Summer has a way of rewriting the rules of style. It’s a season where confidence and ease merge, where clothing isn’t just worn but lived in under the heat of the sun. For its July 2025 issue, Elle Turkey captures this vibrant spirit with Ana Portela, photographed by Koray Parlak, in a dazzling series that transforms beachwear into pure luxury.
Set against golden sands and glistening waters, the editorial feels like a sun-drenched reverie, the kind that lingers in memory long after the season fades. Portela commands every frame with poise and energy, her presence turning swimsuits into statements and accessories into declarations of personality. The result is more than a photoshoot—it’s a portrait of summer itself, distilled into fabric, texture, and light.
Stylist Damla Hasanreisoglu curates a wardrobe that radiates playfulness and sophistication in equal measure. The selection of swimsuits spans zebra stripes, metallic finishes, and playful swirls, each design carrying its own mood but together creating a cohesive narrative of bold, celebratory style. Rather than defaulting to minimalism, the editorial leans into vibrancy, showing how swimwear can be as daring and directional as any runway piece.
Accessories play a starring role, adding layers of character to the looks. Oversized sunglasses, in crisp white and tortoiseshell frames, cloak Ana in an air of mystery, while chunky gold earrings catch the sun, flashing like jewelry dipped straight from the waves. Textured straw bags lend a tactile element, grounding the high-glam swimwear in summer’s natural ease. Every detail feels intentional, woven into a story of elegance that thrives outdoors, under the sky.
The beauty direction by Zeynep Dombaycıoglu heightens the editorial’s glow. Slick cornrows bring structure and edge, a perfect contrast to the breeziness of the wardrobe. Dewy skin, radiant and light-catching, completes the look, giving Portela a luminous finish that feels as much about vitality as it does about beauty. The effect is one of strength and softness, reminding us that summer glamour is as much about attitude as it is about styling.
Parlak’s lens captures the contrasts that make the shoot dynamic: Portela perched on a sunlit bench, her gaze cool and commanding, then shifting to knee-deep in crystal water, where movement and light soften the scene. Whether still or in motion, she embodies a kind of ease that makes each look feel lived-in rather than posed. This duality—strength and serenity, drama and playfulness—gives the editorial its depth.
What makes this story resonate is its ability to elevate the familiar. Swimwear and summer staples are often treated as practical or fleeting, but here they are reframed as symbols of glamour and confidence. A striped suit becomes architectural. A metallic finish transforms into liquid light. Accessories turn into punctuation marks of boldness. It’s a reminder that fashion at the beach is not just about function; it’s about identity, about how we choose to present ourselves in moments of leisure and freedom.
The editorial also taps into the fantasy of summer—a time suspended, where days stretch long and everything seems possible. The imagery feels like stepping into a dream where sunlight lingers endlessly, waves sparkle like sequins, and every outfit carries a story. Portela doesn’t just model the clothes; she channels that dream, embodying the season’s joy and intensity in a way that feels both aspirational and attainable.
At its heart, this shoot is about the celebration of presence. Summer is fleeting, but style has the power to make its moments eternal. By merging vibrant design, luxe details, and radiant beauty, Elle Turkey’s July 2025 issue captures not just how summer looks, but how it feels—golden, bold, and unforgettable.
In the glow of Koray Parlak’s photography and Damla Hasanreisoglu’s styling, Ana Portela doesn’t just wear beachwear; she transforms it into a vision of summer at its most luminous. This is more than fashion—it’s a daydream come alive.
