London-based international model Victoria Ferreira discusses her journey through fashion, creativity and self-expression.
Victoria Ferreira is a London-based international model whose career is shaped by fashion, creativity and self-expression. With work spanning Vogue, Marie Claire, Dior, Bvlgari and Magnum, she is now exploring her artistic ambitions beyond modelling while staying true to her Brazilian roots and belief in individuality.
There is something particularly interesting about models whose careers extend beyond simply being in front of the camera. Victoria Ferreira is one of them. London-based and internationally represented, Victoria has spent the past seven to eight years building a career across fashion, editorial, commercial, runway, e-commerce and lookbook work — but it is her relationship with creativity and self-expression that perhaps offers the most compelling insight into the woman behind the images.
Victoria’s journey into modelling began in 2018, following a modelling convention and scouting event where several agencies expressed an interest in representing her. Like many aspiring models, however, the reality of entering the industry quickly became apparent. With the initial costs proving difficult to manage, Victoria was prepared to walk away before her career had really begun. Her mother, however, saw something worth pursuing and stepped in to support her financially. It is a moment Victoria still considers fundamental to her story. Without her mother’s belief in her, she says, she may not be where she is today.
Victoria Ferreira – Brands
Since then, the career has developed considerably. Victoria has appeared in editorials for Vogue and Marie Claire, worked on fine-jewellery editorials featuring names including Dior and Bvlgari, and taken on commercial work for Magnum ice cream. Her portfolio reflects the breadth of modern modelling, but there is a particular type of work where she appears most at home: productions where fashion becomes something more than clothing.
Victoria is drawn to shoots that involve acting, character and storytelling. Give her an imaginative concept, bold hair, colourful makeup and an atmosphere to inhabit, and she sees an opportunity to become part of the creative narrative rather than simply pose for the camera. She particularly enjoys working with directors who establish the mood while allowing her the freedom to interpret it in her own way.
Creative Instinct
That creative instinct is perhaps unsurprising given her background. Art has always been part of Victoria’s life. Creativity runs through her family, with relatives involved in music, while Victoria herself paints and draws and is now looking towards sculpture as another form of expression. In Brazil, she is also developing her own art studio — a personal project that reflects her desire to maintain a connection with home while continuing to explore her artistic side.
For Victoria, modelling and art are not separate worlds. Both offer ways of communicating identity, emotion and individuality.
Individuality
That idea of individuality is central to the way she approaches life. Victoria has a strong belief in personal freedom and authenticity — the idea that people should be able to dress as they choose, express themselves as they wish and follow their own path without judgment or repression, provided their choices cause no harm to others.
It is a philosophy that feels particularly relevant to fashion, an industry that has long existed at the intersection of identity and self-expression. For Victoria, fashion is not simply about following a particular aesthetic. It is about having the freedom to explore different versions of yourself.
Victoria Ferreira – Management
Today, Victoria is based in London, a city she has chosen as her main global hub because of its international position and flexibility for travel. Her international career is managed by Ming Management in São Paulo, her mother agency, which places her with agencies around the world, while she is represented in London by Body London.
With an established modelling career behind her and an increasingly important artistic dimension developing alongside it, Victoria Ferreira is entering an interesting stage of her journey. Fashion remains a central part of her world, but it is clear that her ambitions extend beyond the traditional boundaries of modelling.
For Victoria, the camera is only one part of the creative process. The bigger picture is about art, character, individuality and the freedom to create something that feels genuinely her own.
The moment everything changed
You’ve said that your modelling journey could have ended before it really began, had it not been for your mother stepping in and believing in you. Looking back now, what does that moment mean to you, and what do you think your younger self would make of the career you’ve built?
Looking back, that moment means everything to me. It wasn’t just about paying a fee—it was a turning point, a moment when someone truly believed in my potential, even when I couldn’t see it myself. My mother’s faith in me didn’t just open a door; it changed the entire course of my life, allowing me to step into opportunities I might never have imagined.
If my younger self could see me now—working internationally, living in London, and collaborating with the brands I once dreamed about—she would be completely amazed. I think she’d be proud that we held onto our dreams and never gave up on ourselves.
Creating a character
You seem particularly drawn to shoots where modelling becomes a form of acting — creating a character, establishing a mood and telling a story through an image. What happens for you mentally when you step in front of the camera, and what makes a shoot genuinely exciting from a creative perspective?
When I step in front of the camera, I mentally step into a narrative. I love it when directors give me a mood or concept and then let me bring it to life in my own way. What truly excites me creatively is transformation, dramatic makeup, and unconventional concepts that demand acting, not just posing.
It becomes an artistic dialogue between me, the team, and the camera. I thrive in environments where creativity flows freely, and I can truly immerse myself in a character.
Fashion as self-expression
Victoria, your approach to fashion seems closely connected to your belief in personal freedom and authenticity. Do you think fashion gives people a unique opportunity to express parts of themselves that they might not show in everyday life?
Fashion is one of the most immediate forms of personal freedom. It allows people to project who they are or who they want to be on any given day without having to say a single word.
I believe in complete authenticity and everyone’s right to express themselves, wear what they love, and live freely without judgment. Fashion is a powerful medium for that kind of liberation.
Behind the perfect image
From major fashion editorials to commercial campaigns, audiences often only see the finished photograph. What is something about the reality of modelling — the preparation, pressure, long days or teamwork — that you wish people understood better?
People see the glamour of the final image in a magazine or campaign, but they don’t always see the immense teamwork, long hours, and adaptability required behind the scenes. Modelling isn’t just about looking good; it requires emotional stamina, readiness to perform under pressure, and constant adaptation to different environments and creative directions.
It takes a huge collective effort from the entire crew to create that “effortless” final shot.
Victoria Ferreira – From modelling to art
Art has clearly been a constant in your life, from your family’s musical background to your own painting and drawing, and now your plans to explore sculpture. Where does that creative instinct come from, and how do you see your artistic work influencing the way you approach fashion?
Art is completely in my DNA; my family is very musical, so growing up around music, singing, and instruments made creativity feel natural to me. Painting, drawing, and now exploring sculpture let me create something entirely from scratch.
This artistic background deeply influences my modelling. I don’t just view a photoshoot as a job, but as a visual composition where I am both a canvas and a co-creator.
London, Brazil and finding your own identity
Victoria, you’ve made London your global base while continuing to maintain a strong connection with Brazil and developing your own art studio there. How do those two places influence you differently, and how do you think your cultural background has shaped the woman and creative you are today?
London gives me energy, global connectivity, and the freedom to move and work dynamically across the world. Brazil, on the other hand, is my root, my heart, and the source of my deepest inspiration, which is why building my art studio back home is so important to me.
My Brazilian background gave me warmth, expressive freedom, and resilience, while London expanded my horizons. Together, they shape both my identity and my approach to art and fashion.
What does the future look like?
Victoria, you’ve already built an international modelling career, but it sounds as though your ambitions are becoming increasingly creative and personal. If we spoke again five years from now, what would you love to have created, achieved or experienced — both in fashion and beyond it?
In five years, I would love to have established a strong balance between my international modelling career and my identity as a visual artist. I want my studio in Brazil to be fully built and thriving, producing paintings and pieces that I can exhibit worldwide.
In fashion, I hope to continue taking on deeply creative, acting-driven projects with brands that value artistic freedom. Overall, I just want to keep creating, evolving, and living authentically on my own terms.
Credits
All editorial photography by: Gabriel Riccieri © / @griccieriph
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