English Version | Editor's Letter: The Pursuit of Happiness Issue, March 2025

In Pursuit of Happiness

Perhaps because it is such an abstract concept, we tend to think happiness is unattainable. In fact, happiness is not something that is achieved, like a goal or a door that we cross It's these moments, like clouds in a sunny sky, that we go through. And we feel happy. Especially happy. The length of this full sensation varies depending on the size of the cloud we go through. And we will only truly recognize happiness when we look at the sky as a whole. We will then be able to see if we have had a lifetime full of happy moments, even in the midst of less good ones and some thunderstorms. It's not worth looking at this canvas before it's completely painted. We can miss little clouds of happiness if we're always looking back at the whole of our past.

I have a long-time friend who has always struggled to celebrate her achievements. Prefers to wait. Wait to see if that job she always wanted will last six months or wait until she knows if that house was a good choice. As if celebrating could foretell the future. Without realizing it, we may end up not allowing ourselves to be happy, as if we could only celebrate at the end, when we know that everything worked out.

Laiza de Moura for The Pursuit of Happiness Issue
Juankr

Happiness is in the big things as much as it is hidden in the smallest. The cliché, more than worn out, about not being the destination, but rather the journey, is also the metaphor that best defines this path we live, always in search of happiness, which can be both a state of mind and something that approaches a more permanent state.

I hope you find moments of happiness in reading this Vogue, and I'm not just talking about the content, but about everything that's around you... maybe you're on your favorite sofa and have half an hour to yourself, or you're having breakfast and you're reading us while you have your morning coffee. The little details that give us pleasure, but that we easily forget because of the weight of the whole.

Giulia for the The Bridal Affair Supplement
Marilou Daube

Some schools of thought, such as Stoicism, for example, argue that true happiness comes from accepting what is outside of our control, focusing only on what we can change internally. This would lead to a more lasting state of contentment, even in the face of the greatest challenges. For others, happiness is more transitory, dependent on external moments and experiences.

In the end, happiness seems to be a delicate balance between finding pleasure in the little things in life, being at peace with yourself, and living meaningful relationships.

Daga Ziober for the The Bridal Affair Supplement
Aleksandra Modrzejewska

Translated from the original in The Happiness Issue, published march 2025. For full stories and credits, check the print issue.