Bianca Andrade e Raphael Vicente lead Decora Maré 2025, a Tropical Christmas contest that unites creativity, recycling and community pride.
Tropical Christmas lights up Maré
Entrepreneur Bianca Andrade and actor, businessman and content creator Raphael Vicente join forces for the third edition of Decora Maré. Now a tradition with strong cultural value, the project returns in 2025 with the theme “Natal Tropical”. The initiative encourages residents to use recyclable materials as the main pillar of their Christmas decorations.
The project turns Maré’s year-end celebration into a vibrant decoration contest across alleys, windows and façades. Colored lights, a long-standing symbol of affection and resistance in the community, gain new meaning. Thus, Decora Maré blends creativity, belonging and sustainability in one single action.
“This year we wanted to innovate, move away from that snowy American Christmas and get closer to our tropical climate. We wanted to make Christmas look more like us. Favela people are super creative and really embraced the idea,” says Raphael Vicente.
Recycling, creativity and a sense of belonging
Designed to strengthen local culture and family bonds, the project inspires residents to fill their homes’ façades with color and hope. In this edition, the focus on reusing and transforming materials reinforces an environmental message. In this way, Decora Maré shows that creativity and sustainability can shine together.
With every light that turns on, the project invites the community to keep the Christmas spirit alive. At the same time, it challenges outside audiences to see the favela from a new perspective. Maré appears as a territory full of life, joy and collectivity, where celebrating is also an act of resistance.
Powerful local role models
The life stories of Bianca and Raphael are central to Decora Maré. Known as Boca Rosa, Bianca Andrade grew up in Parque União, in Maré, and built one of Brazil’s strongest beauty brands. Raphael Vicente, from the Rubens Vaz favela, is an actor, entrepreneur and founder of the Dance Maré group.
His content, rooted in everyday life, fashion and art, has gained wide recognition on social media. Together, they use their visibility to highlight the value of local culture and the creative power that comes from the community. Consequently, the project becomes even more representative for Maré’s residents.
Contest, public voting and prizes
After families signed up, the public was invited to vote for their favorite decorations on the project’s website. On Saturday, the 13th, Bianca and Raphael visited the 10 finalist homes, personally delivering the news of their selection. The visits were greeted with excitement and pride by the residents.
On Sunday, the 14th, all finalist families gathered to discover the winning house, chosen by a jury, a new feature this year. For the first time, Decora Maré also received support from Consul. The top five places were awarded cash prizes ranging from R$ 3,000 to R$ 10,000, while the remaining five received symbolic amounts.
“For me, Decora Maré is living proof that creativity and beauty are powerful forces born in our community. I grew up in Parque União and I know the favela is a place full of culture, hard work and dreams. In this third edition, with the ‘Natal Tropical’ theme, we bring our Brazilian way of life and reinforce the importance of reusing what we already have. We want to show that it is possible to make art with purpose, combining sustainability and joy. This action celebrates who we are and highlights the creative energy that pulses in Maré,” says Bianca Andrade.
Cultural activism and new narratives
With the success of its third edition, Decora Maré reaffirms the transformative power of combining cultural activism, community engagement and support from partner brands. By celebrating Christmas with creativity and environmental awareness, the project goes beyond decoration. It becomes a symbol of collective organization and pride.
The initiative also projects a new narrative of hope and resilience from Maré to the rest of Brazil. Therefore, it underscores the importance of self-organization, unity and the celebration of belonging. Decora Maré shows that the favela is a space of potential, talent and future.
