Exclusive Cover "Legacy" - Global Issue
Photos: Gutyerrez Erdmann- @gutyerrez
Look: WELLUSED - @_wellused
Earring: @viviennewestwood
Director Design Cover: Matheus Lopes - @mathlopes
Diego Matheus Carlota Rocha, better known as Matheus Hooks, is a graphic designer by training who has always loved writing and being part of the fashion world. At the age of 15, Matheus created a blog called "Hook's Blog" "Hooks" was a nickname given by a friend who called him Captain Hook (a character from the "Peter Pan" cartoon). Creating this blog was a way for his mind, which had never felt accepted or equal to other children since childhood, to escape. It was then that he realized there was a world where people could express themselves freely - the "fashion universe," as he calls it, became his safe haven. On the blog, he posted photos of fashion shows like the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" and texts about his vision of this universe.
However, life went on, and he needed to consider the reality he lived in. With religious parents who were pastors, he found himself with few career options. From ages 15 to 24, he had various parallel professions to the blog, always in the fashion world, ranging from Visual Merchandising to TV interviewer at Vogue events, always writing about the events he covered and working with brands.
At the age of 24, he immersed himself in the world of magazine writing, working for physical magazines as a writer, columnist, and fashion director. When he realized that his blog was gaining great visibility and collaborating with major brands like "Deezer" and "Cheetos," he decided to transform "Hook's Blog" into a fashion magazine.
"Ganchu" became "Hooks," derived from English. With this new name, the magazine grew and became a favorite among celebrities, who promoted it to millions of followers from the start. To illustrate the magazine's growth, just one cover featuring Kat Graham (Hollywood actress - The Vampire Diaries) gained over 50,000 followers.
International focus has always been part of the magazine's identity since its inception. From the beginning, partnerships and collaborations were established with artists and brands beyond its immediate sphere. The first cover of the magazine featured a duo of Australian singers known as the "No Frills Twins."
Today, the magazine has partners in more than 30 countries around the world, releasing covers, editorials, interviews, and articles from various places weekly, reaching thousands of people with different ideas, thoughts, and experiences. In 2024, Hooks reached the milestone of 704 thousand followers on Instagram and 1.1 million followers across its two TikTok accounts. Additionally, the magazine's videos have accumulated over 32 million likes.
The magazine's fame on social media has never been the founder's focus, but he explains in an interview what makes the difference: "Being a reference in what we do attracts people who identify with us; our content is made with passion, without mincing words, without gossip, just unique and accurate content," said Matheus Hooks.
Check out the exclusive interview:
1. How did your journey in the fashion industry start, from the Blog do Ganchu, about 12 years ago?
Well, 12 years ago, obviously, the internet didn't have all these possibilities as it does today, but there were some writing platforms. I started with a blog on Blogger and Tumblr, and later I opened my own website. I grew up in Curitiba, a city that, at the time, didn't have as much representation in the fashion industry, so I often tell my acquaintances from that time who worked in fashion that we were pioneers in the city. I myself attended the first editions of fashion shows that no longer exist in the city today, or some are already well established. I always sought out opportunities, so I presented myself for event coverage through the Ganchu blog, created store displays to earn money, and also wrote about brand launches. All of this, of course, took time to give me financial returns, so I continued with parallel jobs, had clothing stores, worked in Visual Merchandising in malls, and even had a sewing workshop. In the middle of this years-long journey, I met some friends who worked in fashion journalism, and it was at that moment that I found myself, with artistic graphic design and writing, eventually transforming my old blog into a fashion magazine.
2. Could you share some insights about your transition from fashion blogger to reporter and fashion director in magazines?
Basically, as a blogger, I presented an idea and used my image to express what I thought and supported. Today, it's not so different; I still do that, but it's Hooks Magazine that appears, not just Matheus Hooks. I never liked appearing so much with my image, so with the magazine, I can express my art, use my ideas for something bigger, without needing to promote my "face." I worked as a reporter at events in Curitiba, where I learned many things, but it was for a short time; shortly after, I began working with magazines, writing, conducting interviews, and directing fashion.
