Francisco, hi! What was the catalyst that made you start Costa Brazil.
It was a combination of fashion seeming wasteful to me, and an inner desire to actually make a difference. I saw it as an opportunity to be a little more in tune with myself and my priorities so I could really leave a mark.
The brand is environmentally responsible, was it important to start off on this foot?
Incredibly. Sustainability was ingrained in me from a very young age, mainly by my mother. I focused on it when I was in fashion, so when I started my own line, it was a very natural and obvious choice. Especially after discovering the process behind creating a beauty product, it gave me even more awareness of the environment.
Has sustainability always been something that is important to you?
Yes. When I was at Calvin Klein, we were the first designer house to ban fur nearly 20 years ago. We often used up-cycled materials in collections, or yarns from small, local knitters in Scotland. One collection was shipped flat and stacked, entirely without packaging. The Smithsonian Design Museum honoured us in 2009 for that collection.
How did the partnership with Conservation International come about?
I knew Conservation International when I was at Calvin Klein, but through a mutual friend, I learned more about their mission. At Costa Brazil, our approach to beauty and sustainability is rooted in our sense of curiosity and desire to learn. For me, our relationship came out of me simply wanting to know more about the environment and how I can be effective in its protection.
Do you think that there is a new approach to beauty happening, that highlights how important it is to be in balance with the earth?
I think there is a new focus on ingredients, a direct link to the earth. In joining Amyris, a biotech company that makes sustainable, high-performing ingredients with an eye towards a clean future, I think we can change the landscape of clean beauty.
How did you initially discover the ingredients, were they always known to you?
Whenever I spend time in the Amazon, I get to know the people who work and live off the land and understand how they interact with rare and potent ingredients. Breu Branco, an aromatic resin that comes from the Almaciga tree and has become our olfactory signature, is one ingredient that I discovered on my very first trip into the rainforest. I kept seeing it throughout the trip – my team on the ground would carry rocks of the hard resin with them and light them to repel mosquitos, to use while cooking or even to help fix a crack in their boats. But it wasn’t until my last evening, when I saw how the Yawanawa people interacted with the resin during a ceremonial ritual, that I understood its true power. I immediately took it back with me to the lab and discovered it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties in addition to smelling like the forest itself.
What is your favourite product to use?
Kaya Jungle Firming Body Oil. It perfectly embodies the Costa Brazil story and the scent. It’s also filled with incredible ingredients that feed my skin.
"At Costa Brazil, our approach to beauty and sustainability is rooted in our sense of curiosity and desire to learn."
What new products are you planning?
Aroma, our new scent. It was the first thing I did and it came from the center of the earth with indigenous peoples by my side. It’s a scent that speaks of the forest, it’s very sensual and embodies the Brazilian DNA. It’s a very personal, very intimate fragrance, and it’s going to be for everyone, everything, everywhere.
Do you think that transitioning from fashion to beauty has given you a fresh outlook on how a beauty brand should function?
100%. I think that, when I designed collections, it was a great creative outlet but the results were never as deep as creating products that really change people’s lives. I went from dressing the body to dressing the skin, and it’s been incredibly rewarding. I like offering the customer something that’s relevant for them while also respecting the planet. It’s very emotionally engaging, the feeling of wellness.
Other than your ingredients, what three things make Costa Brazil unique?
What we do at Costa Brazil embodies everything Brazil. The mission, from the quest to be sustainable and to stay in tune with nature, to the celebration of all bodies. There is even an aesthetic influence; I grew up surrounded by beautiful white buildings and nature, and I think you can feel that in our packaging, for which we strive to use sustainable, recycled, and biodegradable materials whenever possible. By having it on your shelf, it speaks of your space and how you want to live.