Marianne Fonseca’s journey through the world of fashion and beauty is a remarkable blend of talent, resilience, and cultural pride. A Brazilian supermodel who has graced the covers of prestigious magazines such as Bazaar and L’Officiel, Marianne’s career began at just 15 years old. Over the years, she has become a formidable presence in the industry, representing luxury brands such as Lancôme, Hugo Boss, and Dior. However, her aspirations extend far beyond modeling; they led her to a new venture that celebrates her roots and passion for beauty.
With the launch of her body care line, Gente, Marianne is not just entering the beauty market—she is redefining it. Gente, which translates to “people” in Portuguese, embodies her vision of inclusivity and celebration of diversity. In an industry often criticized for its narrow standards of beauty, Marianne’s campaign features individuals of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, emphasizing that everyone deserves to feel beautiful in their skin.
Marianne’s journey into beauty was inspired by her experiences in Brazil, where body care routines are deeply ingrained in the culture. Recognizing a gap in the U.S. market for effective body care products, she created Gente—a line that harnesses the power of indigenous Brazilian ingredients such as guarana to promote skin health and confidence.
I was so happy to speak with Marianne as she reflects on her evolution from model to entrepreneur. Her story is not just about personal success; it’s about empowering others to embrace their uniqueness and feel confident at every stage of life.
1. You’ve built such an amazing career in modeling, starting at a young age and now branching into beauty with Gente Beauty. Let’s start at the beginning: what first sparked your interest in modeling, and how did you take that initial leap?
I started when I was 15 in Brazil, in my hometown of Uberlândia, a small city. My first modeling jobs were for local brands, often people my father knew who’d say, “Oh, she’s tall and skinny—let her try modeling.” It was a casual start, but I enjoyed it and thought, this job is fun. I began looking up to Brazilian icons like Gisele, Adriana, and Alessandra. I would watch their videos and appearances, and I just knew, I want to do this too.
My family helped me submit some photos to agencies in São Paulo, and after a whirlwind day of meeting with different ones, I signed with an agency that was very interested. So, at 15, I moved to São Paulo, living in a model house with other girls. My parents made me promise to continue my education, so I went to school in the mornings and modeled in the afternoons. It was a big leap for me and for my family, but that independence at such a young age taught me a lot.
After a year, I started getting calls for international opportunities, and my modeling journey took me across Asia and Europe. I lived in 17 countries before finally making it to the U.S. My breakthrough moment? It was when I walked into Times Square in New York and saw my face on a huge billboard for American Eagle. I’d just moved to New York and seeing that felt like I’d made it—it was the culmination of all my hard work.
2. That’s an incredible story. Starting so young and traveling alone must have been intense. Did those early experiences shape your approach to managing risk and fear?
Absolutely. Growing up, I was never particularly fearful. I’d tell my mom, “As soon as I can, I’m going to leave and be on my own!” Moving to São Paulo was my first big move, and adapting to life there was surprisingly easy. I remember feeling both nervous and excited when I went to China at sixteen because it was such a different culture, and I didn’t speak the language. But that experience helped me grow in ways I didn’t even realize at the time. It was challenging, but it also gave me a sense of freedom.
I never felt like I was at risk because my parents and I trusted my instincts. Living in China taught me survival skills, resilience, and a strong sense of independence that still define me today. There were definitely moments where I’d think, What am I doing here? But overall, it was more exciting than scary. I really felt like I was building my own life, on my own terms, at such a young age. Those experiences gave me the confidence to take on new challenges, both in modeling and later in business. Looking back, I’m so grateful my parents supported me and trusted my decisions. If I could navigate that, I felt like I could handle anything life threw at me.
3. It sounds like independence was something you embraced early. At what point did you feel ready to start your own business and step into the world of beauty as an entrepreneur?
After years in modeling, I just started feeling a bit tired of it. Modeling began to feel less fulfilling for me. There was a point where I started questioning, What am I actually contributing? I’d had so many amazing experiences, but at the same time, modeling had started to feel a little bit vain. Early on, I felt I was contributing by inspiring others with fashion and beauty, but as the industry evolved—especially with the internet and social media—it started to feel different. Suddenly, it felt like everyone was modeling, and I found myself wanting something more meaningful.
I knew I had more to offer and wanted to create something real and helpful, something I truly believed in. I didn’t just want to put my name on a product; I wanted to create something with purpose and heart. That’s when I thought about lymphatic drainage, which is a huge part of Brazilian beauty culture. I’d been modeling for years and constantly traveling, and often I couldn’t find practitioners who did lymphatic drainage in the places I visited. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this was something people needed but couldn’t easily find. So, Gente Beauty was born out of this desire to make an impact and to bring a real, effective product to the market that I knew people could benefit from.
4. And now Gente Beauty is thriving! What makes it unique, and why did you choose to focus on lymphatic drainage as the brand’s primary offering?
Gente Beauty was created because I saw a real need for lymphatic drainage products. In Brazil, body care isn’t just about appearance; it’s about wellness and feeling good from the inside out. Lymphatic drainage is a huge part of Brazilian self-care, and we have such a holistic view of taking care of our bodies. I wanted something portable and effective because it’s been essential for me in staying healthy and prepared for shoots.
