Summer is only getting hotter, and our cover star is sizzling!
Personifying hot girl summer, Ria Atayde stands boldly against pristine El Nido waters as she fronts the Preview May 2023 cover. Confident and in her element, the "big girl," as she says, gives us a masterclass on what it really means to love yourself and your body—and nothing could be sexier than that in our books!
Need more proof? Press play to watch The Making of Ria Atayde's Preview Cover and see for yourself!
WATCH: The Making of Ria Atayde's May 2023 Preview Cover
"Ria Atayde goes beyond body positivity," says Preview Editor-in-Chief Marj Ramos-Clemente. "More importantly, she's challenging the unrealistic standards of society when it comes to beauty," she further explains, underlining the importance of representation by having someone who's not a "size zero" be the face of a summer cover. "It's about time," she declares.
Shoot Producer Em Enriquez echoes this sentiment as he later reflected on what it was like growing up without seeing curvier and bigger personalities growing up. "As much as she is representing herself, and who she is, she's also representing a community and she knows that," he notes, after having time to sit down and interview Ria for the cover story he penned.
For this meaningful summer cover, the team flew direct with AirSWIFT from Manila to the Seven Commandos Beach in El Nido, a private beach owned by Weekends Resort, which served as Ria's backdrop for the cover shoot. Art Director Bacs Arcebal went with a more playful approach in line with the season. "It really fits Ria's personality because she's very bubbly, she [has] very high energy, and she's really easy to work with," he shares.
The same creative concept was also reflected in the fashion direction. Ria was dressed in vibrant creations featuring local designers Neric Beltran, Bonita Penaranda, and Eugene Malabad of Kill Joy Studios, as well as pieces from Kenzo and Loewe, with accessories from Farah Abu and Suki Jewelry. Playful as the color and silhouettes were, her looks still exuded sultriness with flattering cuts and details that celebrated her curves and figure.
Of course, this vision would not have been completed without makeup artist Denise Ochoa enhancing Ria's natural sun-kissed glow, hair stylist Anton Papa transforming her locks to that of a raven-haired siren's to that of a vintage beach babe's, and photographer Borgy Angeles fully capturing Ria's magnificence as she proudly owns her place in the sun.
Read the full cover story featuring Ria Atayde here.
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