I was once on the cover of CLAUDIA: The Four Star Story of Decades Past

Over 57 years of history, CLAUDIA has had several women starring on its covers. Bruna Lombardi, Adriana Zselinsky, Sâmia Maluf and Vanessa de Oliveira are some of the faces that are part of our history. In common, the four are strong women who shone in their modeling careers during their youth. Below, they tell how their lives have changed since then.

Bruna Lombardi, 65 years old

”Recently, I found out that I am one of the record holders for CLAUDIA’s cover (she did nine in the period researched for this article, from 1970 to 2000; see below).

It was quite a surprise. At age 14, I took my first photo for Editora Abril, I don’t even remember which one. The interesting thing is that, when looking at the result, I saw a sophisticated woman. And I was still a girl! He arrived at the studio in his high school uniform.

I decided to model to earn a few bucks, but the artistic career seemed natural to me, as I come from a family that worked with cinema. However, my passion was writing. I went to two colleges, one in journalism, the other in advertising and marketing. I started publishing in my early 20s. There are ten books today, from novels to poetry, and they talk about subjects that attract me, like happiness and sex.

At the same time, I debuted in telenovelas. People used to say that I broke paradigms, mainly because I gained intellectual prestige at a young age. I wasn’t aware of it, I just did what I wanted. I don’t believe in barriers. I think they are made up. I was destined to be the heroine, rich and romantic, the young lady of the story. But I said no to the label. The important thing is to be honest with myself.

My choices respected my values ​​and, to this day, are made to keep me close to the ones I love. This is not to say that I only made good decisions. However, I’ve always taken risks, because I believe there are no regrets when you do what you want. I’d rather learn than regret.”

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Adriana Zselinsky, 55 years old

“Since I was a child, when I still lived in Porto Alegre, I looked at CLAUDIA and other magazines and had the dream of being on the cover. At the age of 16, I signed up for a contest to appear in the former NOVA (today COSMOPOLITAN) and I was chosen. But my parents wouldn’t let me take the picture. The profession of model was not well regarded. I could only move to São Paulo after I graduated and got married, at 19 years old.

I really wanted to work in the fashion industry and would do whatever it took to get there. Despite the fact that there were fewer agencies, the fees were smaller and there was a fear of the unknown, he did not see difficulties as barriers. Not even when I had my first child, Brian, at 25, did I leave the profession. He lived in Germany and worked a lot there, but I always wanted Brian close to me.

In the beginning, I told the studio people that I made a point of being there with my family. People thought it would take away my focus. I didn’t agree, I was simply happy to have my family by my side. So I decided to take them hidden on several of my trips. It was an adventure. I managed to escape after the photo shoots to be with the two of them – and returned early the next day to the hotel where the whole team was staying.

When Oliver was born, I was 29 and had already returned to Brazil. So it was a little less complicated to keep them all together. I can’t say that it’s easy to reconcile the roles of mother, wife and professional, but I’ve always found a way. I fell in love with this universe so much that I remain inserted in it. Today I’m the executive director of fashion and, despite having slowed down, I still haven’t stopped taking pictures.

It’s hard to stop when we love what we do so much. 30-year-old women think they’re too old to model. Are they? Looking back, I continued working hard even when I had children. I think it’s more a matter of feeling good about yourself. Then, yes, you will convey your beauty with truth.”

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Sâmia Maluf, 60 years old

”I didn’t even remember the 1977 cover! Analyzing it now, I can only think of how I looked older, even though I was a girl, very young. I think I was born half an adult, because I always had a lot of responsibility. My life demanded it. I became a model when I was still a baby, when my mother asked me to do commercials, and I continued until I was 12 years old.

I stopped because I wanted to work in a bank. At 14, I already had a job when I posed for a photo and received two months salary in one day. That’s when I decided to go back to being a model, to earn more. As an only child, I helped my parents at home.

This intensified when my father passed away, in the same year as the aforementioned cover. I assumed at once that I needed to be someone, to have a profession, regardless of what it was. I continued as a model and studied psychology at university. At 19, I met my husband. In just five days, I went to live with him. We didn’t get married. The proposal was to stay together as long as there was love – and we are until today.

I stopped taking pictures at 26 and a lot has happened. I battled postpartum depression, opened a clothing store, and worked as a psychologist in the area of ​​drug addiction. I now have three children, five grandchildren and an aromatherapy business. Reconciling who you are as a person, including the mother you’ve become, and as a professional, who has her ambitions, is challenging.

I pushed myself a lot and today, as I matured, I think it could have been lighter. Ok I am clear that living is just a path connecting birth and death and I always wanted to do the best possible along the way.”

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Vanessa de Oliveira, 48 years old

”I went to live in Rio de Janeiro when (the entrepreneur in the fashion area) Humberto Saade (who died last year) called me to replace Luiza Brunet in advertising for his brand, Dijon.

It was a shock because, at the time, I was living in Pelotas, in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, where I was born, I was only 16 years old and I was preparing to study architecture at university. I remember that everything happened very quickly and, in October 1986, I already started taking pictures. CLAUDIA’s cover was remarkable for me, because, being one of the first of my career, it helped to leverage my name in the market.

I worked as a model until I was 40 years old and had a stable and calm career, unlike many colleagues in the profession. Maybe that’s because I’ve had a lot of luck and protection all my life. When I left my hometown, I didn’t have to run after agencies with a book under my arm. I was already assigned to work with Saade, who had a great structure.

To give you an idea, I had a driver, and even grocery shopping was done for me. In 1992, I married (publishing executive) George Fauci. I didn’t want children. Despite being Cancerian, a supermaternal sign, I never imagined myself in the role of a mother. I think that, already in the baby’s first fever, I would have a fit.

They say I’ll regret it one day, but I haven’t felt that until now. It wasn’t even for the career, because I could reconcile everything. Maybe I’m afraid to make a commitment of that size. After all, being a mother is for life. One of my certainties today is that I made the right choices. So far I haven’t regretted anything and so I feel privileged.

I cannot deny that being a model has opened doors for me. I made a film with the original Trapalhões, participated in soap operas on Globo and Record, I even entered the world of entrepreneurship. I had Spa Vanessa de Oliveira, in Belo Horizonte, which operated for seven years and launched product lines, such as eyewear and shoes.

Now, I no longer feel like being an actress or opening my own business. I’m in a phase where I want to relax, let life take me. I have no problem getting old. Of course I always took care of my health. I never smoked and I don’t like to drink. My biggest struggle is with food, which I love a lot, but I know I just need physical activity to balance it out.

With regard to procedures, I do the bare minimum, keeping my features. I don’t want to transfigure my face. For me, beauty is at every stage of life. Today, I think this is one of the most beautiful messages that we, models of past generations, should pass on.

The standards, although they still exist, have changed. This is amazing. The world of fashion has diversified. Anyone who wants to be a model needs to combine willpower and effort with a dash of luck. I myself, approaching 50, think about going back. Who knows?”

January 1987

See some other women who were part of our history: