Bahia has the magic of bringing beautiful things into people’s lives. Soteropolitan Tamires Bittencourt, for example, is obsessed with beautifying everything that passes by. Her natural talent for business has yielded good results, such as her own clothing business and her environmental fragrance company.
With the house divided between São Paulo and Rio in 2010, the interior designer gradually entered the world of creating content on the internet, sharing her routine with fashion, decoration, travel, lifestyle and well-being. When she found herself, she was already fulfilling her mission to empower black women by example.
Upon moving to São Paulo, alone and without knowing anyone, Tami relied only on her own company to rebuild her life in the largest metropolis in the country. This difficult and lonely process made her a stronger and braver woman. Anyone who sees Tamires today is surprised. Her community has nearly 45,000 followers on Instagram alone, where the influencer shares her work routine and personal life.
The broad smile and good humor of the Bahian women embellished the 2023 Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and brought out another side of the influencer. For all the glamor that carnival boasts, it is the simplicity of Tamires’ black beauty that shines the most. The beauty is that it’s simple and charming, that’s how the muse sees the world. The path he follows has as companions the cultivation of self-love, hard work and a zest for life that infects anyone who crosses his path. Check out the interview!
Born in the city of Salvador, Bahia, today you divide your life between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. How was your coming here and what do you miss most about the capital of Bahia?
I came to São Paulo for the first time in 2010 to participate in the reality show “Menina Fantástica”, which after several selections throughout Brazil I entered the house. After the program I returned to Salvador, my hometown. I studied, I worked, but I always wanted to live in Capital Paulista because I knew that here was my place in the world.
Considered a born entrepreneur, her talent has earned her achievements at every step, and today she owns a clothing store and has a company for aromatization of environments. What made you choose to invest in these two sectors? Is there a right recipe for entrepreneurship?
I’ve always loved handicrafts, and I’ve always been curious about this universe of fashion, decoration and scents, so I decided to combine business with pleasure, I worked with the women’s clothing and decoration store, and in my free time I developed scents for the environment. That was a sales success! Female entrepreneurship has grown a lot in recent years and with it the opportunities. I think you have to be daring and always look for inspiration to create something new. Make people live a complete and remarkable experience.
From your life as an interior designer, companies and everything else, you ended up becoming a success on social networks, where you attract thousands of followers and show your routine with fashion, decoration, travel, lifestyle and wellness. Taking into account the reach that your content has taken, how do you consider the participation of the internet in your daily life today?
The internet is a universe full of opportunities. And it is through networks that I connect with people spontaneously, and I also have the opportunity to show my work to the brands that I am interested in.
One of the great pride that becomes noticeable in you is precisely the fact that with your conquered position, you can be inspiring and empowering other black women through the examples you give. On the critical and necessary side of the debate, do you consider saying that even in the work of an influencer, there may still be inferiority?
Yes, there is a lot. People will always look to diminish your efforts wherever you are. Influencing people would not be different, also because it is a “new profession”. That’s why I think it’s important to be very responsible with what is said and posted there on the networks, people really consume their content, seek inspiration and even advice.
In his biography it is said that when he arrived in the great metropolis of São Paulo, the only company he had to adapt his routine was his own, thus being his only company to rebuild his life. What were the main challenges he faced in those first moments and how did he come to see the positive side in all this adaptation effort?
My biggest challenge was not knowing anyone and having to look for a job. At the beginning there was no positive side, it was really perrengue. But I was persistent because I knew this was my place of growth and evolution.
There are currently many debates that point to social networks as just a toxic environment that becomes infectious due to accusations of withdrawing from social life, especially for young people. As a content creator, what is your view on these issues?
Everything in excess generates a negative result. I believe that the problem is not in social networks, but in how you consume it. Today I use social networks to publicize my business, so for me and a work environment. But I also agree that, in parts, it does affect people’s lives negatively, precisely because the majority cannot have that “perfect” life that exists there.
This year, you ended up gaining prominence at Rio’s carnival, mainly for representing black beauty, showing something that is both simple and charming. Taking advantage of the prominence that was evident in an event with such a national impact, what does it mean to be black in Brazil and how does this characteristic make you proud?
Being black in Brazil is challenging, people are prejudiced and that will never change. So I use my time to be the best I can be, and treat others with love and respect. That’s the way I was taught to be, and it’s not the color of my skin that’s going to change that. I’m very proud of myself for that.
Follow Tamires Bittencourt on Instagram