January 2023 Issue

JAN. 2023 ISSUE

LA YULI Don’t worry about what people will say

MARIO LOPRETE Respect Your Art, and Demand Respect

KARLA DESTINY MENDOZA From Introvert to Internet Queen

CAROLINA & PASQUALE Life as a Creative, Influencer Couple

Model, Actress & Online Personality

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Model: Vanessa @vani_lasshofer Photo by: Davinci @framedbydavinci Location: Miami Design District

Contents COVER STORY PAGE 3 Model Cherin Maruji

FRONT COVER CREDITS: Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: Jai Murcillo @jai_murcillo Makeup Artist: Keiv Torres @keivtorres.ph Hair: @hairbybhads Designer: Arden Style PH @ardenstyleph BACK COVER CREDITS: Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: @marlougaurano Hair/Makeup Artist: Desseraie Castro @desscastro Designer: Jerome Campano @iamjershion

7 Karla Destiny Mendoza

From introvert to internet queen

11 La Yuli

Model, actress and influencer

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Mario Loprete

Respect your art, and demand respect

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Gabriel Caro

Denim and matrix

37 Carolina & Pasquale

Life as a creative, Influencer couple

Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: Rcuerdo Fotografia @rcuerdofotografia

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Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: Jai Murcillo @jai_murcillo Hmua: Keiv Torres @keivtorres.ph @haribybhads Designer: Arden Style PH @ardenstyleph

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Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: @phuketphotographerthailand Hair/MUA: @pete_makeup @makeupmasterclass Designer: Arden Style PH @ardenstyleph

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Cherin Maruji – Model, Actress, and Online Personality at Only 25 At an age where many young people are still struggling to pick their path in life and make the best of a first job, Cherin Maruji is already a nuanced entrepreneur and influencer. At only 25 years of age, the indie model, actress, and public figure, already enjoys a following of over 366K people on Instagram.

This talented young woman recognizes the immense potential of social media and is currently using it as a portfolio for her work, but also a way to showcase collaborating brands. Most of all, Cherin enjoys connecting with her online audience and interacting with like-minded fashion lovers.

Having won awards as “Best Supporting Actress”, as well as “Outstanding International Model”, Cherin Maruji enjoys a glowing reputation. And this is only the beginning. Although grateful for the awards won, and the shows she’s participated in, Cherin has her gaze set on even bigger productions and walking in a huge modeling show.

Cherin always knew she loved fashion. As a little girl, she would watch movies and TV shows and take her inspiration from the designs she saw on-screen. Even as a young girl, she’d spend hours scouting films for beautiful dress ideas. But Cherin wasn’t content simply copying what she saw, she wanted to put her own spin on it. So, from a very young age, she would try to copy the designs she saw on screen, all the while changing them to suit her personality.

In other words, Cherin always knew she wanted to be in fashion, but also to do work that highlighted her creative spirit. As such, the role of digital content creator seems to fit her perfectly.

Cherin Maruji got her first big break after participating in a Phillippines fashion show. Noticed for her unique looks, she was then offered work on various movie productions, and subsequently fashion shows, and it all snowballed from there.

However, as is the case with most self-made content creators and digital influencers, Cherin soon came to a dilemma, mainly balancing her personal life with her professional side. Often a problem for online influencers, Cherin handled it with much gusto and flair.

“I put boundaries,” she says, “and make it balanced and equal so I can do all of it equally and efficiently.”

When she is not out there acting, walking on the runway, or simply creating content, she can be found feeding her creative spirit. Cherin is able to draw inspiration from just about anywhere – books, movies, and even other online content. They all come together in her mind and lead to some pretty unique ideas.

In her downtime, she also enjoys playing badminton and doing yoga, as well as playing the piano. Cherin is also a skilled cook of Malaysian food and a voracious reader. One unexpected side of her public profile is how much she enjoys connecting with her fan base and inspiring young creatives.

“As a model like me, I would advise that everyone has a different perspective and different goals in life. But one thing I could say is that you should focus on what your mind is telling you not what people are saying about you. Dream big, be confident, and stay focused.”

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Model: Cherin Maruji @maruji.cherin Photo by: @jai_murcillo Hair/MUA: @keivtorres.ph @hairbybhads Designer: Arden Style PH @ardenstyleph

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KARLA DESTINY MENDOZA

From Introvert to Internet Queen Model: Karla Destiny Mendoza @karladestiny_ Photos by: @fromanthonyserrano @zavierdeangelo Hair: @hair.by_awilda

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Hair is a fragile subject for many people around the world. Losing your hair can be immensely frustrating, and embarrassing because you somehow feel like it’s your fault. Which is where people like Karla Destiny Mendoza step in.

At only 27 years old, Karla’s helping thousands of women and men across the world regain their confidence. This self-made entrepreneur and creative is also doing so much more, though. She’s not just helping by telling people it’s okay to struggle, she’s actually taking active steps to reverse that struggle.

Partnering with major beauty brand Monat, Karla shares her story about how she overcame a thinning hairline, and how others can, too.

The social media creator, who is of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Colombian descent, uses social media to spread the word about the amazing products that helped her regrow the luscious locks she’s currently sporting. And the best part? She’s got it all at her fingertips, running an entire business from her phone.

