Afterglow
LEtter From The Editor
Digital Art by Stéphane Marquet
The Afterglow Issue
Dear Readers,
There's a reason "afterglow" survives as a word when so many descriptions of transitional states don't: it names something real. Not the peak, not the moment everyone is watching, but what a person, a place, or a culture becomes once the performance ends and the more durable version of them is left standing. We built this issue around that idea because it felt like the right register for where things are right now: less interested in spectacle, more interested in what actually holds up. Fernando Lindez made his name in fashion before he ever stepped in front of a camera as a performer, and what struck us in our conversation with him wasn't ambition in the usual sense. It was patience. He talks about acting as a discipline of staying curious rather than arriving with answers, and that came through as much in the images Steve Limones shot for this story as it did in his own words. Jordy closes out a chapter with his new album, In Retrospect, which is less a breakup record than an argument for self-sufficiency: the idea that the wholeness he spent his twenties looking for in other people was always available to him directly. It's a genuinely optimistic record, and we think it earns that optimism. Isabeli brings us to the coast of Brazil for a story about return rather than escape, the place someone comes back to once they've figured out who they are, shot by Amanda Peixoto-Elkins, who has been behind the camera for Bello for years and recently made her own way back to Brazil. There's something fitting about her shooting a homecoming story from the place she just returned to herself, and it shows in every frame. And our fashion pages travel further still, from the Atlantic coast of South Africa to a mid-century-inspired story shot in Palm Springs CA by Stéphane Marquet. What ties the issue together is not nostalgia. It's the conviction, held by every person in these pages, that the interesting part of a story is rarely the climax. It's what a person does with themselves once the noise dies down, and we find that, at the moment, to be a genuinely hopeful thing to spend an issue on.
Welcome to the Afterglow issue.
Sincerely, Aleksandar Tomovic
Editor in Chief
Aleksandar Tomovic
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LINDEZ
fernando
Fernando Lindez was in Los Angeles for a few days a narrow window pressed between flights, other projects, and different time zones, just enough to shoot the fashion story you see across these pages and sit down for a conversation before he was gone again.
He got his start in fashion, working the side of the camera most people forget exists, before moving into acting, a shift he talks about less as a career move and more as chasing something fashion couldn't give him: a way to get past the surface and into what's actually underneath it. There's a stillness to him on set, the kind that photographs well without trying, but in conversation that stillness gives way to something warmer and more searching. He talks about acting the way some people talk about travel as a pull toward the unfamiliar, worth the risk of being changed by it.
What follows is that conversation: on his craft, his years working internationally, and 'The Last Sunrise', the film that finds him in the most exposed role of his career so far, and maybe the most alive.
FERNANDO LINDEZ @Fernando_lindez
Photography STEVE LIMONES @stevelimonesphotography
Styling EUGENIA GAMERO @eugeniagamero assisted by AISHA TOFIQ
Creative Direction ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC @alekandsteph
Grooming ANDREA PEZZILLO @andreapezzillo
Using Skinbetter Science @skinbetter and Balmain Paris @balmain
Movement Director: JAMES BURKE @jameslukeburke
Special Thanx PLATFORM PUBLIC RELATIONS @platformprteam
Production Assistant ALBERTO GONZALEZ OSEGUERA @alberto_filmdirector
MAISON PRIVEE X BELLO MEDIA GROUP @maisonpriveepr_la @bellomediagroup
Julie Colquitt @juliecolquittart | Pants: Denzil Patrick @denzilpatrick
Jewelry: AROCK @arock_official
"GROWTH AS AN ACTOR COMES FROM STEPPING OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WANT TO BE."
Top, Blazer & Pants: Denzil Patrick @denzilpatrick | Jewelry: AROCK @arock_official | Shoes: Akomi @akomi.us
Top & Pants: Caleb Paris
| Jewelry: AROCK
| Sandals:
Hiromi
Asai
@hiromi.asai
| Hat:
Top: Always Out of Stock @alwaysoutofstock | Cardigan: Palmer and Lola Sporting Goods @palsportinggoods_official | Jeans: Haikure @haikureofficial | Glasses: VooGlam @vooglam | Backpack: Swissdigital @swissdigital_design | Shoes: Archived @maisonpriveepr_la
Top, Blazer & Pants: Denzil Patrick @denzilpatrick
Jewelry: AROCK
Shoes: Akomi
Your career has taken you from the fashion world to increasingly ambitious acting projects. What first sparked your passion for acting, and when did you realize storytelling was the path you wanted to pursue? I've always been fascinated by people and emotions. Fashion gave me the opportunity to express myself visually, but acting allowed me to explore something much deeper. I realized that storytelling was what I truly wanted to pursue when I experienced how powerful a film or a performance could be, not just to entertain, but to make people feel understood, question themselves, or see the world differently. That's when I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to telling meaningful stories.