3. What inspired the transformation of Blog do Ganchu into an online magazine, especially during the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic?
The pandemic changed my perspective on many things, and one of them was the connection we lost with things and people in person. I had several thoughts about it and used that moment to try to connect digitally. At that time, Hooks brought in professionals from the psychology field for Lives on the Instagram profile, where we discussed this tragic moment in our history and how we could overcome it together. In the live broadcasts, we also featured professionals from fashion, beauty, skincare, and even experts in movies and series, all to entertain our audience, who were distressed.
4. As the founder, what are the main milestones and achievements that stand out for Hooks Magazine over the past four years?
Personally, it was my overcoming of various issues. Three years ago, I became ill with panic attacks due to work exhaustion. At that time, I worked until late hours, sometimes even until 8 PM without stopping. Because when you have something as unique in your hands as Hooks Magazine is to me, you want to do everything to reach other people all the time. However, after receiving psychological treatment, I learned that everything has its time. In the years that Hooks has been in the fashion market, it has already achieved significant milestones that I couldn't have imagined 12 years ago. Hooks Magazine has collaborated with big names in the fashion world, which is very gratifying. Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X, Kendall Jenner, Kat Graham, and many other international artists have already been featured in Hooks. We have covered countless Fashion Weeks around the world in person, with the support of our official magazine partners. And I can't forget the digital milestones; in 2024, Hooks reached the milestone of 704 thousand followers on Instagram and 1.1 million followers across its two TikTok accounts. Additionally, the magazine's videos have accumulated over 32 million likes.
5. With partnerships in more than 30 countries, what challenges and successes have you encountered in establishing global collaborations with companies and artists?
The biggest challenge, for sure, was the language barrier and also the culture. I love my country, Brazil, very much, but to establish connections around the world, I often had to conceal that fact. Unfortunately, for many countries, Brazil is considered a "developing" location. However, we've conducted business in languages you wouldn't even imagine, we've even managed in Russian, but of course, with the help of the digital world, these connections became "easier."
6. Hooks Magazine is recognized for its commitment to providing factual content instead of gossip. How do you maintain this commitment in the fashion journalism landscape?
Well, we are a fashion and entertainment magazine. Take the biggest magazine of all time, "Vogue," for reference. Do you see them publishing celebrity gossip? Most of these "gossips" aren't even confirmed, and journalism is about research and fact-checking, not speculation. The purpose of Hooks is to bring a world that often only reaches a very privileged elite to people in general who like to follow trends, events, and releases. Hooks is about art, design, fashion, and truth.
7. In your career, there are surely people who have inspired you and supported you, would you like to give special thanks to anyone?
Certainly, you know, I grew up in a Christian family, with loving parents. Of course, we had problems in my adolescence with my sexuality, but everything had a final purpose. I would like to extend my special thanks to my father Paulo, my mother Rosa, my brother Jackson, who has been my life companion since childhood and has always supported me, and to my sister-in-law, who has been a part of my life since childhood as well. Along this path, I've had special people who helped me in the world of fashion. I thank Evely Oliveira, a friend and partner who was with me in the most difficult moments of tears and crises. I am grateful to a friend of many years, who taught me a lot, named Chris Preta. To friends who supported me since school, Alessandra Bergamaski and Gizah Tissot, I love you like sisters! To friends whom destiny has taken out of my trajectory, but for whom I am grateful, Marcos, Lucas, and others, you know who you are, haha.
Special thanks today to Matheus Lopes, who is the current commercial director of Hooks; this guy changed the history of the magazine! So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you; I will always be grateful.
After shedding a few tears while writing these acknowledgments, I will say goodbye by thanking this beautiful tribute from the magazine! I couldn't include all my thanks here, but if you know you've been with me, know that I am grateful!
