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Fernando Cabral
Interview by Armando Cabral
Photography Frederico Martins
Styling Nelly Gonçalves
Two brothers who connect as father and son. Armando is the ultimate encouragement, the biggest mentor, the one whose steps Fernando always tracks. The younger one is he’s biggest pride, the most hard-working, kind, friend of his friend. “everything I wish for me, I wish for him.”
AC – Fernando, I would like to start by introducing you. To someone who doesn’t know you, how would you define yourself? Who is Fernando Cabral?
FC – Fernando is a luso-guinean kid, born in Guinea-Bissau, but raised in Portugal where, since very young, he had a thing for playing ball, he dreamed of becoming a football player. Fashion came and switched up my lifecycle, so I ended up moving my plans to that world. I would say I had a very blissful childhood, especially in Amadora, where it all started for me: playing, school, friends, football.
AC – Some people don’t even know you have a passion for football and that you tried getting into that world. That happened when I already had moved to England.
FC – I always loved playing and I tried playing professionally. Me and a friend who used to hang out with me all the time, he was in the same situation, we were always together, until he eventually entered the Laranjeiras team.
AC – I remember that perfectly.
FC – He got in and told me I should try my luck. I did not get a contract, although I would join him quite often and watch the practices, I was there for a considerate time. Besides, I was studying and my parents always focused more on our education, but no doubt I enjoyed sneaking off to anything football related, play, or go to the stadium. I recollect, me and that friend, we gathered with Belenenses but none of us stayed. We even tried Benfica, but that also didn’t work out.
AC – I remember going with you to Benfica. don’t you recall when Ednilson played there? We watched the football practice.
FC – Football was always my passion. I continued my education and then fashion came up.
AC – After heading to England I had no clue you were interested in the fashion industry. I remember I even talked to you and said I felt it wasn’t ideal for you, for I had been through so many difficulties in my debut, and I didn’t want you to go through the same thing. Back then things were different: for a while I was the only black model at the Paris runways, in Milan we were very few, and it required a lot of work, a lot of effort. It could feel frustrating and I didn’t want you to go through that same situation.
Thank god our family centered their focus primarily on our education and we were always told you can do whatever you want, but first you’ll get a degree.” By that time, nobody ever dreamed fashion would succeed as it does these days… Anyways, you started at ModaLisboa, invited by our friend.
FC –It all started with our deceased sister, isn’t that true? She was the original fashion lover. You were so close to her, so you developed that too. Then you moved to England to study and there you pursued Fashion. Since you were already working with it, everyone knew you, so they started associating me to you. They came to tell me about you, claimed how great you were as a model; therefore, I could become one too. However, since I had a passion for football I never wanted to be a model. Times went by, I got into college to study International Relations. In 2010, I believe on your second time back in Portugal, we went together to ModaLisboa for the Angolan designers Tekasala and Schunnoz runway show. At the end of the show, as we left we walked by Kalaf and Tequila, who were responsible for the runway casting, and they stated I was fit for the models they were actually looking for. Timidly I instructed them I was not a model and that it was not going to happen. He insisted, later Kalaf contacted you maintaining it would be amazing if I could be a part of the show so you convinced me on doing it. The only thing that crossed my mind was “does this require some type of training?”. You gave me some tips, explained a rehearsal would take place and that it was all very simple. Hence, I accepted it and I guess it went well.
AC – What takes place afterwards is something quite funny. After a while, I came back to New York…
FC – The runway show took place in March; and at the end of June, beginning of July the campaign happened.
AC – The H&M campaign. It’s funny because you started internationally with H&M and today we are having a conversation and you’re shooting in Stockholm for H&M. How was that first experience? Daniel Jackson, photographer and a great friend of mine, contacted me wondering if I had a brother and how much alike we were. Coming from an H&M runway in Portugal to another in New York, how did you feel at the time?
FC – It was quite funny, because after the show I proceeded with my normal life and suddenly you were calling me about an H&M campaign you were doing and that they were interested in me too. I remember feeling very happy, not about the campaign, but because I was going to New York, a place I had only knew through television. I remember you said this would be a good thing for me, that the casting only had supermodels, and that I was clueless (laughing)
I came back to Portugal; the campaign was out and the big boom happened. For the unaware ones, now it was known you had a brother. After a while, you contacted me saying I had to get an agent as the number of calls you were getting became impossible to pick up. I ended up with Karacter, after participating on one of their fashion shows to get new faces. I think I got the second or third place.