Every role seems to reveal a different side of you as a performer. When you're considering a new project, what qualities in a character make you say, "I have to play this person"? I'm drawn to characters who feel human: people with contradictions, vulnerabilities, and room to grow. I'm less interested in playing someone who has all the answers than someone who's searching for them. If a character challenges me emotionally or forces me to see life from a completely different perspective, that's usually when I know I want to be part of the project.
Having worked internationally, you've experienced different filmmaking styles and creative cultures. How have those experiences shaped you both professionally and personally? Working in different countries has been one of the greatest gifts of my career. Every culture approaches storytelling in its own way, and every set teaches you something new about collaboration and creativity. Personally, it's made me much more open-minded and adaptable. Professionally, it's reminded me that emotions are universal, even if the language or the culture is different. That's something I carry with me into every role.
Looking back at your journey so far, what has been the most valuable lesson you've learned about building a career in such a competitive industry? Patience. It's easy to compare yourself to other people or feel like everything has to happen quickly, but every career follows its own path. I've learned that consistency, curiosity, and staying true to who you are matter much more than chasing instant success. The most important thing is to keep improving, stay humble, and enjoy the process.
'The Last Sunrise' is already generating excitement with its emotional story and beautiful setting. What first attracted you to the project, and what made
Julian a character you wanted to bring to life? What immediately attracted me was the emotional honesty of the story. It's a film that isn't afraid to be vulnerable, and those are always the stories that resonate with me the most. Julian is someone who's trying to navigate uncertainty while discovering who he really is. I found that journey incredibly relatable, and I loved that his strength comes from his humanity rather than from being perfect.
The film explores love, self-discovery, and embracing life's uncertainties. Without revealing too much, how would you describe Julian's emotional journey, and what do you hope audiences connect with most? Julian begins the story believing he has more control over his life than he actually does. Throughout the film, he's forced to let go of certainty, confront his fears, and embrace the unexpected. I hope audiences connect with that idea because it's something we all experience. Life rarely goes according to plan, and sometimes the moments that change us the most are the ones we never saw coming.
You share the screen with Maia Reficco and Eva Longoria in 'The Last Sunrise'. What was it like collaborating with this cast, and were there any moments during production that will stay with you long after filming wrapped? It was an incredible experience. Maia brought so much authenticity and generosity to every scene, which made it very easy to build trust and create something honest together. Eva is someone I've admired for years, and seeing her professionalism, kindness, and passion firsthand was genuinely inspiring. Beyond the work itself, what I'll remember most is the atmosphere on set. There was a real sense of collaboration, and those are the environments where the best performances can happen.
After audiences experience 'The Last Sunrise', what do you hope they'll remember about the film, and what kinds of stories or creative challenges are you most excited to explore next in your career? I hope people leave the film feeling something. Whether it's hope, nostalgia, gratitude, or simply the desire to appreciate the people around them a little more, I think that's the greatest compliment a film can receive. Looking ahead, I'd love to keep exploring complex characters in stories that challenge me emotionally. I'm excited by projects that take risks, whether they're intimate dramas, psychological thrillers, or films that push me into completely unfamiliar territory. Growth as an actor comes from stepping outside your comfort zone, and that's exactly where I want to be.
Top, Blazer & Pants: Denzil Patrick @denzilpatrick | Jewelry: AROCK @arock_official | Shoes: Akomi @akomi.us
Shirt & Pant Set: Nil+Mon @nilandmon. Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell @jeffreycampbell. Jewelry: AROCK @arock_ official & Astrid & Agnes @astridoagnes
Spotlight
JORDY
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE LIMONES
Some artists arrive at self-possession loudly. JORDY arrives at it in retrospect. The Chicago-born pop songwriter built a following on the ache of wanting, the crushes, the almosts, the someone who might finally make him feel loved, and turned that longing into songs a whole generation mouthed back to him.
