Vain Stylist issue no.1°- ENG by Vain Magazines

S T Y L I S T

Index

S T Y L I S T STELLA JEAN

Speaks of herself P. 12

Index

AURORA POTENTI

P. 33

POP’XOTIC FANTASY P. 20

DOE DEERE P.35

MERCATO MONTI P. 21

HAIRSTYLE

P. 37

MODA E SOCIALNETWORK P. 22

GIUSEPPE DE GENNARO

Speaks of himself P. 28

CLAUDIO DI MARI Speaks oh himself P. 40

OPHELIA P. 52

www.harim.it

S T E L L A

J E A N

STELLA JEAN SPEAKS OF HERSELF By Valentina Sorrenti Selena Magni

n ethnic melting pot applied to fashion is what we see in the creations of the young fashion designer Stella Jean. Her father is from Turin and her mother from Haiti. She transposes her multicultural origins in the “Wax and Stripes Philosophy”. Wax represents her mother’s side, Haiti, while the stripes in men’s shirt symbolize her father’s side.

-What obstacles did you have to overcome to distinguish yourself? My inner oppositions. -When did you realize that fashion would be your future? When did this passion start? Fashion, for me, originates from a desire for communication, natural and essential as for any human being. -Do your emotions and your everyday life influence your creations? My creations express and transpose my emotions. -Would you please describe the creative process of your creations? Remembrance, processing, transposition of a desire for multiculturalism on fabrics. -What inspired your new woman collection SS 14? Strong contrasts lightened by Europeans styles and inspired by black and white pictures of the aristocratic holidays in the 60s, that started in Cote d’Azur and arrived to Italy, where the custom was to tour along our coasts riding a Lambretta. -What do you want the public to perceive in your last collection? It’s a demanding collection, it’s not just about looking at an item but also seeing through its styling to catch a deeper meaning. The aim is to prevent the ethnic heritage to become flat and commonplace. The creations are inspired to the Italian population as far the craftsmanship is concerned. The wax fabric represents the African population. Western craftsmanship and African tradition, apparently so different, do share the same slow fashion nature. It means that they have feature that make them distant from the chaotic rhythms of the fashion industry but at the same time they can be suitable for quick production. -What is elegance for you? It’s the perfect balance between stern and playful, that is, between refinement and simplicity. -Fashion bloggers play an important role in the world of fashion and they are able to influence the public opinion in a considerable way. What is your opinion concerning this? They have become an important tool for sociological measurements. -What are your projects for the future? I want to stir emotions and meet the world, to explore various cultures through images, words and researches. I want to support new encounters between cultures without debasing any sense of belonging. I want fashion to be a language through which we can restore the balance between symbols, histories and different worlds.

FA N T A S

P O P ’ N ’ X O T I C

By Enza Volpe Selena Magni

fanciful, daring time that recalls the origin and the unusual style of transparency, overlapping and strong contrasts. Looks like a touch of ethnic will be back in fashion for summer 2014. The primitivist dream is back and it mixes with pop geometry, as it was for a certain American abstract expressionism and the 19th – 20th century in Europe. Pollock, with his studies on totems, Tobey and his bond with the Far East and then Picasso, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Modigliani and many others who were interest in an exotic research. Now the question is whether it is possible to transform this research into shiny hues and in the strong colours and references to the fantastic in the commercial series, anonymous and with the sharp contours seen in comic-books. Mariuccia Casadio, one of the greatest art and style reviewer, invents a slogan for Missoni- “POP’N’ TOXIC FANTASY” and she describes the summer collection 2014: “A pop taste for strong colours, images and scale expansions. The references to logos. All these elements coexists in the style itineraries of a woman that loves travelling in geography or with her fantasy and that sees her wardrobe as a well organised mixture of referents, suggestions and experience. Novelty and memory of fashion.” For the Spring/Summer 2014 Alexander McQueen conceives actual and tribal clothes, that seem to derive from social castes of some contemporary ethnicities. McQueen draws various genres and features from different cultures and unites them creating a new world. In his studies you can find a dream, a tribal future that gets closer to the pop art ideal: it is the mirror of a society that lives on images. Alexander succeeds in translating in his clothes a future society that is nourished by the past.