“Gente” means “people” in Portuguese, and that was intentional. The brand is about more than beauty; it’s about self-care and feeling confident. The idea is to honour this tradition of Brazilian body care and bring that focus to the U.S., where I saw it was lacking. Here, most beauty products focus on the face, but for us, skincare is about the whole body. With Gente, I wanted to give people a practical, reliable way to incorporate that mindset into their routines, no matter where they are.
5. And sourcing must be a big part of what makes Gente unique. Tell us more about your approach to ingredients and product development.
Sourcing is incredibly important to me, and I knew from the start that I wanted Gente’s products to be produced in Brazil, with ingredients sourced directly from the Amazon. We partnered with a Brazilian lab that also works with brands like Natura and Sol de Janeiro. Going to the Amazon myself was transformative. I met the communities growing ingredients like guaraná and açaí, and I got to see how these plants are cultivated and how people there care for the land.
Using Brazilian ingredients like guaraná, which has incredible properties, wasn’t just about effectiveness—it was about authenticity and honoring my roots. These ingredients have been essential in Brazilian beauty routines for years, yet they’re rare in the U.S. I wanted to bring that authenticity and tradition here. For me, Gente is more than just a brand; it’s about creating something real, that genuinely works and giving people something directly from the source. The ingredients are central to what makes Gente effective, and we’re very proud of that.
6. Gente’s packaging reflects Brazilian culture beautifully but subtly. How did you think about brand identity and packaging design?
I wanted the packaging to reflect Brazil in a way that was beautiful but not overly stereotypical. For example, some of our products feature patterns inspired by the sidewalks of Copacabana and Ipanema, which are iconic parts of Brazilian culture. We even chose a green for our Bye Bye Cellulite product that matches the green in the Brazilian flag. It’s these small touches that honour our culture without being “in your face.”
I wanted to capture the spirit of Brazil—the beauty, warmth, and style—in a way that felt accessible to everyone. Gente Beauty is about sharing Brazilian culture, but it’s also meant for anyone and everyone. The design elements are there for people who want that connection, but they’re subtle enough that anyone can feel attached to the brand. We want Gente to feel sophisticated and inclusive, something that represents the essence of Brazilian culture without relying on clichés.
7. You’ve built a loyal following on social media that’s been supportive of your brand. How did you leverage that community when launching Gente?
Building my community happened naturally over time. Even before Gente launched, I was always sharing my routines on social media—whether it was my diet, workouts, or beauty tips. My audience was already interested in my lifestyle and body care routines, so when I started hinting about Gente, they were already on board. People were genuinely interested in what I was doing to stay healthy and feel good.
I would tease new products or talk about my favorite beauty rituals, like body scrubs made with honey or sugar, which we used growing up in Brazil. When I officially introduced Gente, my followers were excited because they’d seen the journey from the start. It’s been amazing to have that support and to know they’ve been watching and cheering me on since the beginning. Seeing their interest in my body care tips naturally led them to Gente, so it felt like a continuation of the conversation I’d been having with them for years.
8. What has been the hardest part of building a beauty brand? What’s surprised you about the process?
Entrepreneurship is incredibly tough, especially when you’re passionate about doing everything right. The highs are so high, and you get this rush when things go well, but the lows can feel brutal. In the beginning, I didn’t have the resources or capital to grow as quickly as I wanted, which was hard because I knew we had a great product but couldn’t expand as fast as we’d hoped. And in the beauty industry, there’s so much pressure to perform right away; everyone expects big numbers and fast results. But growth takes time, and I had to learn to be patient.
Another challenge was finding the right people who believed in our mission and would be willing to work with us for more than just business reasons. There are so many times I’ve had to rely on faith in what we’re doing because success doesn’t come overnight. Gente has grown a lot in the past year, and we’re seeing the rewards now. We’re starting to get recognition, bigger retailers are showing interest, and more people are connecting with our brand. Looking back, those hard times taught me resilience and strengthened my commitment to the brand. That process of growth can be slow, but now I see how important it was for the long term.
9. What are your long-term dreams for Gente? Where would you like to see the brand in the next few years?
I want Gente to be recognized worldwide as a premier body care brand. I see Gente being available in major retailers around the world, and I’d love for people everywhere to experience what we do in Brazil—that body care is about wellness and feeling good inside and out. I want to help people feel confident and healthy in their skin by focusing on lymphatic drainage and self-care.
Our culture in Brazil is so diverse and accepting, and I want to bring that spirit to Gente. Body care is for everyone, and I want our products to feel like they’re made for every body. I’d like Gente to be known for more than just beauty; I want it to inspire people to care for themselves deeply. My dream is for Gente to be a staple brand that people around the world trust, just like Natura or Sol de Janeiro. We have big goals for expanding our product line, but our message will always be the same: making people feel good in their own skin.
10. Last question—do you have any advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs or creatives who want to follow in your footsteps?
My biggest advice is to trust your intuition and allow the process to unfold. There’s so much pressure in business to see instant results, but if you believe in what you’re doing, keep that vision close and stay committed. For me, Gente wasn’t perfect from day one—it was a journey of constantly improving, learning, and listening to feedback. Growth takes time, and that’s okay.
Find people who believe in your mission and stay close to those who support you, because you’ll need their encouragement on tough days. I had to learn to be patient with the process and to trust that each step was building toward something bigger. If you stay focused on the work and keep pouring your heart into it, people will see that and connect with your brand in a real way. And that’s what makes it all worth it.
The interview has been edited for clarity.
Image Credit: Marianne Fonseca/Handout
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