When Brazil Meets K-Pop: Mari Salmonson x TA Studios at SPFW

When the Sertão Dances with K-Pop: My Collaboration with Gisele Caldas for TA Studios

I had the joy of seeing my Brazilian roots walk the runway at São Paulo Fashion Week, in a collaboration with designer Gisele Caldas for TA Studios. Known for her light, sustainable tailoring and agender designs, Gisele envisioned a collection that was both rooted in place and open to the world — a meeting point between the sertão and Seoul, between folk poetry and pop beats.

For the first time, TA Studios invited another artist to bring a new visual language into its garments, and that’s where my work entered the scene. I created exclusive, limited-edition prints that carried the textures and stories of Brazil: vibrant araras and majestic toucans, the pink river dolphin (boto cor-de-rosa), the armadillo (tatu-bola), and legendary characters from Brazilian folklore such as Kerena and Iara. Each element was drawn to celebrate our landscapes, our myths, and the living pulse of our culture.
The collection asked a playful, imaginative question: What if K-pop groups like BTS or Blackpink met the icons of the northeastern Brazilian sertão? What if the glitter of Seoul collided with the earthy tones of the caatinga and the pulse of tecnobrega? On the runway, that fantasy came alive. Minimalist tailoring in black, white, and sunbaked browns became the perfect backdrop for sudden bursts of color and pattern — where my Brazilian-infused prints danced alongside K-pop-inspired makeup and styling.

Even the soundtrack embodied this cultural fusion. Planned to open with Terra by Caetano Veloso, the show took an unexpected turn when a glitch replaced it with Louder than Bombs by BTS, remixed in tecnobrega. It was as if the music itself had decided to tell the story we were all creating — of a world where borders blur and traditions mingle freely.

Seeing my art stitched into TA Studios’ vision was like watching two worlds I love converse fluently: the Brazil that shaped me and the global stage where it can shine. It was proof that when our roots meet new rhythms, the result is not just fashion — it’s a moving, living celebration of identity.

This collaboration was presented at São Paulo Fashion Week in 2022.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ClFXPvqNTQu/?locale=fr&hl=en&img_index=1

Read more about the show in these major Brazilian media outlets:

• UOL – One of Brazil’s largest news portals, with national reach and millions of daily readers.

• Marie Claire Brasil – The Brazilian edition of the international fashion and lifestyle magazine.

• Todateen – A popular Brazilian pop culture and fashion website aimed at a younger audience.