But it hasn’t all been a bed of roses for the young creative who confesses she was a huge introvert before she started her journey.

“I went from posting the perfect picture/ video once or twice a month on IG to now posting almost every single day. It took an immense amount of courage for me which was built up by working on my personal development every single day to develop a carefree attitude towards what anyone thinks about my work.”

For Karla, social media was a way to tell her story, and bust out of her shell, but also to move on to the next step. Overcoming her own personal qualms about her hair, and sharing her pictures with the world, Karla is a helper. She enjoys giving advice to those closest to her, but she also enjoys connecting, on a larger scale, with people all over the world.

That advice and sense of connection come, in part, from her own personal journey.

“Sometimes I feel like people underestimate themselves when it comes to entrepreneurship. I feel like people assume certain people were just born with luck or more courage to take risks in order to be successful. I'm a firm believer in speaking things you want into existence and having faith it will happen.”

Karla Destiny is a shining example of the power of having faith in your dreams, and your destiny. Kara also credits much of her success to her faith.

“I always say if God put the dream in your heart, it was for a reason. From a young age, I always saw successful people & I said to myself “if they can do it, why can’t I?”. The best advice Is to have the most faith while applying massive action. If it was easy, everyone would be their own boss!”

Karla is a voracious reader who finds a lot of strength in the works of authors such as Tim S. Grover, Grant Cardone, and David Schwartz.

She turns to books, and when there are no more books, she turns to her friends and family to push her forward and give her the strength to continue her journey. And she, in turn, gives strength to her followers. We are excited to continue to follow her journey all the way to the top.

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LA YULI Model: La Yuli @keppingupwithyuli_ Photos by: Davinci @framedbydavinci Styling: Renzi’ @iamrenziii_ Assistant: Darenia Alarcon @dareniacreates Location: Co.Lab Studios @co.labstudiosmiami

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La Yuli – Model, Actress, and Influencer Yuli Solis, known professionally as “La Yuli” is a fashion model, actress, and content creator, who’s been kicking up a storm across social media. Coming out of Miami, Florida, Yuli is a full-fledged entrepreneur who always had a strong passion for fashion. As a young girl, Yuli would model for free, simply because it meant doing what she loved.

“My first paid gig was a swimwear shoot and I remember I was so ecstatic to even get paid to do what I love. By the time I got my first paid gig I had been doing free work for a while, but it didn't even matter because I was getting to do what I wanted.”

Yuli, who is now the center of a quite impressive 26k following on Instagram, acknowledges the immense importance of social media to growing a brand as a freelance model. Since Yuli is not signed to any particular agency, her social media profile doubles as her CV and portfolio. So, it’s fair to say she puts a lot of effort into it, and in time, it became more than just a tool for work. For Yuli, social media is a place to connect and meet some of her biggest supporters. Moreover, it’s an opportunity to share her unique fashion sense with the world and inspire others around the world.

Aside from her modeling work, Yuli has also appeared in several music videos. Notably, she was the main star of Bad Bunny's music video for "La Dificil." The video follows Yuli as a young mom and video star, as she stares down the challenges of the industry. Since then, Yuli has appeared in numerous videos for artists like Jay Wheeler, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, Darell, Polima WestCoast, Mora, and Quevedo, among others.

When she’s not modeling, Yuli enjoys unwinding. She loves cooking and learning new recipes, as well as listening to her favorite artists like Jenni Rivera, Donna Summer, and Drake, as well as some golden oldies (Solis admits one of her guilty pleasures is 70s disco music).

In her downtime, Yuli also enjoys promoting and supporting her friends and favorite creators. According to the young model, all of her favorite brands are owned by women like Dayana Rosario (ShopRenzi), Ashili Tashe (Tashe Designs), and Maly Swimwear which, in her own words, “make [Yuli] feel like a mermaid goddess”.

For the foreseeable future, Yuli is focusing on building her brand. She hopes to be the owner of her very own business within the next five years and would also love to delve more into Latino music, which she adores.

For Yuli, an important aspect of being a public personality is working to inspire others and promote a healthy message to your followers. Yuli puts a strong focus on encouraging her followers, and young models looking to break into the modeling industry.

“Go for it! Don't worry about what people will say and take the chance!

You'll never know unless you take the risk.”

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MARIO LOPRETE

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Artist Mario Loprete: “Respect Your Art, and Demand Respect from Those Who Judge It.” When you first see Mario Loprete’s work, you’re instantly reminded of the early days of Andy Warhol. Loprete’s paintings have got much of the same zaniness that Warhol’s pop art had, and we can’t get enough of it.

The artist describes himself as “one of those dreamers who never stops dreaming”, and actually says the art world is riddled with misconceptions. For one thing, Loprete says believing in your own goals and your project shouldn’t mean you believe in others any less.

“Sometimes it is believed that an artist who blindly believes in his project may appear presumptuous.

In reality, I have always valued the work of other artists and I have always tried to treasure my negative experiences.”

Looking at his work, you can see that Loprete is a man of incredible integrity, and an artist powered by his ambitions and his guiding principles.

