Realengo is a populous neighbourhood about two hours from the city centre. A place where the street is an extension of the home and life happens communally. The region neighbours Padre Miguel and Bangu, which respectively represent the tradition of samba schools such as Mocidade Independente and Fábrica Bangu, an old fabric factory that, in addition to being a pioneer in fashion shows, also received a visit from Hubert de Givenchy in the 1950s. This meeting of such expressive territories united with the culture of carnival (embodied by the figures of Bate-Bola) and became the essence of Pinah’s work. “When I understood the neighbourhood's history, I felt there were many tools to be explored and began to have a much more genuine experience with this place,” she reflects.  

Living a reality in Rio de Janeiro that is on the periphery and which deviates from the well-known glamour of Ipanema and Copacabana, she found her own version of beauty. With no formal education, Pinah still studied fashion and anthropology, and using her own research methodology, founded Coolhunter Favela in 2016 to offer behaviour and consumption analyses as well as consultancy for brands loved by the Rio public. The studio’s clients have since included Nike, Adidas, Farm, Kenner, Stella Artois, Universal Music and Heineken. This vital work allows Pinah to give vent to the extensive popular repertoire that she has been nurturing. “Today the exchange is our feeling. If we don't see each other, if we're not there, things won't happen,” she says. “I'm talking about an African diaspora within the neighbourhood, from one neighbourhood to another, from one family to another, from the family to the state, from the state to the country. And so, I will never look for a specific place of Africanization within this delicacy. Instead, I’m starting to rebuild the chaos that’s here.”