Local Designer Recognised with First Prize at Banho 29 Lagos for the Second Year in a Row

Her winning creation — a poetic blend of sustainability, tradition, and symbolism — resonated with both jury and audience, affirming her growing reputation in the Portuguese fashion scene.

The look was conceived as a narrative woven from memory and reinvention. At its foundation was a tailored bodysuit crafted from doilies donated by elderly residents of Lagos. Draped over it was an organza dress, transformed from an old curtain and printed with archival photographs of seaside attire from decades past. The outfit was completed with a pair of shoes Jessica had found years ago in a thrift store, later realising they originated from Borlinha Lagos, a traditional shoe store that still operates in the city. “I had bought these shoes ages ago and only this time realised they were a Borlinha Lagos original,” she explained. “It made me emotional, as if I had stumbled upon a fragment of our city’s history.” A beach towel, printed with an image recalling the restrictive dress codes once imposed on women, added the final layer of symbolism.

The presentation itself became an essential part of the story. As the model moved slowly down the runway to the sound of “Mulher Vento” by Carminho, Algarve’s own internationally acclaimed fado singer, the audience was drawn into the atmosphere. At the height of the performance, the model removed the organza dress, leaving only the bodysuit. The act was a deliberate metaphor for shedding the restrictions women once faced, reclaiming a sense of freedom and identity. She then placed the towel on the runway and reclined upon it, embodying both vulnerability and resilience — an homage to the past and a reflection of renewal.

“This year I had other plans, but my original idea wasn’t working out — and looking back, it seems it was meant to be,” Jessica reflected. “What emerged instead was a concept I felt truly connected to. The removal of the dress symbolised history’s weight being lifted, while through upcycling I try to bring elements of tradition back into fashion, reimagined for today.”

Jessica works from her studio located on Rua do Cemitério 29 in Lagos. There, she creates one-of-a-kind garments marked by meticulous detail yet grounded in a sense of ease, with neutral palettes, natural fibres and organic textures lending her designs a serene timelessness.

Her consecutive recognition at Banho 29 Lagos highlights not only her creative vision but also her role in keeping heritage alive within the framework of sustainable fashion.