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JOURNAL

Her Kind: PIO new winter campaign

... A Story Inspired by a poem



Mystery, folklore, light. PIO's new winter campaign has been brought to life by the photographer Rocío Benavides and documented by the multitasking filmmaker Vegas.


hand knitted hats
off-white and black Nico hats


Nature is Benavides's ultimate source of inspiration. She has countless obsessions, particularly regarding trees and the way light changes from one moment to the next, water reflections, and man-made structures in nature. All of these elements play a crucial role in every photoshoot she plans.

Deeply inspired by Anne Sexton poem “Her Kind” and folk stories of the Pyrenees, which revolve around water women, witches, spirits that roam the land and coexist with the living, Rocío tells us a fashion story of mystery, folklore, and light while the muses wander through nature.







Meet The Photographer:



Born in El Salvador and based in Madrid, Rocío Benavides is a fashion and product photographer who received her formal training at the EFTI academy in Madrid.


With a background in journalism and classical music *she plays the violin, to be more specific!* She translates all her artistry and discipline into her work.


She has dedicated herself to fashion and product photography since 2020.









Meet The Filmmaker:


Diego, A.K.A. Vegas, is a multitasking, creative soul—a filmmaker and music producer born and based in Madrid. Although most of his career has been in the cinema industry, music and fashion have played a significant role in his journey.


When we asked Vegas to produce a fashion film for PIO's new campaign, he immediately started brainstorming about beats and images. He created an audiovisual piece that would establish a harmonious, slightly dark, and casual atmosphere, aiming to evoke a sense of contrast and duality for the viewer.




The Team:


Picnic season is officially open!

...grab your picnic blanket and head outdoors

There’s something rather pleasing about dining al fresco on a freshly mowed park grass, with the weather looking to be sunnier by the day: it’s time to start our early spring picnics.

To celebrate picnic season and park life that we all love we asked Pastry Chef Juliana Pascal to create for us a recipe full of spring feel.

strawberries tart recipe
Strawberries in Bloom tartlet



Here, we share Juliana's Strawberries in Bloom Tartlets for you to practice your baking skills.

Oh! Don't forget the bottle of fizz in the fridge... Cheers hun!







STRAWBERRIES IN BLOOM TARTLETS

Serves 8

You'll need:

8- 8cm tart tins or rings

8- 5cm silicone half sphere moulds


SABLÉE PASTRY:

180g plain flour

90g cold unsalted butter in cubes

70g caster sugar

25g almond flour, sifted

1g salt

38g eggs

For pastry finishing: 25g of melted cocoa butter (or coconut oil)


STRAWBERRY GEL:

240g of fresh strawberry puree

72g caster sugar

10g lemon juice

10g leaf gelatin

200g clear topping glaze


STRAWBERRY CREMEUX:

130g ripe strawberry puree

3g lemon juice

45g caster sugar

3g leaf gelatin

125g double cream (fresh and cold)


TART FINISHING:

200g fresh sliced ​​strawberries

Q.B. of mirror or nappage glaze

Edible flowers


METHOD:


*SABLÉE PASTRY:


1. To make the pastry, measure the flours, salt, sugar and butter into a processor and with the racket at low speed, whiz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in the eggs, then bring together into a smooth dough.



3. Transfer the dough to a box with lid or wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1hour.

4. Roll out the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper until is 2 to 3mm thick. Line the tart tins or rings and then chill in the fridge for 1hour.

5. Transfer the tarts to the freezer for 30 minutes before baking.

6. Prick the bottom of your tarts with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 160ºC, for about 20 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown.


7. Remove and brush cocoa butter (or melted and warm coconut oil) all over the inside to waterproof them. Set aside to cool.


*STRAWBERRY GEL:


1. Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and leave it.

2. Place the strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice into a pan and set over a low heat. Stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 80ºC.

3. Turn off the heat, squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and add them to the hot strawberries mixture. Stir until dissolved.

4. Place the strawberry gel into eight silicone half sphere moulds, about 30g in each mould. Freeze.


*STRAWBERRY CREMEUX:

1. Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and set aside.


2. Place the strawberry puree, sugar and lemon juice into a pan and set over a low heat. Stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 80ºC.

3. Turn off the heat, squeeze the water from the gelatine leaves and add them to the hot mixture and mix well until is completely homogeneous.

4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

5. Whip the double cream to soft peaks. When the strawberry mixture reach 32ºC, add 2 large tablespoons of the whipped cream to the strawberry and gelatine mixture and stir in gently. Carefully fold in the rest of the cream until the mixture is smooth and light.



6. Immediately pour into the 8 tartlets bases, filling them to the edge. Place in the fridge or freezer until well set and firm.



FINISHING:


1. Thinly slice the strawberries. Spread a little mirror or nappage glaze in a bowl and gently wrap the strawberry slices in the gel.

2. Remove the strawberry gel half spheres from the moulds. Gently coat them with clear topping glaze. Place one half sphere on top of each tart center.

3. Place the strawberry petals around de sphere.

4. Finish with mirror or nappage glaze and edible flowers.



Strawberries and flowers are a Spring classic but feel free to try it with raspberry or other berry you like. They are all absolutely delicious!




Meet our bff & Chef: Juliana Pascal

Originally trained as a lawyer by the Mackenzie University, Juliana soon found herself chasing the fragrance of freshly baked bread and tarts to the Superior Course of Technology in Confectionery and Bakery at the Anhembi Morumbi University in São Paulo.

Graduated as a pastry chef, she went to the US and studied Artisanal Bakery at the San Francisco Baking and in Confectionery at the École Valrhona in New York.

After that she went to Italy and specialised in Gelato Manufacturing at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, and in Bakery at the Centro di Ricerche and Svilupo Agugiaro & Figna in Padova.

Back in Brazil, she studied Flour Technology at ITAL in Campinas. She has been teaching baking & confectionery classes for over 12 years at several universities, training courses and institutions in the gastronomy area. Juliana also advises and trains at a corporate level.


Models: Ginebra Cañas and Vera Gottert

Photographer: Dafne De La Fuente

Recipe and food pics: Juliana Pascal


Vera wears: Esther Camisole and Koi bag

Ginebra wears: Customisable Coco Beret and Koi bag

Visit our STORE to see much more!





Odile & Odette

...A Swan Story


To showcase our knitwear collection inspired by the Swan Lake Ballet, we teamed up with photographer Liliana Osorio to construct a beautiful and poetic story about the inner conflict among the two sides within oneself: the battle between light and shadow, and how we tirelessly try to prevail one voice over the other, forgetting that without the shadow there is no light.

This story talks about seduction, the risk of falling into temptation and the internal strength we need to have to close one cycle and start a new one.





chunky oversized sweater hand knitted 100% wool
Odette super sweater



fashion editorial photography

Meet the photographer & art director:

Formerly trained as an architect with a master’s degree in Fashion photography, Venezuelan and Madrid-based photographer Liliana Osorio had her photographs published in digital and printed magazines in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and North America, among others.

She has worked with many commercial brands and fashion designers, but her main focus is Portrait Editorial and StillLife photography. Architectural codes are constantly present in her work, given her background as an architect and her experience in this area.

In her own words: the most relevant characteristic of my photography is working with natural light. I am interested in building a visual narrative style that is clean, sober and where attention is in the details, which is undoubtedly my priority.




The Team:


Featured in Haute Punch Magazine


VISIT OUR STORE TO EXPLORE THE COLLECTION & FOLLOW US AT @PIO.RIOBRANCO

















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