M O N T I M E R C A T O

MERCATO MONTI IN ROME By Cristina Giannini

Selena Magni

n times like these, people need to be original in order to be successful, and ready to take the challenge and to show what they are made of. Many artists have chosen new ways to express themselves, basing on researches and choosing new styles and processing techniques. It is often hard to advertise new ideas and make them known to the public, so it is not unusual to turn to particular events to promote them. One of these events is Mercato Monti- Urban market since 2009, a street market placed in Rome, in the central Rione Monti, via Leonina 45. This market selects young stylists and independent manufacturers in rotation, to offer a wide selection of quality clothing, vintage accessories, modern design objects, handicraft, books, illustration and any kind of curiosities. A real shop-window for many young talents with a great enthusiasm, who actually vie with each other to win a place at the market and its services. This is a very successful initiative. Every weekend there is a new event to allow everyone to take part to it. This February, Mercato Monti found out four new artists, who stand out for quality and originality. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be waiting for you from 10 to 20. Saturday 01-Sunday 02 Saturday 08- Sunday 09 Saturday 15- Sunday 16 Saturday22- Sunday 23

If you want to participate with your works, send an e-mail to espositori@mercatomonti.com and attach some pictures of your creations.

For further information, visit www.mercatomonti.com

S O C I A L N E T W O R K

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F A S H I O N

S AN ABSOLUT UNION By Rossella ScalzoSelena Magni

ince the birth of the 2.0 web, a dynamic web that allows a very high grade of interaction, the communication channels have changed completely and it is now essential for any company to have a marketing strategy that includes online communication through the social media. These last ones experienced an exponential increase in popularity in the last few years, such that they conquered every sector of the market, fashion included. The time when fashion brands showed little or nothing about their company and the customer was used to have no dialogue at all with them, contenting with little information, has now given way to a new era- the customer wants to know more, to communicate and to be involved in whatever concerns the product before buying it. The social media satisfy all these requests, pleasing both the customer and the company that wants to expand and make itself known all the around the world in the fastest way possible. The same goes for the new stylists who want to establish in the fashion field and advertise their products in this competitive market, in which the essential is to stand out and differentiate on various level. For this reason it is advisable for a new stylist to develop a good online marketing strategy, to make a good impression of their products and to attract customers. As it is, an active presence on the social networks canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be excluded, given the amount of people using them completely for free. If we were to analyse shortly the reasons why a new or well established brand should be on the social networks, we would say that the first is that they allow a better interaction between the company and the customer, thanks to both the great and quick spread of messages and images, and a quick sharing of information. Moreover, online communication allows the immediate spread of new trends and makes it easier for a company to share events, stories and successful moments like, shows, shootings, new collection premiĂ¨res and so on. It is interesting to analyse which social network is best for the various kinds of communication the stylist wants, which is best to communicate and which to share images.

A Facebook page is the best for an active interaction on the media, to post previews and exclusive information and to allow fans and customers to discuss and to have a direct contact with the company. In the same way, Twitter is good for interaction but it is also good for social selling, which is gathering information on the customers, and it helps to contact the market influencer, monitor competitors and to find new potential customers. With 140 letters per message, Twitter permits a good real-time conversation, thanks also to hashtags that help the user to find messages related to a certain conversation or topic. Twitter is also perfect to pick up trends in advance, because fashion designers often use it to personally communicate with friends and colleagues. Another mean to catch the attention and bring about comments is to share images. A fashion designer should take good pictures that represent the company and their products and post them on the right socials. Among the many, Pinterest creates thematic boards where to share images, organised according to their subject. This social has rapidly increased in popularity during the last few years but it’s still underrated in Italy. Another image sharing social is Instagram, developed as an application, with which the users can share photos and videos and even edit them with filters. Instagram works as a window on what happens in real-time- a shooting backstage or a first row seat in a model show, it’s like an eye we can modify with filters to show our creative side. Hashtags are used here, too, and stylists and many famous people have a personal Instagram profile, too. To conclude, we can say that for a rising stylist, social networks are very useful to create a circle of fans that often is the mirror of a product’s success. It is not to forget that in fashion, as in many other sectors, the user experience that mirrors the brand’s style is the first aspect that attracts other customers, and this is surely powered by the social networks. What is required, is a mixture of interaction between the client and the brand, creative contents and a good advertising through the socials.