AC – I didn’t even know that. I don’t know why but you didn’t even tell me anything. Our friend Amado called and said “your brother should have won” and I replied “won what?” (laughs) I also remember saying “if you want to pursue this seriously, talk to me, I can help you.” It was a funny story. Moving forward, you got to New York, fulfilled the H&M campaign, which was something made worldwide with a very notorious photographer, and then, not long after, you got the casting for the Louis Vuitton runway show in Paris, right? As it was your first opportunity to walk in Paris, I was very restless. I met you at the backstage to check if you were nervous, you told me you were fine. Personally, to me, that was a very prideful moment, you did very well.
FC – I never thought it would happen. I was very nervous; also, every time I went on a casting or after a job I didn’t know how to proceed. In the beginning I was not comfortable at all. At the Vuitton show you supported me a lot, encouraged me, but I was very nervous.
AC – I couldn’t tell. I’m such a perfectionist so I was so worried about you; I was across the runway facing David Beckham, Alessandro Sartori – the Zegna creative director, Kanye West…
FC – I took a photo with him!
AC – when you came out I could not get a hold of myself so I shouted your nickname “jamessss”. Everyone looked at me and Alessandro asked “is that your brother?” and I shouted “yes!” I was shouting from joy. I was very happy because I realized you were ready, and you were in good hands.
FC – From that day until now, the runway started became a regular thing for me.
AC – now you’re a worldwide well-known supermodel; magazine covers, campaigns, what do you feel you still have to explore inside the fashion world?
FC – there’s always something else you think you could be doing, but overall, I feel pleased with everything I accomplished, and I feel very proud of it. I thank everybody, you included, if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here. Even if I don’t know what is coming, I long for more experiences.
AC – What about on a personal level? A year ago, you initiated a business journey.
FC – After so much time in the fashion industry, I got the taste of it; again, following your steps, inspired by your ideas, by your professional path, me and my wife opened a restaurant in Guinea-Bissau. A place where you’ll find European gastronomy or typical Guinea food, ultimately, an international kitchen where you can eat whatever you want. It’s going fantastically, I think.
AC – It’s growing to be a success, that you can say!
I was worried because you had never lived in Guinea, nevertheless it’s going great, you’re even launching another restaurant.
FC – It’s a pastry shop and we are hoping for the best. We have more projects, but I can’t talk about them yet. But this is my path, I’m growing outside fashion. I chose Guinea, in Bissau, not only because it is my homeland but also because my country is still developing and there’s a lot of space to grow, business wise. We created a project, took a risk and the results are very good. I feel happy.
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Fashion
Com peças fluidas e looks não tão estruturados, Nelly Gonçalves foi buscar o reconforto a um passado não tão distante, aproximando o presente dos valores seguros que conhecemos, como a autenticidade. O allure do vintage não vem ao acaso: nesta conversa a stylist explica à SOLO as vantagens de ir remexer nos baús.
As tendências também afetam o universo vintage – que tendência do passado tentaste resgatar para este shooting?
Não é tanto uma tendência, mas um mood, um feeling. Para esse editorial procuramos recriar um ambiente cinematográfico, com a estrutura, luz e cenas do dia-a-dia. Por isso tornou-se importante escolher os looks mais direcionados como se se tratasse de um guarda-roupa. As peças são mais fluídas, os looks não tão estruturados adaptam-se a uma vivência quotidiana. Tive em atenção materiais como as lãs, ganga larga e renda, e uma paleta de cores e padrões como o xadrez que se adaptam ao ambiente que se pretendia.
Porque estamos todos com tanta vontade de olhar (e vestir) o passado? Achas que o clima de inconsistência trazido pela pandemia tem sido visível também na moda?
Porque talvez inconscientemente pensamos ‘antes era melhor’.E porque depois dessa fase mais fechada surgiu uma vontade de liberdade. As tendências dos anos 90 e 00 voltaram mais fortes depois da pandemia. Talvez uma forma nostálgica de mergulhar num passado que é, sem dúvida, mais reconfortante e que nos lembra a nossa juventude, o tempo da inocência sem preocupações.
Essas tendências também são reinterpretadas pelos mais jovens, que procuram valores seguros e autenticidade, trazendo o vintage de volta ao centro das atenções a cada ano que passa.
Encontrar peças únicas, poupar algum dinheiro e não contribuir para o carater destrutivo do aceleramento da moda – estas são algumas das vantagens do vintage. A nível de styling, o que consideras a parte mais interessante de trabalhar com peças antigas?
Trabalhar com peças antigas é uma fonte de inspiração de histórias que podemos contar. Podemos dar uma nova interpretação a uma peça de roupa, acessórios ou tendência misturando com peças de designer mais atual. Acontece muito nos editoriais ou agora nas red carpets.
