Maria Galvão de Sousa

A longtime friend and collaborator of Tabitha Hodgson (TH), Maria Galvão de Sousa is the Director of Creative Strategy at Karla Otto. During the Venice Biennale and the 81st Venice International Film Festival, Maria collaborated with Luca Guadagnino and his company, Homo Faber, contributing to the art direction of both the fair and the festival.

TH and Maria first met while working together on a project for Celeste Waite. Their shared background in fashion, along with Maria’s expertise in food design, laid the foundation for a mutual appreciation of craft, materiality, and independent designers.

Throughout the Biennale, TH styled Maria for a number of high-profile events, including the Venice AmFAR AIDS Benefit Gala, which Maria hosted, as well as Homo Faber luncheons and private dinners held at The Gritti Palace and Harry’s Bar.

One particularly noted look featured a dress by Ichiyo, then contributing to Balenciaga’s bridal atelier, paired with bold bangles by the Australian label Dinosaur Designs, handcrafted by the brand’s founding artist duo. The ensemble was completed with Hai pumps from London and fine jewelry by R A M.