STUDIO STREET LIFE.COM designer fashion & house Fashion Collections Planning Man / Woman Shoes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bags - Belts Samples manufacture Production Technical Assistance House Design Furnishing Complements Prototypes

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G I U S E P P E

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G E N N A R O

GIUSEPPE DE GENNARO SPEAKS OF HIMSELF By Jean-Claude Poderini Selena Magni

he young and determined Italian stylist Giuseppe De Gennaro presents himself to the readers of Vain Stylist. His work experience and his mindset are of great importance for those who want to work in the magical world of fashion and to better understand what awaits them. We thank Giuseppe for the precious contribution and we start with our questions.

-When did you discover this passion for fashion and realise that it was going to be your future? I’ve always loved clothes and novelties, so I thought I could turn this passion into a job. -What obstacles did you have to overcome to distinguish yourself in the world of fashion? The main obstacle was being able to express my personal point of view. -What is, in your opinion, the real fashion capital of the world? The city where true elegance dwells? I think any of the world’s capitals- Paris, Rome, Milan, Berlin, New York, Tokyo, they all have their charm and their own elegance. I try to understand every different aspect of any city I find myself in. -What interests and hobbies are best for stylists to help stimulating their fantasy? In my case, music is essential and it’s a great source of inspiration. Concerts, exhibitions, people in the streets, friends.. anything can be stimulating. -During the past few years Italian fashion didn’t promote many new brands. What is the reason for this? I think it’s mostly a cultural issue. Italy has difficulty in renovating, it’s a pity. -I think that both women and men have reached a good awareness as far as clothing is concerned. What is the role of the stylist today? The stylist suggests an idea, a combination of colours, a mood; then people can personalize that message in their own way. -Is fashion born on the runways on in the streets? I think it is born in the streets, that sometime can be just like runways. I think it’s a mixture between the two things. Personally, I’m very interested in the people I see in the streets. -What is the limit that a stylist should not pass? I don’t think a stylist should have a limit. Creativity has no limits and, anyway, a good stylist should also possess technical abilities, and therefore there’s no limitations. -Italy has many fashion schools and academies. Is this education appropriate for the world of work? It depends on the schools and the pupils who attend them. Of course schools provide a good grounding but the real training begins in a company or in a tailor’s shop.

-Year after year, more and more young stylists enter the world of work. Are there very few talents or is there no chance for them to express themselves? Surely there are many young stylists but not all of them are talented. If we were to be surrounded only by talented people, just think how boring it would be. -Are the new communication media of any help to the stylists to promote their work? They are very useful, but talent is always the most powerful means. -How does a stylist get new ideas? And how do these ideas become fashion? Everywhere is fine to gather ideas- at the cinema, at the pub with friends. Being able to perceive external stimuli is something very personal, it depends on how much they touch our sensitivity and stimulate our fantasy. Personally, I am always reactive, but I am like this, always looking for some signals to transform and rework into a project. -Bloggers have captured much of the public’s attention, lately. Do you think this interest can be a threat to the real fashion experts? I don’t think it’s a threat. On the contrary, I think they provide a good way to study the new phenomena in fashion, they give a chance to analyze the response to the new trends. I think some are also very interesting, so they are welcome. -What interests do you suggest student stylist to cultivate, in order to give new emphasis to fashion? I always suggest to cultivate their own interests, not just the ones related to fashion. This is the only way to find a personal style. Having a personality of your own is always satisfying. -Do you think that a creator’s work derives from passion? Or is it to be considered as a mission? It surely derives from a strong passion but it also becomes a mission at a certain point. -How does Giuseppe De Gennaro start drawing a new collection? How does the creative process work? Can you tell us any of your references? Much research, anywhere, even in the strangest places. The beginning of a new collection is not just a stylistic research but also a personal one, a further journey into myself. -Can a today’s fashion designer live only on emotions and be only a creative figure or is it necessary to be also a manager? Being a purely creative person is wonderful but it’s not enough. Fashion today is also business, being your own manager helps a lot.

