From my first breath, I felt what Love was and how sacred it can be. That it nourishes the soul, feeds our growth, and is a powerful, everlasting source of energy. There is such importance in embracing Love in all of its forms. This photoshoot with Viva La Bonita, Jen the photographer, Mel, and me was a beautiful celebration of the love, comunidad, and the environments that shaped me and many other Mujeres.
Being raised and surrounded by divine feminine energy allow me to witness the beauty in women supporting other women firsthand. The vitality of believing in their passions and helping achieve each other’s dreams is priceless. As a young woman now in my early twenties, I am filled with such gratitude for the women that taught me these values of sisterhood.
Getting to create alongside amazing women is sacred in its innate ability to heal. Whether fixing each other’s hair, hyping each other up, or bonding over our go-to snacks from el mercado, this space was full of love. United in our experiences and drive, we got to bring this essence of Hermana-hood to life.
Many of the photos are centered in a place that we all know well, la tienda. Growing up, my homegirls and I would always run to grab goodies and whatever groceries our mamas needed. Surrounded by the colorful ingredients that make up our childhood, are two amigas, doing exactly that! Such a simple tradition holds so much importance and deserves to be honored.
Paying homage to the influential women who laid the foundation of beauty for the generations to come, we then embodied the Y2K glamour shots that lived on our dressers. Gold hoops, the lip liner & gloss combo, and voguing to the MAX. Repping the VLB apparel had Mel and I feeling like the most confident versions of ourselves. And as an ode to these iconic images, we added a dreamy sky background to complete the vision.
“My inspiration from the photoshoot with Viva La Bonita comes from the everyday girl who is constantly pursuing her dreams. Whether it’s at her local market to get ice cream, walking around her neighborhood, or hanging out with her favorite bonitas to get inspiration; those special moments give her that spark of ambition she searches for.” - Jenessa Marquez (photographer)
These photos are incredibly empowering and are a true testament to Sisterhood. Can’t wait to see all of you BONITAS rocking these looks as well!
Shop all Tie Dye T-shirts and Tie Dye Long Sleeves at 30% OFF for a limited time when you use promo code TIEDYE30 at checkout! Made with Love in sizes S - 3X. 🖤 Available on www.VivaLaBonita.com and the official VLB App in the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android.
Article by: Sofia Celeste
Photographer: Jenessa Marquez
BONITAS: Sofia Celeste, Melissa Alvarez