Starting Again, in Another Country

Beauty is not perfection.

It is posture — especially when it’s hard.

I grew up surrounded by women who understood this without explaining it.

Not glossy beauty, not something constructed for attention — but something quieter and more grounded. Presence. Confidence. A way of holding yourself, even when no one is looking.

My mother was a director and ran a modeling agency. For her, it was work. For me, it was an environment I observed from a distance — fittings, rehearsals, the rhythm before a show, the moment just before stepping into light. I remember watching more than participating. Trying to understand what made someone visible.

That’s where my idea of beauty began — not as appearance, but as a form of strength.

Over time, observation turned into intention. Fashion stopped being something external. It became a language — a way to speak about character, femininity, vulnerability and control.

Starting from zero

Moving to another country changes your sense of direction.

I came to Helsinki with a small child and the idea that a different life was possible. But relocation removes structure very quickly. You arrive without context — no network, no history, no position. Things that once defined you no longer exist in the same way.

You start again.

When the relationship ended, that reset became more concrete. Responsibility stayed — for my child and for myself. There is a moment where you realise there are only two options: stop, or continue. There is no in-between.

Work, in its simplest form

My first job in Finland was cleaning.

There is a certain clarity in that kind of work. It is direct, physical, repetitive. It gives structure to the day. It teaches discipline without needing to explain it.

I never saw it as something to hide. It was part of the process — a stage that builds endurance and respect for work in any form.

From there, things moved slowly. I began working within a hotel group in Scandinavia. I studied hospitality and event management. I received Finnish citizenship after four years.

Nothing happened quickly. And maybe that’s why it stayed.

Returning to image

At some point, I felt that something was still unresolved.

I returned to visual work — not as an observer this time, but as someone building from inside. I started training in posing and fashion production. Then styling. Then visual concepts.

It became clear that I didn’t want to wait for opportunities. I wanted to create them.

I began producing shoots — bringing together photographers, designers, makeup artists. Working through the entire process: from the initial idea to the final image.

Later, I studied fashion styling in Italy. At the same time, I started learning finance — because creating something is only part of the work. Sustaining it is another.

People

The work gradually became more defined. Projects started forming. Publications followed — across Europe, the US and the UK.

But the most important part was always the same.

Women.

Different ages, different bodies, different experiences. Each one carrying something specific, something not always visible at first. Working with them was never only about image. It was about presence — how a person enters a frame, and what remains after.

The Issue №

This project didn’t begin as a fixed idea.

It grew out of process — from working, observing, building, and returning again. From understanding that not everything needs to be explained, and not everything needs to be visible immediately.

The Issue № is not a showcase.

It is a continuation. A structure that holds different stories, without forcing them into one direction.

Something that remains open.

— Sofia Solas
Helsinki

For another story of transformation through visual identity, continue with the TRINITY project.

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