His new album In Retrospect marks the turn: the twenties spent searching handed off to a thirties spent arriving. What changed is not the honesty, which was always there, but where he points it. The missing pieces he once looked for in other people, he has learned to find in himself.
The result is his most assured work yet, dance-floor bright and quietly radical, the sound of a queer artist deciding that wholeness was never something to wait for. It was his to give.
Shirt & Pant Set: Nil+Mon @nilandmon. Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell @jeffreycampbell. Jewelry: AROCK @arock_official & Astrid & Agnes @astridoagnes
Your upcoming album, In Retrospect, feels like a new chapter in your career. What inspired this era, and what do you want fans to take away from it? This record really captures my journey from my twenties into my thirties, a period of realizing that the only person who can truly make me feel whole is myself. That has been an incredibly empowering lesson, both personally and creatively. As an artist, it felt important to reflect that growth throughout the album. At its core, In Retrospect is about recognizing when relationships no longer serve you, choosing yourself, and finding those missing pieces within rather than searching for them in someone else. Of course, there are bumps in the road, but all we can do is our best. I hope fans feel heard, seen, and less alone after listening to the record. Regardless of whether we are in similar places or not, I think this is a message everyone can take from it.
You have always been known for turning personal experiences into music. How has your approach to songwriting changed since your early breakout with “Just Friends”? One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that I do not need a boyfriend to be happy. When I wrote “Just Friends,” I was longing for someone who could validate me and make me feel loved. Looking back, I can see how much of my self-worth I was placing in the hands of other people. The songs I write now are different simply because I am older and have grown since then. My songs evolve with me, which I think is really cool.
Your music blends emotional storytelling with big pop moments. How do you balance vulnerability with creating songs that feel fun and energetic? I love the dichotomy. I have always had that mindset:
songs that have deep lyrics, but that you can also dance to. I think it is important to have both. I want to create an escape for people while simultaneously providing songs with lyrics that actually mean something.
Your previous album, SEX WITH MYSELF, explored confidence and selfexpression. How did that project help shape where you are creatively today? I needed the sexual liberation the album provided me. At that time, I felt compelled to assert myself as a sexual being because I think there is a stigma when it comes to queer people singing about sex. I am always trying to break barriers, but I also needed to express that for myself. I needed to step outside of my comfort zone.
Your fans have connected so strongly with your honesty. What is something you have learned about yourself through sharing your story with the world? That a lot of people feel the way I do. We all have a story, we all struggle, and we can all relate to the same feelings. People think my music allows them to feel less alone, but I also feel less alone when I see how many people resonate with the lyrics I have written.
You have performed at huge festivals like Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Pride celebrations across the country. What is a live performance moment you will never forget? Lolla was a moment I will never forget. As a Chicago native, it was always my dream to be on a stage there. It felt completely surreal. I am patiently waiting to return. Pride celebrations are always special too because they are a way for me to get to know the queer community in other cities. It is a time for us to come together and celebrate the beauty of being queer.
I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL HEARD, SEEN, AND LESS ALONE.
Sweater: Vintage. Jorts: Levi’s @levis.
Undergarment:
Calvin Klein @calvinklein. Shoes: Archive. Bag: Swissdigital
Design @swissdigital_design_usa
Your visuals and aesthetics have become such an important part of your artistry. How involved are you in creating the world around your music? Super involved! For this new record, I worked with a really talented creative director in Los Angeles named Thomas Jay. He really helped me craft the world and universe we wanted this era to look like. It was super collaborative, and we definitely honored each other’s visions.
“Good Not Great” connected with fans worldwide and inspired thousands of creations online. What does it feel like seeing your music become part of someone else’s story? It is the reason I do this! That song means so much to me, and the way it has resonated with others speaks to the honesty of the song. A lot of the time, we feel good but not great, especially in this day and age. It is beautiful to connect with others through music. It helps us feel less isolated in our feelings.
You have built a strong LGBTQIA+ fan community throughout your career. What does that connection mean to you as an artist? As a queer person, it is always special to share my stories with other queer people. That connection is truly my why. My younger self would have loved an openly gay artist to look up to. I feel very grateful to provide that for others.
Looking back at everything you have accomplished so far, from your first releases to In Retrospect, what moment makes you the proudest? I think I have learned to really trust myself and my instincts, from being a writer in the room to making business decisions. When I was younger, I was less confident. I am very proud of how much I have grown since then and how comfortable I am with setting boundaries. It is so important as an artist.
Blazer: Samuel Gärtner @samuelgaertner. Necklace: Frou York @frouyork
Jacket: H&M @hm Hat: Toukitsou @toukitsou Rings: AROCK @arock_official
THE WAY HOME
Creative Direction & Photography Amanda Peixoto-Elkins @amandapeixotoelkins
Isabeli
Coastal Brazil, where it all began!
Top : Êllu @Ellu.Atelie Shorts: @mimanishop Necklace: Solange Arruda @solangearruda Bag: Farm Rio @farmrio Shoes: model’s own
Shirt: @mimanishop Linen pants: Model’s own Earrings and necklace : Aster joias @asterjoias_ Shoes xô boi: @Jt_artcouro
Shirt: @mimanishop Linen pants: Model’s own Earrings and necklace : Aster joias @asterjoias_ Shoes xô boi: @Jt_artcouro
Top : Êllu @Ellu.Atelie Shorts: @mimanishop Necklace: Solange Arruda @solangearruda Bag: Farm Rio Shoes: model’s own
Belt : Solange Arruda @solangearruda
Earrings: Flor De Caroá @flordecaroa
Dress: Suzana Nascimento @suzy23suzy
Shirt: Model’s own Shorts : @mimanishop Necklace: Natália da marinheira @nataliadamarinheira
T-shirt : Flor de Caroá @flordecaroa Turban/Head Scarf: Ceramiquinho Saia : Êllu @ellu.atelie Shoes: Model’s own
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER: AMANDA PEIXOTO-ELKINS @AMANDAPEIXOTOELKINS
MODEL: ISABELI @ISABELIELKINS
STYLIST: MICHAELE FERREIRA @STYMICHA
BEAUTY: THIAGO MELO @THIAGOMELOMAKEUP
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: FELLIPE JHONATAS MENDES @FMENDESMGT
FILMMAKER: ERICK WALKER @OIERICKWALKER
SPECIAL THANKS @HIBISCUSBEACHCLUB
THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER
While the northern hemisphere settles into long (too hot) bright days, the season turns the opposite way at the southern tip of Africa. We traveled to the Atlantic coast for this story.
Shoes: Zara Socks: Nike Short: Jet Polo-neck: Piazza Italia Jacket: CSquared Coat: Exact Glasses: Mr. Price
Photographed by Louis Daniel Botha @louisdanielbotha Grooming @richardpaint Focus Puller @williamsohappy IG Videos by Michael O’Kennedy @michaelokennedy Image Editing @ryangovender
T-shirt: Pick ‘n Pay Clothing Sweater: H&M Beanie: Mr. Price
Shoes: Zara Socks: Nike Trouser: H&M Shirt: Mr. Price Jacket: Jet
Left: Shoes: Zara Socks: Nike Trouser: Bodner Elem Shirt: Zara T-shirt: Pick ‘n Pay Clothing Jacket: Bodner Elem
Right: Shoes: Zara Socks: Nike Trouser: Jet Polo-neck: Piazza Italia Jacket: Atelier Torino
SOMEBODY ELSE'S SUITCASE
Grey patterned button-up Hiromi Asai @hiromi.asai | Black trousers Todd Snyder @toddsnyderny Wool-blend trench coat Giorgio Armani @giorgioarmani Black leather ankle boots Jean-Baptiste Rautureau @jb_rautureau | Rings Arock @arock_official
White snake-print button-up shirt Hiromi Asai @hiromi.asai | Double-breasted trench coat Theo @theo.official | Geometric black sunglasses Big Horn @bighornrhino | Straight-leg denim Orslow @orslow | Earrings, rings and silver bracelet Arock @arock_official
Cotton-blend T-shirt Calvin Klein @calvinklein | Cropped embroidered jacket Zara @zara | Straight-leg Japanese denim Theo @theo.official Gold chain-link necklace and rings Arock @arock_official
THE MID CENTURY MIRAGE
Photography Stéphane Marquet
Afterglow
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