“It all began with us calling each other and joking, ‘Can you do Dara Zine?’ or ‘Are you free for Dara Zine?'” Photographer Cruz Valdez is sharing the story behind the zine she created with stylist and model Dara. Spanning 44 vibrant pages, Dara Zine celebrates style, poses, attitude, humor, warmth, and above all, friendship—all captured by Valdez and featuring Dara exclusively. The two first connected as fashion-obsessed teens in Southern California, blogging passionately and dreaming of their future home: New York City. As their friendship marks its tenth year, Cruz and Dara continue to create images together, a fact highlighted at the start of their publication. This may be why Dara Zine feels so captivating—it’s a pure, unapologetic expression of two friends creating and playing in NYC, driven by their love for photography and for each other.
Embracing characters and having fun with them—like channeling Cinderella—is central to the Dara Zine spirit.
In the zine, Dara explores a range of looks and moods, asking, “Who are you, Dara Magoo?” She channels Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face (think black crop pants, kitten-heel mules, and a little black dress worthy of Hubert de Givenchy—Dara had a photo of Hepburn from the film pinned in her bedroom). There’s her sunny yellow hair phase (which looked fabulous—bright and TikTok-ready), Cinderella holding a broom and her clothes in a kaleidoscopic Comme des Garçons–inspired swirl, and an angelic Barbarella-inspired look with wings (though Valdez notes she was also thinking about icons and symbolism when taking that shot).
In my favorite images, Dara evokes Lynne Koester, stalking Manhattan in dramatic scarlet while wrapped in dark shades, with the city’s everyday life unfolding behind her. The result is perfectly imperfect: they experiment freely, reminiscent of a more innocent era when photographer and subject collaborated to push creativity to its limits—”making images with no conditions,” as Valdez says.
The project unfolded over a year, planned to be as spontaneous as possible as they balanced their schedules, along with hair stylist Sonny Molina, who played a key role. “It was our chance to have free rein—to be inspired, try new things, and follow our intuition,” Valdez explains. “I wanted it to feel textured, whether in the studio or outdoors, to take you on a journey. Sometimes we shot nonstop for two days straight, inspired by musicians holing up to record an album back-to-back.” The hundreds of resulting images were curated by their friend, graphic designer John Patrikas, who arranged them with sensitivity and wit, giving the project a joyful, tactile immediacy.
Of course, with such freedom, some elements are intentional, while others emerge naturally from creating in the moment. For instance, the clothing Dara wears isn’t about showcasing designer labels but about helping to express different characters. “We wanted the clothes to serve the ideas, not just be fashion,” Valdez says. “We didn’t want it to be about—””It wasn’t meant to be, ‘Oh look, we’re doing the zine, and look at all these flashy, fabulous clothes.'”
That was a smart approach because it gives the images a timeless quality, free from the usual fashion shoot constraints that often feel tied to a specific moment. What truly dates these pictures for both Valdez and Dara are the emotions they were living through and what they experienced while creating together. “Dara and I each had a tough year,” Valdez explains, “so this project became a space for us to express ourselves and find a break from everything. Also,” she continued, “I’ve been pushing myself to explore whether photography can convey emotion. For me, music or writing often feel more naturally emotional, but with these images… I feel I’ve managed to tap into that—taking pain or anxiety, that almost beautiful terror, and transforming it into something sublime.”
The back cover of Dara Zine stands in stark contrast to the front, but that’s all part of the freedom the zine embodies.
Speaking of feelings, Dara Zine reminds me that every deeply creative person, as the pressures of career and success mount, eventually needs to revisit their roots, like a Saturn return. The beauty of this zine is that two friends, who met on the brink of adulthood, found the space to create the kind of work they dreamed of as kids. Maybe that sounds sentimental, but in a time when challenges are coming at us fast and furious, there’s something incredibly affirming about it: it evokes a sense of happiness that someone, somewhere, is pursuing their passion, no matter how relentless the world may seem. “This is the heart of what we wanted to do—create with someone you love,” Valdez says. “Dara is my sister. She’s such an important person in my life and to my art. That’s the pure essence of it—just making a book we love and feeling inspired by it. And it feels amazing to be able to share it.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and clear FAQs about Dara Zine
General Questions
What is Dara Zine
Dara Zine is a creative selfpublished magazine that serves as a delightful tribute to friendship Its a personalized project where you collect memories inside jokes photos and messages to celebrate your friends
Who is Dara Zine for
Its perfect for anyone who wants to create a unique and heartfelt gift for their friends Its especially great for commemorating a big life event a shared experience or just to say thank you for being you
Do I need to be artistic to make one
Not at all The beauty of a zine is its personal DIY charm Its more about the sentiment and memories than perfect artistry You can use photos printed text simple drawings or collage
Benefits Purpose
Whats the main benefit of making a Dara Zine
It creates a tangible lasting keepsake of your friendship that is far more personal and creative than a standard greeting card or social media post
Why is it called a tribute to friendship
Because its entire purpose is to reflect on and honor the unique bond you share with your friends Its an active way to show your appreciation and love
How is this better than just sending a text or giving a storebought gift
A Dara Zine requires thought time and effort which makes the recipient feel truly seen and valued Its a oneofakind item they cant get anywhere else
Creating Your Dara Zine
What should I include in my Dara Zine
Think of your favorite shared memories Include photos a list of reasons I love our friendship memorable text conversations a playlist of your shared songs or a comic of a funny moment you had
What materials do I need to get started
You can start simply with paper scissors glue and pens For a more polished look you can use a computer for layout and printing
Whats a simple structure I can follow
A great beginner structure is
1 Cover A title and a great photo of you all
2 Page 1 A heartfelt introduction or letter
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