Silvia Braz brings a sense of occasion wherever she goes. One week she is in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, the next she’s on the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival or shows in Paris and Milan. She navigates it all guided by what she calls “the joy of living well”. Whether she’s gracing the cover of Vogue Brasil or working with brands including Lancôme, Dior, Tiffany & Co and Gucci, her work in fashion and lifestyle is built on instinct. She traces it back to her Lebanese great-grandparents, Latuf and Nazira, who came from Rechmaya, a small village in the mountains, about an hour from Beirut. Their journey still sits at the centre of her family story.
While she hasn’t visited Lebanon yet, her connection to her motherland is visceral. “It’s a dream of mine,” she says, describing the place she knows through stories, flavours and the spirit that filled her childhood. “I carry this mix of strength, emotion and generosity that defines Lebanese culture.” The combination feels effortless. From Brazil, she draws lightness, creativity and joy; from Lebanon, emotional depth, a strong sense of family and the importance of connection. “That blend is who I am,” she adds. “It shows up in how I express myself in my work and in the way I celebrate life.” Food is one of her strongest ties. Lebanese dishes appear in her home at least twice a week – hummus, baba ghanoush, kibbeh, tabbouleh and homemade yoghurt. “They come from my grandmother’s kitchen; I used to help her during my childhood vacations. Even today, making these dishes reconnects me with my heritage,” she shares.
Her community is another touchstone. In São Paulo and Rio, the Lebanese diaspora remains tightly knit and “everything happens around a table.” In her family, that table includes Arabic music, Brazilian desserts and a lot of laughter. “That’s where my heart lives,” Braz expresses. Her style, too, fuses the femininity and sophistication she associates with Lebanon and Brazil’s freshness and natural ease. “True elegance has emotion and memory behind it,” she explains of its connection to her heritage. What she values most about her intertwined identities is how these layers coexist. “I’m proud of my Lebanese heritage and how it blends with my Brazilian soul,” she affirms. “It’s a story of love, resilience and connection that grows stronger with every generation.”
Lolita Hannud, founder and creative director of Lolitta
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