We need to talk about Bruna Marquezine. While the 28-year-old is already a massive star in her native Brazil (she started doing commercials at the age of 5 and now has 30 TV and film credits to her name and a dedicated social following of over 45 million), she’s technically a newcomer in the world of Hollywood—one we suggest keeping on your radar. We have a hunch Bruna Marquezine is a name you’ll be hearing a lot more of in the coming months, and not just for her on-screen talent, which she has in spades. It’ll be for her fashion choices too.
Marquezine is a fashion person through and through. She is regularly spotted front row at shows like Versace, Miu Miu, and Saint Laurent, and she has nabbed coveted brand deals with Tiffany & Co. and Puma. When she steps out for a red carpet or an event, it’s guaranteed she is going to give you a noteworthy ensemble. With Marquezine, it’s all about the details: a cool cutout, a statement earring, or a clever nod to her culture.
We caught up with the actress during a recent trip to NYC to talk about her personal style journey, the Brazilian designers we should have on our radar, and favorite past looks.
Fashion and beauty inherently play a big role in your work as an actor, but what about your personal life? When did you really start taking an interest in it?
I started acting when I was really young. I was 7 when I did my first soap opera, and before that, I was doing TV commercials and stuff like that. At a certain point, I remember thinking that this fashion stuff is so annoying. It was like, “Why do I have to wear certain types of clothes or this trend? I don’t get it.” I was trying to figure out who I was, like teenagers typically do, so [fashion] was just another thing for me to worry about. But a few years later when I was around 18 or 19, that’s when I had my first stylist, and I remember having a new perspective on fashion and seeing it as art. I started to use it as a way of getting to know more about myself, my body, what I like and what I don’t, [and] what makes me feel comfortable, powerful, and sexy, and that was really great.
In terms of your work on-screen, how involved do you like to be in a character’s look?
It’s a big part of it. I can only feel like the character when I’m dressed as the character. I always have a mood board. I’m the one that comes in with a Pinterest page with my ideas, and I give a lot of opinions. I will do everything I can as long as I feel like I’m not disrespecting anyone. When I have the pleasure of working with someone who likes to create together, then I have a lot of fun. I like to be involved in the process. … Sometimes, you are just so in it and have this vision of the character before you are on set that it’s good when you work with someone who has a new perspective on the character. It’s like, “Oh, that’s something I didn’t think about.”
How has growing up and living in Brazil influenced your sense of style?
I definitely have a different everyday style than when I’m traveling. I’m still based in Rio [de Janeiro], so when I’m outside of Brazil, it’s usually for work or vacation. Because of the weather, the humidity, and because I’m doing everyday stuff, I’m usually wearing dresses, something super light and comfortable. When I’m traveling, that’s when I take the time to think about a look. Back home, it’s just whatever is comfortable and easy, like jumpsuits and stuff that I don’t have to think too much about. Coming from Brazil and the amazing fashion designers we have, it doesn’t matter if I’m doing fashion week or a red carpet. There’s always going to be something [in my look] related to my culture. Whether that’s the colors or the patterns, there is always something that reminds me of home.
Are there any Brazilian designers we should have on our radar?
Oh definitely. Airon Martin, he’s phenomenal. Every fashion week, I’m just in awe of him. He’s so talented, so young, and portrays our culture in such a beautiful way. It’s okay if you do something only for Brazil, but [his work] is so global. There is so much of our culture [in his collections], but it speaks with fashion everywhere. The name of his brand is Misci. All of my friends outside of Brazil, when they come here, I take them to Misci, and they all fall in love. I also love Pace, Cotton Project, and Projeto Ponto Firme.
Who have been some of your biggest style influences?
The first person who comes to mind is Rihanna. Is it too obvious? I don’t care because I just remember feeling so inspired by her, especially when I was starting to have fun with fashion. Her relationship with fashion is playful. It’s the way she owns it, and looking at her outfits, you understand her entire personality and the message she wants to send out there. There are many other women who inspire me. I have to mention Zendaya. I feel like I’ve mentioned her so many times, and I’m starting to think she’s going to be scared of me—like, “Take her away from me because she’s clearly obsessed.” But I am! I don’t care. I also love Bella Hadid as an inspiration. These are a few of the women who really inspire me. Not to be like them, but to find in me that thing I can see that they have. It’s unique and honest, and they are being true to their essence. I have something that’s unique in me as well, and fashion is a way of finding that.
Can you talk a little about working with your great styling team?
I’ve worked with Rita Lazzarotti for a long time, and we still work together, but she is the Vogue Brasil director, and she had a baby, the most beautiful kid I’ve ever seen. So I started working with Pedro [Sales], who I’ve always admired. He’s worked with some of my friends back home, and he has a great relationship with Rita as well. I have a beautiful history with Rita. I feel like she’s been with me through a lot of different moments in my life, career, and fashion journey. So we have a history. I call her my fairy godmother.
Pedro, he’s a great addition to the team. I just love the fact that he respects who I am, and he’s not someone who is trying to change my image or be like, “This is Bruna by me.” So I love this about the way he works. He knows my style, and he’s helping me see other options that are maybe not as obvious. Now, we have this other person on the team, Dani Michelle. We are really excited. She’s also someone I have admired for so long. It’s impressive what she does. She is able to pull the best looks. For someone who I’ve only been working with for a couple of months, she just gets me. It shows how good she is at what she does—she’s able to get me, get my style, and also incorporate something new and help me find new versions of myself. I’m really excited for what we’re going to do next.
With this fantastic team around you, what are some of the looks you’ve collaborated on that really stand out in your memory?
I’m going to google myself because literally I can only memorize lines and lyrics. I think the last one we did, me and Dani, was one I really loved. I went to the Variety Power of Young Hollywood event, and we were so sure about this other Givenchy dress that we had been waiting for the right moment to wear. But for some reason, I kept looking at the pictures, and I was like, “Dani, don’t kill me, but I think we should go with the other one.” For me, it’s really about feeling comfortable because then you own it. If it’s something that is uncomfortable or I need to think about something like “I need to pose a certain way so it looks good,” then it’s dead for me. This last look that we did together, I really loved it, and I was feeling so comfortable and like myself.
Oh, I loved the blue [Marni] look that me and Pedro did together, this all-blue velvet suit. That was so nice. When we were trying it on, it just felt like everything was perfect. This suit is perfect for the shirt that is perfect for the necklace, and it’s so nice when that happens, this magical little moment. I hosted this award show for MTV in Brazil during the pandemic, which was really hard. After many months inside wearing pajamas, we wanted to have fun and go big, and Rita did a wonderful job. It’s one of my favorite fashion-related moments. There was this Ashi Studio look. It was a black dress. I was just so in love.
You recently started working with Tiffany & Co as a brand ambassador. Do you remember the first Tiffany piece you ever purchased?
There is a really sweet story! I was out here in New York, heading back home [to Brazil] like I am now, where I had a few minutes to go back to the hotel, take a shower, and head to the airport. I wanted to gift myself a pair of diamonds, but it was after a long day of walking around and doing stuff, and I looked awful. I was so tired, and I just needed a shower. I walked into Tiffany’s, and the lady was thinking, “Oh, she’s not going to get anything.” I asked to try on a couple, and at the end, I was like, “Okay, I’m going to take both!” I took a small one and a slightly bigger pair, and she was really excited for me, and I was really excited for myself.
It was a beautiful moment because New York is one of my favorite places in the world, and I remember this feeling of being out here and hoping one day I would move here. Today, it’s a possibility for me, whereas back then it wasn’t. But also being able to give myself a present like Tiffany diamonds. It was a really sweet and important moment for myself. Years later, I was at the same store, but now being invited as one of the brand ambassadors. So this was a crazy full-circle moment. I was in this room with all of these incredible artists I look up to, and I was invited to be here as part of the family, as part of the team.
Do you have plans to attend fashion week next month? If so, what are you looking forward to?
Now, I don’t know because everything changed in the last month. Before, I wasn’t going to attend. It’s a possibility. I do have a lot of fun during fashion week. It inspires me so much, and I get super emotional watching the shows. I love to be around creative, interesting, and young artists. So maybe we’ll see! It’s been a really crazy week, so I’m living one day at a time.