-Is there friendship in fashion or just rivalry? There is competition, it’s no point denying it. Anyway, it’s nice to have friends at work, and I have some. I think friendship is a very spontaneous feeling and it can arise regardless the working condition. -How much irony is there in a stylist’s work? In my case there’s much. Irony is essential to me, of course when it’s of the sane kind. -How much love and sensitivity do you put in your work? A lot. Without love and sensitivity there’s nothing you can do. -What inspires you the most? Music, colours, cinema, the world around you or your own experience? My life is my source of inspiration, and since my life is made of music, music is one of my first sources of inspiration. -What do you think about the fashion sector in Italy? Is it well off or lacking in some aspects, especially in comparison to the past times? I believe that fashion in Italy has great resources, it should be more supported. -How would you change the system? I’d like to see a new wave. -Do you think that the specialized media always favour the same established stylists or do they also support the new ones? I think that the new designers should be more supported in general, regardless the established ones. -What would you have liked to be, if you hadn’t become a stylist? I’d have liked to be a musician or a surfer. -Would you suggest to a young stylist to try to work abroad or are there good chances in Italy, too? An experience abroad can be very instructive. New realities are perfect to experiment. -You are a young talent who managed to distinguish himself and to work for a famous French Maison. What would you suggest to the readers of ‘Vain-Stylist’? New designers seem to be very determined, my only advice is to go on this way.

PH Erica Fava

P O T E N T I A U R O R A

A MAVERICK STYLIST. By Gaia BregalantiSelena Magni

urora Potenti was born in 1983 in Castiglioncello (Livorno), in Tuscany. Soon as a child, she proves to have an artistic personality and lets her creativity run free. All this thanks to her family- her mother and grandmother are devoted to needlework and are interested in the history of traditional costumes, and her father and grandfather are construction designers, painters and art lovers. Aurora is self-taught, she does not attend any fashion school, she wants to develop her personal taste. It is a real challenge with herself. She decides to take part to various national and international contests for young stylists. The year 1997 is crucial- Gianni Versace dies and Aurora, who has a high regard for him and often quotes his words “A piece of clothing is like a diamonds, with thousands of faceting”, decides to make fashion her life career. In 2000, at 17, she manufactures her first items of clothing with the help of tailors and craftsmen, and the ideas that she sketched on paper can finally be made on fabric. Her first, small collection is born. Completely handmade, every piece of clothing is unique. She insists on using natural raw materials. She prefers quality to quantity, a limited amount of items made of refined fabrics to a large number of low quality items. Thanks to her strong determination and much work, she makes her way into the world of fashion, and even magazines like Elle start to write articles about her. It’s rare for a young stylist like Potenti to stand out so quickly in a well established field. Her clothes are remarkable for their peculiar characteristics-they’re sparkling, full of fantasy and personality, with some trait that is both vintage and contemporary, and they fully enhance a woman’s beauty and sensuality. Her collections are an explosion of colours, with even fluorescent hues. She loves clear-cut lines and adores to highlight details like buttons and pockets. Her study aims to find new volumes, to create original clothes, never ordinary. She always tries to give a sporty touch to her creations. The woman Aurora wants to represent is a straightforward woman, simple, not fussy, who loves elegance but doesn’t refuse to wear soft woollen suits, a reference to the Tuscany’s country traditions. Aurora has created a group for “Young Italian stylists”, first on Yahoo and now on Facebook. Here she put her experience at disposal, to help all the young artist that, like herself, want to distinguish but don’t know how to do it.

