To keep an eye on: Pietra Abreu is the model you should follow.

Content provided by PUMA Brazil.

As I walked down Frei Caneca Street, I realized it would be the first time I interviewed a model. Early in the morning, the heat was strong and the sunlight was intense - completely contradicting the weather forecast from the previous day. As soon as I arrived at the agreed location, I found myself in front of a building that had been part of my life for a long time. I buzzed the intercom and made my way to the 18th floor. In a family apartment, Pietra welcomed us kindly and offered the whole team a glass of cold water before we began activities on that hot day.

We chose the outfit and began photographing inside the apartment, taking advantage of the light coming through the window and the shadow projected on the floor. After a few clicks, we went to the building's staircase, where it was brighter and had more possibilities. Pietra seemed very comfortable as she changed her pose with each click, using the steps and railing to pose freely.

Based in Primavera, a city in the interior of SP with just over 19,000 inhabitants, Pietra moved to the capital in 2017 to work as a model. When she was 16, she was invited by Squad to join the agency's casting. At first, the job required the model to travel multiple times for auditions outside the city she lived in. To cover the expenses of various trips, Pietra worked as a babysitter.

Close to finishing high school, the confusion of living in a place where she couldn't find references for the lifestyle she led began to speak louder. Shortly after graduating, Pietra rushed to São Paulo with the money she had managed to save. "I went through a lot of challenges, but I was taken in for a long time by a friend who helped me get to know a lot of things here."

The city of São Paulo may seem common to those who live here every day, but outsiders quickly notice its frantic pace. "The day here goes by very fast and it seems that people are always in a hurry. I had to learn to be savvy about everything and with everyone. It’s still complicated. I learned to organize myself better as well." The hustle and bustle of the people made it a bit difficult for Pietra, originally from Maringá, to get used to the new routine.

"Since I moved here, I feel that in São Paulo, it's every person for themselves. I ended up developing a tough exterior to manage without my family nearby, since they were the ones who always comforted me. Today, I believe that, besides them, my independence and work make me feel more at ease."

- Pietra Abreu

One of the first places the model visited in São Paulo was the city center, specifically the Liberdade neighborhood. The Japanese markets on Galvão Bueno Street, right by the subway, are her favorites. While we were photographing in the neighborhood, Pietra was gently approached by a woman who recognized her as she walked by.

Pietra doesn’t like to be idle. When she's not working, the model uses her free time to see friends, work out, write, and visit places she hasn’t been to yet. Food tours around the city are on her to-do list. I asked about her visits to the city where she lived: "I go to Primavera to visit my parents from time to time. Despite having a flexible routine, I can't go whenever I want." About homesickness, Pietra shares that she misses her family and friends, but not the city itself.

Now, at just 20 years old, Pietra's ambitions are unstoppable. When I asked her what she plans for the future, the answer was clear: "Now I want to focus on TV and do some work abroad," said the model. "I had the experience of living for six months in the United States, but I ended up not working there. This time, I want to go to visit agencies and make the connections myself. I’m excited about the work that is yet to come, and I'm happy about everything that is happening!".