Meet Luiza Perote, who went viral parading in her backyard and is now successful in the fashion world

The name Luiza Perote may not sound familiar to anyone who is not familiar with the world of fashion, but just leaf through the pages of a Brazilian fashion magazine or one from other countries and, most likely, her face will be easily found. The 19-year-old model from Amazonas has been hitting international catwalks and appearing in campaigns for luxury brands.

Before being seen parading in New York, Paris or London, Luiza attracted thousands of eyes in a much simpler setting: the side hallway of her home. During the pandemic, she went viral in a video emulating the tops’ walk in the backyard of the house where she lived, in Humaitá, Amazonas. As he shows off his catwalk, a hammock swings in the background. “Trying to make my dream go viral”, said the caption (watch below).

Soon after the video, her first work as a professional model was published: an editorial for Vogue. For the sake of understanding, in the competitive world of models, debuting your career in the biggest fashion publication in the country is a sign of luck. Agencyed by Evol Manegement, Luiza was seen as the “newface” of the moment by the agency, which invested in her from the beginning.

“I was discovered at 13 years old, in a shopping mall in Porto Velho, close to the city where I was born — Humaitá, in Amazonas. I participated in a contest in Manaus, promoted by the agency Backstage [uma agência local]. I won first place”, she says, in an interview with F5.

Despite having gained prominence at 13, the model only started in the world of catwalks at 17, when she moved to Manaus and then to São Paulo. In the capital of São Paulo, he spent time adapting and growing in the market. She lived in famous modeling houses and was able to experience all the experiences expected of girls starting a career in fashion.

“I thought I was going to arrive, that I was going to do everything, that I was going to be ‘WOW’. I’ve always been like that. Always optimistic. And I always really believed that I was going to do my best”, she says. The following year, 2023, her career really began to take off: “I did my first editorials: Elle, Marie Claire, Vogue.” “From the middle of the year, brands started to see me a little.”

That same year, Luiza also participated in her first São Paulo Fashion Week, which would prepare her for the international fashion weeks to come. “I was very happy, even though I hadn’t done much, it was my first experience, my first contact with that, so I was very excited”, she said.

In 2024, following her agency’s plans, the model left for Europe and the United States and modeled throughout the year for brands such as Fendi, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Coperni.

Many of her followers asked why the model wasn’t on the catwalk at the recent Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The model went to auditions, but was not selected — and her agency explained that it was not yet time to face the big event.

At the end of a successful season, the model gives her opinion on the eating and physical exercise practices of models today: “This issue of measurement, physical exercise, routine, really messes with the heads of many models.” “Brands also demand a lot. In general, they demand thinness,” he says. “Some people achieve this easily, others have more difficulty, they end up demanding a lot of themselves.”

Luiza says that, amid a lot of pressure, she tries to maintain her exercise routine and eat healthy. “It’s difficult to have a routine. We are in a different place every time, with different foods and different times”, he recalls. “But I always like to train. I do boxing, there are some running classes that I take too. I’m always looking for some way to be able to train.”

She says that her model body comes with exercise and nutrition: “I eat healthy, for health and also to maintain my body, yes. It’s not just genetics, it’s also effort.”

The model said that she also works with the help of an analyst to deal with the comparisons and challenges of the profession. “I can do analysis, which helps me to feel good about myself, in general, not only in my work, but in my personal life, which is very important.”