PH Erica Fava

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FROM FASHION ICON TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSWOMAN THANKS TO HER POPULARITY ON THE SOCIAL NETWORKS By Serena SeccoSelena Magni

ave you ever thought that the morning selfie you posted on Instagram could be your first step towards celebrity? Who knows whether Doe Deere had the same thought before she became famous. Xenia Vorotova, aka Doe Deere, is a 30 year-old girl, born in Russia and grown in New York, who succeeded in taking advantage of her unconventional style to attract more and more followers. This woman with curious pastel hair, well aware of her very peculiar taste in fashion, decided to take her chances and introduce herself to the world, creating her own website. “The Doe Deere Blogazine- Tales of the Unicorn Queen” is its name and here she started to post her eccentric outfits, her reflections on fashion and the details of her extravagant make-ups, matching her clothes. In little time she became a Fashion Icon: what distinguished her from the other fashion bloggers and their predictable and ordinary outfits was surely her provocative attitude towards fashion.

To reach a larger amount of people she conquered the Social Networks and in little time she got a multitude of followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where she charmed people with her originality. She then exploited her notoriety to succeed in another challenge- she realised that no make-up brand had lipsticks, eye-shadows or nail polish with colours bright enough for her, so she launched Limecrime in 2008, her own make-up brand. In a time when all the major brands enhanced nude and soft colours, her extravagant line turned the trend completely upside-down. Her slogan is “So Bright, it’s illegal!”. The most famous products in the collection are the lipsticks that go by weird names and have the most strange colours like “No, she didn’t”, a pastel light blue, the “New York City”, pastel yellow, the “Chinchilla”, in between lavender and grey or “Styletto”, a strong black. More innovative are the “Velvetines”, lipsticks with a velvety matte effect that fill the lips with colour and with more relaxing hues like red or bright pink. Almost all these products went sold out during the first hours after the sales started. “The Clueless Witch”, her new collection, will come out in March 2014. Limecrime is a synonym for innovation for all the girls who love avant-garde fashion. In 2010 Miss Deere was named by Self-Made Magazine as one of the “Top Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs”.

Studio Street Life.com studiostreetlife.com@gmail.com

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FASHION HAIRSTYLES SPRING/SUMMER 2014 By Veroni Giomini-

Selena Magni

very season we see all the new fashion trends on the runways- new looks, new styles, clothes to discover and rediscover. However, the hard work behind a model show is unknown to many. Hairstyle and make-up are of extreme importance for the final result, that is enhancing the look in the best way. I’ve had the pleasure of watching the recent fashion shows for the coming Spring/Summer and I could take notice of the changes that will come in the fashion. Some evergreens will never be out of fashion, like the central and the side parting of the hair. This last one in particular is very successful- elegant and timeless, it makes the styling look lighter and gives it a sense of motion, as you can see in Mulberry. More serious and elegant, with a vintage taste, is the styling of J.Mendel, Charlotte Licha and Tony Ward, with straight wet hair on the top part of the head. The wet looking hair, curled all over or just on the tips, is obtained thanks to particular products and a peculiar blow-dry. Wet looking hair with no parting is another option. As far as central parting is concerned, it is perfect to make the face look longer and thinner. The styling with curled roots and straight lengths starting from the cheekbones is still in fashion. A new arrival is the so-called “beach hair”, slightly curled and tousled-looking. Another innovation is the hairstyle chosen by Viktor&Rolf- a frizzy, backcombed hair which I think enhances their simple and elegant clothes. A more “dolly” effect is the one chosen by Jenny Packham, all ringlets and jewel hairpins on the fringe to make this voluminous styling more precious.

