As someone who grew up in the ’90s, I am very familiar with the expression “girl power.” The first time I remember hearing this term was from my absolute favorite girl group, the Spice Girls. To say that I was obsessed would be an understatement. I owned every single one of their CDs, movies, posters and any other memorabilia you can think of. Not only did I love their music and style, but I was in awe of how they truly embodied their mantra of girl power.

During this time, I was also incredibly obsessed with the 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup soccer team. I spent hours with my aunt watching Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Julie Foudy play on television and spent even more time trying to learn as much about them as I possibly could. Every time they scored a goal or won a game, I was astounded at how talented they were and tried to mimic their moves during my own soccer games. I wasn’t nearly as good as them, but I tried my hardest.

During this time, I was only about 11 years old, so the idea of girl power and feminism didn’t really register with me. But now looking back at these amazing women, I understand the impact they made on not only me and my generation, but on the entertainment and sports worlds. You might think it’s silly to say, but I truly believe that these powerhouse individuals paved the way for women like me to succeed in today’s world. I think that they inspired women everywhere to believe that anything is possible.

As we began working on our February women’s eyewear issue, our Art Director Maria Cruz Lord declared that our entire crew would be made up of all women: a female photographer, female hair/makeup artists, female stylist, female models, female art director and female editors. The day of our photo shoot was filled with amazing ideas, stylish clothes, easy collaboration and great vibes. In my 10 years at 20/20, this was one of my favorite shoots. Not just because of our remarkable crew and the fabulous eyewear we selected, but because of what this day represented: girl power.

I can’t wait for you to see the photos and eyewear we selected for this issue. I hope as you flip through these pages or browse our website and social channels that you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, something that I think every single member of our crew felt while putting together this photo shoot. It’s safe to say, the Spice Girls would be proud.

—Victoria Garcia
Fashion Editor
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