Samba cutting and sewing: codes of a people

Jul 22, 2025

For

Sambacore dives into samba beyond music — as a cultural ecosystem in constant movement. From the first figures of the genre, such as Pixinguinha, Donga, and João da Baiana, the influence of European dandyism emerges as a form of ethnic-racial affirmation. The same happens with Jovelina Pérola Negra and Elza Soares, who, amidst a masculinized scenario, evoked femininity, sensuality, and Latinidad through their image.

The project seeks to reclaim samba as a creative powerhouse, synonymous with cultural wealth in different areas, beyond music.

During the second phase of the research, the Velha Guarda emerges as a symbol of nobility and resistance. Their outfits are not just garments, but visual narratives of belonging, memory, and power. Samba is, in fact, an ecosystem that lives through its own influences.

We spoke with Gabriel about this aesthetic dimension of samba as a form of claim and inheritance. Check out below.

NOTTHESAMO: When did you realize that samba was more than just music or a party for you — that it was, in fact, a part of your identity?

Gabriel: It was a natural consensus from my observation of my surroundings. Samba has always been present in various moments of my life and the people surrounding it.

NTS: What was it like growing up in a family where samba was already so present? What are the most memorable memories?

G: This always gave me comfort because it was where I perceived the sense of collectivity in my family; even those without blood ties would come to celebrate. Since I can remember, my grandmother has always been my reference in samba, and my most memorable childhood memory was when we danced Raça Negra together on her porch. I felt like I was in my place.

NTS: What influence did your grandmother have on your relationship with samba? What did she teach you that you carry with you to this day?

G: Samba works a lot on faith, and faith has always been something present in my grandmother's teachings to me.

NTS: Why was it important for you to take samba outside of carnival, showing it as something alive year-round?

G: I always say that I believe samba is an ecosystem that lives by itself. I observe that it is a behavior that manifests in everyday relationships, being a lifestyle and not just something seasonal.

NTS: What was the process of transforming something so affective and personal (the backyard samba, the family) into an artistic work?

G: I have always observed samba as a multifaceted art form, and I wanted to experiment and unite that with my memory of it. I combined my best feelings, as I always do. Therefore, I believe that the artistic expression came naturally, perhaps even with intention, there was a naturalness in the process.

NTS: What do you think is still lacking recognition about the role of older generations in samba?

G: The role of construction. They paved a path laden with struggle, strength, and respect in a very violent era, and yet they moved forward with love. This can never be forgotten; it is an ancestral teaching.

NTS: How do you see samba as a political and diasporic act today? Is it still a tool

of resistance?

G: Historically, samba carries the burdens of the first continent, always with the role of educating and revitalizing our culture. Samba educates, it teaches… I can speak of the Cacique de Ramos. Symbolically, Cacique de Ramos fulfilled the role of an urban quilombo for the carioca population, always showing that there are ways to unify for something much greater. It will always be about resistance.

NTS: How did the idea of Sambacore come about? What does it mean to you?

G: Initially, it emerged as a fashion editorial that brought the imagery of samba into the visual arts through photography. From that, I felt that I should materialize that idea so that people could understand the potential of samba in fashion. Sambacore became my largest research; I believe that through it I can investigate and reflect on the different manifestations of samba as a living universe, always expanding.