Blogger Babble: Made in Brazil

By Leah Chernikoff
September 2, 2011

Made in Brazil

Juliano Corbetta, founder of Made in Brazil; an editorial from Made in Brazil magazine

Brazil is pretty much breeding ground for models. From the world’s most famous (and richest) supermodel, Gisele Bündchen, to Victoria’s Secret stunner Alessandra Ambrosio, to high fashion mainstay Caroline Trentini, the list could go on and on... And the boys from Brazil? They do pretty well on the catwalks and the pages of glossy fashion mags, too.

About six years ago, fashion industry vet and São Paulo native Juliano Corbetta decided to start a blog, Made in Brazil, to document fashion news coming out of Brazil (believe me there’s plenty) as a way to connect with his native country while he was living in New York City. Though it might seem like a niche spot for a fashion blog, Corbetta broke story after story, making Made in Brazil an essential addition to every fashion blog roll.

And last year, he launched a print mag by the same name, which features nothing but Brazilian male models. While most high fashion indie mags push the envelope with out-there edgy editorials feature only women, Made in Brazil the magazine gives the boys a chance to shine.

Made in Brazil

Here’s the backstory on Corbetta, his blog, and his rag.

The Inside Source: What's your fashion background?

Juliano Corbetta: I got my AAS [Associate in Applied Sciences] in Menswear Design at FIT in New York, interned for a year in PR and sales at Byblos (which was allowed on a student Visa), then finished my BS in International Trade & Marketing at FIT.

The Inside Source: How did Made in Brazil come about? Where did you get the idea for the mag and the blog?

Juliano Corbetta: The blog probably subconsciously developed from a need to feel closer to my country after having lived in New York for five years. It was supposed to become a diary of the men's swimwear collection I was developing at the time, but it became something completely different as I started to notice that there was really no information about Brazilian fashion, tourism, or pop culture available in English at the time.

When we launched the first issue of the magazine in May of last year, I wanted it to be disconnected from the blog in a way, even though it was called Made In Brazil Magazine. I was working mostly with male models at the time, and neither them nor Brazilian men's fashion photographers had an outlet to showcase work that was actually interesting and bold.

Made in Brazil

Made in Brazil blog homepage

The Inside Source: What was the reaction to Made in Brazil when it first launched?

Juliano Corbetta: The blog [has grown] slowly over the last six years. With the magazine, we printed only 1,000 copies of the first issue since we knew it was a niche product, and I wanted it to become sort of a collector's item. Thanks to a large preview of the first issue of the magazine at Models.com, followed by mentions at the New York Times and several magazines and websites, it was a huge success—one that none of the people involved could have anticipated.

The Inside Source: What defines Brazilian style to you?

Juliano Corbetta: Color, sensuality, and ease. São Paulo aside, Brazilian fashion in general is defined by the tropical climate in most of the country and a national concern with having a perfect physique, meaning it is mostly about bold and colorful prints, and clothes that are somewhat revealing and yet super relaxed at the same time.

The Inside Source: Why is fashion so important to Brazil?

Juliano Corbetta: I believe fashion is not only important here as means of expressing one's identity, but also as means of proving to the rest of the world that we are stepping outside of Europe's shadow, and that we are capable of producing original ideas and merchandise.

The Inside Source: What would you say is the best in Brazilian fashion?

Juliano Corbetta: Beachwear. It is the one thing I firmly believe we do better than any other country, and also the one thing we are actually famous for on a global level.

The Inside Source: What do you miss about Brazil when you're not there? Ditto New York when you’re in São Paulo?

Juliano Corbetta: When I am not in Brazil, I usually miss how friendly and warm everyone is here, and the fact that Brazilians in general are very laid back. Living in Sao Paulo, what I miss the most about New York is how easy and quick it is to get from point A to point B, and how safe the city actually is. I also happen to miss Sunday brunch with my friends quite a lot.

The Inside Source: So, are you an eBay-er? Are there things you find on eBay that you can't find in Sao Paulo?

Juliano Corbetta: I do use eBay, mostly for finding vintage magazines or for buying fashion and art books and magazines, which would cost about five to ten times more if I were to purchase them at a bookstore in Brazil. Magazines usually include Vogue Paris (which costs a fortune in Brazil), Arena Homme, and Self Service. I also like to collect vintage men's fitness magazines from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Whenever I am working on a specific project, I also tend to look for books related to it on eBay.

The best part though is that now that the first two issues of Made In Brazil Magazine are sold out, I occasionally find people selling it on eBay, which I think is pretty cool.