHION & DESTINATIONS