“One of my greatest wishes is to come to New York as an artist. I could have visited it for at least 30 years, but I made it a rule that if one day I'm in New York it will only be because an important art gallery has set up a personal exhibition of mine.”

For Mario Loprete, seeing that the dream wasn’t coming about as easily as he would’ve liked never meant the dream was stupid. It meant he needed to have faith, and try a little harder, and in the end, that’s the grit that helped him succeed.

Mario Loprete first shot to fame when world-renowned rap artist and public personality Snoop Dogg shared his work with his 60 million followers on social media. His work garnered even more public attention when Harvard Magazine, the eponymous university’s official magazine, hosted a party honoring his art. Those two events combined helped expose the public to Loprete’s one-of-a-kind art style, and he’s been growing his brand ever since.

With the help of social media, the artist has been able to grow his audience. Getting more eyes on his work also meant signing new deals.

Currently, Loprete has not one, but three exhibitions in the works for the coming years.

Loprete recounts discovering his artistic abilities at a very young age, but he does not equate that with becoming an artist, which he views as much harder work.

“You have to study a lot, learn techniques, discover which is the artistic process that best expresses the poetics, and then you have to think like an artist having the utmost respect for your work and demanding the same respect from those who judge it.”

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It’s clear Loprete is not one to compromise the enormous respect he has for his art, and more power to him.

However grateful he is for the opportunity; Loprete knows to take fame and social media with a pinch of salt. Asked what advice he’d give young creatives, he says: “Believing in one’s abilities, obeying only his poetics without letting oneself be enchanted by sales and fighting against those who will snub your work with facts, with work, with study and with the devastating force of your work.”

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IRINA STANINA LOVE

Photographer: Irina Stanina @stanina.photographer

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GABRIEL CARO

Denim and Matrix

Model: Mia Juliette @soymianotuya Photographer: Gabriel Caro @gabrielcarophotography

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KYAH HALITTA Reflections Model: Zorana Pelikan @zorana.pelikan Photos by: Cayo Henrique Andreotti @cayoandreottiphotography Fashion Designer: Kyah Halitta @kyahhalitta

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CAROLINA & PASQUALE

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Carolina & Pasquale – Life as a Creative, Influencer Couple Everyone loves a good power couple, don’t they? And that’s exactly what you get with Carolina and Pasquale. She is a full-time mom, while he is the operational manager of a well known Italian courier company, and together, they’re among the most fun couples of digital creators out there.

Carolina and Pasquale co-run their joint social media account, known as Tu ed io Come Nelle Favole (literally translating as “Your and I As in Fairy Tales”). Their focus is fashion, with a healthy side of travel, beauty, and lifestyle thrown into the mix.

“Our inspiration comes precisely from the fact that we want to remain simple and humble without distorting ourselves because otherwise, everything would be fake.”

Carolina and Pasquale stand out as creators precisely because they are together, rather than running their own separate accounts. Carolina’s strong sense of fashion and Pasquale’s good humor help them create unique, fun content that has earned them quite impressive acclaim. Currently, their Instagram profile has a following of more than 300k people and has earned them more than a little prestige.

Carolina and Pasquale were the winners of the very first edition of the Italy Ambassador Awards, held in late November 2022. The only award of its kind, Italy Ambassador Awards is an innovative initiative to reward Italian creators, vloggers, and social media influencers.

Carolina and Pasquale’s Tue Dio Comme Nelle Favole won the ‘advanced’ award for fashion influencers (scoring between 200k and 400k followers). But the duo wasn’t awarded just for their follower count. With a focus on sustainability, this edition of the Italy Ambassador Awards asked participants to design their very own approach to eco-friendly fashion, which earned Carolina and Pasquale the jury’s appreciation.

Navigating the tides of social media can be tricky even as a solo creator, let alone as a couple running a joint account. And although Carolina and Pasquale have experienced more than their fair share of squabbles and conflict, they always manage to see the daylight together. Remaining side by side, they make a point of meeting every challenge as a team, rather than the account of two separate people.

“The thing they may not have understood about us is perhaps our sensitivity in doing what we do, trying not to trample on anyone and being attentive to the souls of every single person. In this environment, unfortunately, many times falsehood reigns supreme and we realize that it is not always easy to distinguish good from evil.”

The couple takes their strength from their supportive children, parents, and close friends. Together, they always manage to find a balance between enjoying their family life, living in the present moment, and creating and building a better future together. As they move forth in their creative journey, Pasquale and Carolina are also doing their best to inspire and encourage new creators. Asked what advice they’d give someone contemplating a similar path, they have this to offer: “Well, we would certainly tell them to follow their heart, first of all, to live on emotions and not on tricks, be as simple as possible while always keeping their feet on the ground because yes it's a magical and fabulous world but one misstep is enough to fall and be very hurtful.”

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JUSTIN COVINGTON Queen of Charlotte Model: Gina Pham @missginaphamxo Photos by: Justin Covington @meistercrassus

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ASHELY LINDQUIST Model: Ashely Lindquist @alindquist_ Photos by: Shutter Fox Photos @shutterfoxphotos Designer: Belle Le Chic @bellelechic

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