Way before Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior, the Colombian jewelry designer Mercedes Salazar saw the potential of raffia as a sustainable constructive element. ‘Such is Life in the Loving Tropics’ is a statement collection that includes local birds and fruity motifs, delightfully colored in unexpected hues. For this shooting I envisioned an unconventional setting for a summer collection, a wild and sacred natural reserve, a Paramo.

Climate change is present as subtext, the beauty and fragility of the yellow frailejón and it’s surrounding environment, responsible for some of the potable water of Bogotá, is juxtaposed with the delicacy and timeless gaze of Gabriela Castello, seen through the eyes of talented  photographer Daniella Benedetti.