This past weekend, on Sunday the 1st, Continente Shopping was the stage for the grand final selection of “Me Nota Way,” an unprecedented project carried out between Almeida Junior in partnership with WAY Model Management, one of Brazil’s most prestigious agencies that introduced top model Carol Trentini to the fashion world. The event concluded a journey that passed through five cities in Santa Catarina in search of new faces for national and international runways. Twenty-six talents were selected to walk the runway in the final stage.
Throughout the months of March to May, shopping centers in the Almeida Junior chain hosted free selections open to the public, held in Balneário Camboriú, Blumenau, Joinville, Criciúma, and Greater Florianópolis. The initiative attracted over 1,500 applications and brought together young people from different regions of the state, all with the dream of entering the fashion world.
During the final, participants had the opportunity to experience a real runway experience, with professional production and evaluation by the WAY Model team, led by Anderson Baumgartner. Now the approved candidates will have the opportunity to sign a contract with the agency, receive their first professional portfolio, and star in fashion campaigns for nationally recognized brands.
Anderson Baumgartner, director of WAY Model Management, believes that the final stage of “Me Nota Way” showcased the state’s potential for talent in the field. “From the beginning, we believed that the partnership between WAY Model and Almeida Junior had the potential to be a success, and it exceeded all expectations. When two brands with credibility and purpose come together, the results go beyond what was anticipated. On this journey, we had the privilege of discovering talents who will certainly make Santa Catarina proud on Brazilian runways,” he says.
For Rogério Alves, Marketing and Relationship Director at Almeida Junior, the “Me Nota Way” initiative reflects the company’s DNA. “We always seek innovation, to be connected with the public, and to generate experiences and opportunities. For Almeida Junior, fashion is experience and attitude, and this project expanded that concept by giving a stage to new talents from Santa Catarina who now have the chance to start a professional career with national and international visibility.”
The Finalists
The final selection featured representatives from all regional stages held at Almeida Junior chain shopping centers. From Balneário Shopping, in Balneário Camboriú, came finalists Eduarda Krieger, Eloisa Hanael, Jonas Correa, Nicolas Almeida, Victor Gimenez, Victor Goes, and Reinan Sena. Continente Shopping, in São José, revealed talents such as Aydeh Moller, Ariel Ferreira, Eduardo Machado, Gabriela Bezerra, Gabriela Vigna, Heloise França, Kenzo, Luísa Buissa, Steffany Ramos, Valentina Kretzer, and Will Chessy. From Joinville, in the Garten Shopping selection, Gabriela Pousa and Pedro Henrique participated. Nações Shopping, in Criciúma, featured highlights Amabily Nascimento, Isabelle Ribeiro, João Victor, and Nicolle Cunha. Completing the group, Neumarkt Shopping, in Blumenau, highlighted the names of Maria Clara Liotto and Vinicius Moser.
