The June 2024 issue of Vogue Portugal [IG] is a love letter from Portugal to the world. “It’s impossible to get to know Portugal just by looking at it, because you feel it above all with your heart,” writes EIC Sofia Lucas.

Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio graces the June issue in spectacular images lensed by Élio Nogueira [IG] on location in Azores. Loizos Sofokleous styles Ambrosio in Aphrodite-inspired, sea goddess fashion. The first thought that went through AOC’s mind was the Brazilian beauty as a southern belle in the Louisiana bayou.

Granted, Louisiana is much flatter than the Azores. But the mood of the images carries a poetry from bygone days, overflowing with southern charm in my little, American girl world.

The autonomous region of Portugal called the Azores is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. The beautiful terrain was first discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century, making it one of the oldest settlements in the region.

AOC sleuthing has taken us to Parque Terra Nostra [IG], a botanical garden in the heart of São Miguel Island, and the location of this fashion shoot. Who knew that magnolias grow 25 feet high?

São Miguel is nicknamed ‘The Green Island’ and is the largest and most populous island in the Azores.

Today, the Azores have become a popular tourist destination known for their stunning natural landscapes, including volcanic craters, hot springs, and pristine beaches. The islands also boast a unique cultural heritage with a mix of Portuguese, African, and Brazilian influences, resulting from its geographical location on emerging global trade routes.

Indeed, many of those ships were carrying and trading slaves in port. It is our collective, shared human history. ~ Anne