Stylish Bostonians: Amanda Antunes

Name: Amanda Maciel Antunes

Age: 23

Occupation: Visual artist, fashion designer (Dama Design, damadesign.squarespace.com), stylist, Editor-In-Chief of Spirited Magazine (spiritedmag.com)

From: São Paulo, Brazil

Lives in: Arlington

Her inspirations: “I definitely draw a lot from my family back home—they were stylish ladies. The women in my family always took such pride and pleasure in dressing up. They managed to always look wonderful. They didn’t shop much, but they made sure to have a good selection in their closets and a vast selection of accessories. I think that’s what I carry with me so many miles away from them.
My friends are definitely also a constant source of inspiration to me. I’ve always been looking for a creative community, and I feel like I’ve found it here.”

Favorite stores: Artifaktori, Bobby from Boston.

Her signature accessories: “I can’t leave home without my rings and my owls. I have a collection of owl necklaces.”

Favorite designers: Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Brazilian-Polish designer Alexandre Herchcovitz.

“They all worship creativity and exquisite style. Their clothes are beyond what we see on the streets; it’s about art and theater. Fashion can become a routine, and I don’t like routine very well. These designers are not dictated by rules. They work by what their women represent. I think they care about women’s independence, and their ideal women are not naïve or fragile. There’s an ambience around the designs, and that’s just beautiful to me.”

How she describes Boston style: “Boston is a conservative town. There’s a touch of nostalgia here. There are conservative areas like Downtown Crossing, the Financial DIstrict, where you see suit-and-tie outfits. But there are also a lot of neighborhoods where vintage is worn a lot.

“I believe Boston has a lot more potential than what it’s expressing now. It’s important to remember that fashion is always personal. Boston has not yet embraced fashion for its endless possibilities. The city is full of smart, international, grounded people. I’m glad to be involved in loosening the city up a bit.”

How her style as evolved through the years: “I feel like it’s changed a lot. It’s been three and a half years since I moved from São Paulo.  The change from a tropical country to here has made me change what I appreciate about fashion—things like scarves, boots. I appreciate warmth. I actually prefer this weather. It’s all about layers and textures.