Model Marianne Fonseca Celebrates Gente Beauty's 1-Year Anniversary During NYFW (Exclusive)

The Brazilian beauty CEO held an intimate brunch with some of her closest pals, along with her boyfriend Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers

Marianne Fonseca radiates the essence of her Brazilian culture with her positive, sultry, carefree energy.

On Sunday, the model and entrepreneur celebrated the one-year anniversary of her Gente body care line with some of her closest pals, including boyfriend Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers.

The intimate brunch, designed by celebrity party planner Amanda Orso, was held at the private Manhattan club Zero Bond during New York Fashion Week.

PEOPLE spoke exclusively with the beauty CEO about the benefits of her brand, embracing the sexy spirit of Brazil and the immense support she has received from Taggart throughout her endeavor.

"I really wanted to bring the Brazilian culture to the world because we are very mixed in Brazil. I think we are one of the most mixed countries," Fonseca, 33, tells PEOPLE. "Anybody could be Brazilian — we have this acceptance of who we are and just feeling beautiful in your own skin."

"We are very much about body care and we are in a tropical country so we're always with very little clothes always in our bikinis and you need to feel confident in your body like that," she adds.

While a champion of body positivity, the Los Angeles-based beauty admits to having her own insecurities at times, which she stresses is perfectly normal for all women. "I have less elasticity [in my 30s], but I also have a product that can help me be more tight and reverse that a little bit."

The Gente products use native Brazilian ingredients "and innovative biotechnology molecules" to treat the skin with creams and treatments for all body types, with an emphasis on using a self-lymphatic draining system, which Fonseca says is one of Brazil's "top beauty secrets" and something she's grown up doing.

Fonseca's friend Hailey Bieber is a fan of Gente's Lymphatic Drainage Effect, and raved about the smell of the product and the "amazing" results she achieved. "Smells amazing, feels amazing. Obsessed," she wrote on a past Instagram Story.

As for Fonseca's support from Taggart, "He supports me in everything that I do. He's like my best friend," she says of the musician, also 33.

"He always tries to make things better for me and he always makes my days better. And with the brand, he has been so supportive in so many ways and has helped me so much and I've never experienced that kind of love and someone that really just cares for me and wants to see me winning. Not for any reason just because he loves me and that's just the most special for me."

Related: Gisele Bündchen Shares Intimate Photos from Her Trip to Brazil: 'What a Magical Place'

"I'm proud of her," Taggart shares with PEOPLE, describing Fonseca as "intimidatingly beautiful," but so "warm and open-minded" as soon as you get to know her.

"She's very optimistic and positive that the right things are going to happen at the right time," he explains of his love. "And she has a level of patience that a lot of people that I grew up with in America don't have — open-mindedness and positivity, a positive mindset."

Taggart just dropped The Chainsmokers' latest single, "Summertime Friends," which he wrote about "Mari" and the night they met.

"We just sat together and spoke to each other the entire night," he recalls of the L.A. fête. "I didn't know if she actually liked me or was just being nice or didn't have anyone talk to at the party. And so that song is about that night."

"I think you can hear it in my voice and how much I mean what I'm saying and how desperately I'm wanting this to work."

Making a point to highlight Fonseca's hard-working efforts, Taggart continues of Gente:

"This company means everything to her, and I see how hard she works on it day in and day out, and she does everything herself," Taggart says. "I know this product launch is extremely important. Both of us have crazy schedules between her modeling and me doing shows. And so whenever I'm able to be there and support, I try to do my best."

Guests at Sunday's event were entertained with live music by Brazilian duo Ruled By The Moon. During the brunch, Fonseca made an effort to spend individual time with every person in the room.

Fresh flowers in the brand's colors of purple and green decorated the tables, with sleek vases of the female form scattered around the elegantly lit room.

"I think everything matches perfectly," Fonseca says of Orso's event design. "All the shapes of the booties and the boobies and candleholders. It's very chic and beautiful, classy and sexy, and I think it really represents the brand so nicely. I was very excited to see it all come together."

Coming full circle in the interview about growing up in Brazil, Fonseca says she really looked up to supermodels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosia and "especially Giselle."

"I remember watching her walk the runway and just feel like goosebumps — some fire inside of me. I want to be like her as a whole," she says of Bündchen, 43. "I think she's a role model for Brazilian girls because she's very simple. She's all about nature ... I look up to her."

Adds Fonseca, "She's really like our goddess."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.