Places
Uma homenagem a uma das figuras mais importantes da arquitetura portuguesa, a Casa das Marinhas é o que Viana de Lima designou como ‘o solar dos tempos modernos’. Construída em 1954, expressa o equilíbrio, sempre presente nas criações do arquiteto, que a construiu para ser a sua própria residência. Entre o conceito de modernidade e o carater tradicionalista, este lugar acolhe o editorial da SOLO espelhando a iconicidade do talento português, da arquitetura à moda.
No primeiro piso o espaço é fluido. Há uma clara preocupação em fundir os diversos espaços que, subdivididos pela presença de elementos móveis, vão diferenciar os respetivos usos, em cozinha, estar e jantar. A zona de estar, de pé-direito duplo com amplo envidraçado voltado ao mar, liga-se francamente ao piso superior. Este efeito é traduzido, no exterior, pela continuação da laje da cobertura e da parede norte, em granito, que funciona, também, como proteção dos ventos. No lado oposto, prolongando esse mesmo paramento para nascente, cria-se uma zona exterior. Nesta parede se inscreve um vão que reforça a presença de uma mesa nela adoçada. O espaço, recanto abrigado mais diretamente ligado a natureza e contrastando com a exposição a poente, funciona como local privilegiado para estadias e refeições ao ar livre. Um corpo cilíndrico, elemento dinâmico resultante da reconversão da ruína de um antigo moinho, funciona como entrada e acesso ao piso superior. Ao nível do segundo piso os espaços, exíguos, albergam os quartos e uma zona de trabalho que se estende por uma varanda. O patamar de chegada da escada serve, para nele se instalar uma cama. O quarto de casal usufrui de um vão que lhe permite a ligação com o espaço de pé-direito-duplo. A abertura dos vãos faz-se em clara relação entre os usos da habitação, as suas ligações com exterior e os pontos cardeais. A norte praticamente não existem aberturas. A nascente as suas dimensões são controladas conforme as funções a desempenhar pela zona de refeições, a poente o vão, maior, é protegido pela continuação da cobertura.
O jardim da Casa Viana de Lima, em Marinhas, Esposende, reflete de modo explícito o programa modernista emanado pela casa e toda uma espacialidade que puxa a sua perceção e vivência para a ligação do corpo ao exterior, a paisagem e a fruição do ar livre. Discreto no risco (mesmo algo indefinido), usa afirmativamente a vista que passa por cima dos muros, propositadamente baixos, e se alonga para poente, através dos campos, guiando o olhar até aos pinhais, a praia e ao mar. Para nascente, por cima de muros de pedra mais altos, veem-se os montes que sobressaem escuros no céu. É o velho programa da casa no jardim que parece paisagem, repetidamente interpretado desde o paisagismo setecentista inglês, agora democratizado no mais contido espaço moderno português.
O lote pequeno, provavelmente destacado do topo poente de um campo retangular, estende-se como um retângulo ao baixo, ao longo da estrada nacional. A casa posiciona-se num subtil pequeno alto, seguindo a posição do moinho depurado; o conjunto edificado abre-se para a paisagem que entra no jardim e faz desta sua possível continuação. O espaço próximo é pontuado por afloramentos rochosos que lideram o caráter naturalista do exterior moderno. Do lado norte, um portão abre um percurso numa calçada de seixo e pequenas lajes (com um toque nipónico) que se desenvolve em curva larga adoçada ao suave relevo até a entrada principal. Uma peça de pedra para recolher as águas pluviais, por detrás do moinho, a nascente, consuma a intenção de projeto de um pequeno elemento de água, algo ameboide, muito ao gosto desse tempo. Da casa, pelas amplas portas envidraçadas que deslizam, junta-se concordantemente o interior e o exterior, cumprindo o ideário modernista; a nascente, fazem-se refeições cá fora num local protegido do Norte por uma parede pontualmente por um vão livre; para um lado e para outro, o olhar e o corpo passam com facilidade, se calhar descalços, de dentro para fora, da sala para o prado, para o sol, para o ar livre, para a paisagem.
Team
Grooming Ana Raquel Ribeiro
Photography assistants Pedro Sá, Filipe Teixeira @ Lalaland Studios
Styling Assistant Maria Sampaio
Retouching José Paulo Reis @ Lalaland Studios
Video Raul Sousa
Production Diogo Oliveira @ Lalaland Studios
Location Casa Museu Viana de Lima - Casa das Marinhas
Text Patrícia Domingues
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