In 2026, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival will be marked not only by the iconic title of the Unidos do Viradourobut for a meeting between samba and international fashion.
At the center of this narrative is, 46, who returned to the role of drum queen of , who paid tribute to , Ciça, one of the most powerful figures of the Rio revelry.
To dress this feeling, the stylist Yan Accioli orchestrated an operation that united the association’s warehouse in Niterói with the studios in Milan.
In an interview with CNN Brazilhe admits that he considered himself almost “retired” from the party until the actress’ invitation, and details how the partnership with Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana transformed the fashion show into an open-air haute couture event.
The concept: literal royalty
Unlike costumes that focus on abstract brilliance, Juliana’s costume was designed to dialogue with the school’s history and Tarcísio Zanon’s plot. “The queen has the role of leading and orchestrating the drums. Her look, under no circumstances, can clash with the story”, he says.
“From the beginning, we understood that Juliana would have to come as a queen in the literal sense: imposing, luxurious, with a royal aesthetic. That’s when the idea of creating the look with Dolce & Gabbana came about, which perfectly translated this brief of opulence and tradition”, he adds.
The logistics of the play were a cultural exchange. While the Viradouro warehouse took care of the engineering — the hardware molds, the bra and the head structure were made directly on the actress’ body — the finish was worthy of a European red carpet.
“We sent these molds to Milan for them to adapt. In the middle of January, the D&G team came to Brazil and literally camped in the Viradouro shed”, reveals the stylist. The technical rigor is impressive: there were around 250 hours of manual work.
“We opted for Swarovski crystals applied one by one, all embroidered by hand. There is no use of hot glue — precisely because the proposal was to bring haute couture to samba. The velvet is Italian, of the highest quality, and the feathers are reused, donated by the school itself”, he says.
According to Yan, the Italian artisans responsible for the embroidery are avowed fans of Juliana Paes due to the Brazilian soap operas shown in Europe. One of them insisted on coming to Brazil to put the finishing touches on the piece.
Comfort as a priority
Despite the luxury, Juliana’s comfort and performance were a priority. Yan says that the actress, a veteran of the avenue, had an opinion on every ergonomic detail. However, one specific item brought the weight of history: a scepter from a European antique dealer, specializing in pieces from nobility and ancient churches, rented by D&G.
Even with months of planning, the “improvisation” of Carnival was present with 72 hours left until the parade.
“The cover became removable three days before, as soon as we did the test climbing into the car. We came to the conclusion that if it went up with the cover on, it could wrap around the cannons that were in the car. But I soon came up with the idea of making the piece removable”, he says.
The feeling of victory
For Yan, the Viradouro title in 2026 crowns a process where Juliana Paes’ only requirement was fun. Seeing the “Queen of Niterói” alongside Mestre Ciça was the culmination of a two-decade career at Sapucaí.
“We see that emotion still has a very strong place in parades and there is no Carnival without emotion”, he reflects.
“This queen doesn’t come in front, she doesn’t come behind, she comes on the side of this king. It was very remarkable when we saw the king, queen and presidents climbing the stairs of the car”, he concludes.
