With 300,000 glass crystals and over 4 kg on her body, Andressa Urach details her Sapucaí debut with Porto da Pedra.
At 38, the Brazilian influencer is getting ready to step onto Rio’s Sambadrome for Carnival 2026, marching with Unidos do Porto da Pedra in Série Ouro. She says her main focus is handling the costume’s physical demand while keeping her samba aligned with the school’s pace.
300,000 crystals and French lace details
Designed for her Sapucaí debut, Urach’s look features around 300,000 glass crystals and weighs just over four kilos. She says the weight calls for conditioning so she can keep her performance steady from start to finish.
She also highlights craftsmanship in the headpiece, saying the stones were cut in France. The sleeves, she adds, use French lace hand-embroidered and finished with crystals applied over the fabric.
“It’s a heavy costume, entirely made of crystals, and that requires preparation to make it down the avenue”
Colors and shine shift as she moves
Urach says the costume’s visual effect changes along the route, shaped by Sapucaí’s lighting and the body’s motion. She describes lilac and green as the main colors, with blue accents, all built around crystal work.
“The costume is lilac and green, with blue details, and it’s all worked in crystals. As we cross Sapucaí, the shine changes with the light, with body movement, and with the rhythm of samba, and that makes a big difference in the presentation”
Weight affects samba execution, she says
She says the costume directly impacts how she dances. With more than four kilos on her body, she emphasizes adjusting to the avenue’s space and the school’s timing so everything stays balanced.
“It’s over four kilos on the body, so you have to samba consciously. You feel the weight, you feel the costume, and you need to adapt to the school’s tempo and the space on the avenue so everything happens harmoniously”
Tattoos become part of the overall look
Another detail she underscores is how her tattoos blend into the visual composition. She says nearly 50% of her body is tattooed, and she sees that as part of what the crowd reads—alongside the crystals, colors, and shine.
“With almost 50% of my body tattooed, that’s also part of the costume. The tattoos show up alongside the crystals, the colors, and the shine, and they end up integrating the composition the audience sees when the school passes”
When Porto da Pedra hits the avenue
Unidos do Porto da Pedra will parade on Saturday, February 14, 2026, in Série Ouro at Marquês de Sapucaí. The theme is “Das Mais Antigas da Vida, o Doce e Amargo Beijo da Noite”.
For Urach, the debut also comes with heightened emotion. She says she’s approaching the build-up with focus and anticipation, aware of how everything scales up at Sapucaí.
“The anxiety is huge, because it’s a debut, it’s an important parade, and everything takes on another proportion at Sapucaí. I’m living this preparation with a lot of attention and expectations for the day I step onto the avenue”
Photo: Davi Borges