C L A U D I O

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M A R I

CLAUDIO DI MARI SPEAKS OF HIMSELF By Rossella ScalzoSelena Magni

laudio Di Mari is a young artist who, after graduating in Fashion Design at Marangoni Institute in Milan, decided to create a brand of haute couture wedding dresses. Born in 1987 in Catania, Claudio Di Mari is a demonstration that talent and dedication are important for whoever wants to enter this world. The distinguishing mark of his collections, in addition to strong references to Sicily, land and sea, is the blending of tradition and modernity, represented by the use of traditional fabrics and embroidering and modern lines and cuts. In his biography, Claudio Di Mari defines himself as a young man with many dreams.

-When did your passion for fashion start? My passion started when I was a child, in my parents’ shop of wedding dresses. I was lucky enough to grow up in this field, among customers and fittings, and I could choose whether to stay on the commercial side, like my parents, or to be a tailor on the creative side. I soon realised what I wanted to do and I chose creativity. At 18, after my graduation, I went to Milan to study at Marangoni and there I understood what I really wanted and what fashion could give me. -How important have your studies and practice at Marangoni been? They have been extremely important. The Marangoni Institute is the most important institute in the sector, especially the Milan branch, where I chose to go. I received a full instruction in model -making, design and theoretical subjects, a very important instruction that helped me a lot. Even though I could already draw well, year after year I understood that this school could give me good chances. It has been the best experience in my life, also because I’ve met people from all over the world. -How do you create a wedding dress? And what do you get inspiration from? It’s something I feel inside, I think every stylist feels that. Every year I do photographic researches to keep a trace of all the inspirational moods that inspire all the variants in a collection. (Continue)

-In your opinion, how important tradition is in the job of the stylist? It is very important, especially for someone like me- born in Sicily in the wedding framework, which is still little known. All my classmates that graduated with me chose sectors like pret-à-porter, haute couture or streetwear. The wedding market is a niche sector and my fortune, or misfortune, is that the wedding dress is considered as a non-fashion product, a basic, simple thing, but it’s not so. What I’m trying to convey with my dresses is exactly that it is fashion we’re dealing with, art. -In your last collection, “The White Stromboli” you chose to combine traditional fabrics and embroidery with modern cuts. Why this choice? I want my product to develop in quality- every year I do researches on the new trends, and I like experimenting and using new materials. Every year I go to Première Vision to choose new fabrics and to find new ideas to test. My first collection was made of leather dresses with chiffon contrasts. I wanted to detach from the monotony, typical of this branch, that makes everything flat- the stylist look all alike in their cuts, in the colours. I wanted to do something different because my mark is the material I use. -What kind of woman is most suitable for your dresses? There not a standard one, but, judging by the silhouettes of my dresses, I can say they are perfect for a sexy and innovative woman, a young woman. However, there were a couple of brides at their second marriage who chose very striking dresses from my collection. More precisely, a couple of years ago a woman in her 50s got married in a white leather dress. It was a great satisfaction for me. -Your collections show clear references to Sicily, nature and sea. Is there any particular reason for this? When I moved to Milan I terribly missed my Sicily. The Marangoni encourages you to think, to do researches for your collection, and it is natural that when you are alone and far from home, you think about what you miss. So I thought it would have been nice to inspire every collection to my home land and when I registered my mark I decided to add the script “Made in Sicily”. In the new collection I’m creating now there still a reference to Sicily. (Continue)

-How important you think social media and networks are for a new brand or stylist to emerge and get exposure? Around 70% of my exposure today is provided by social networks, from Instagram to my Facebook fan page. Not only I can get feedbacks from my friends in Milan, who see the pictures and pay compliments to my dresses, but I am also in contact with important companies. -What advice would you give to a new stylist who decides to follow your same road? The advice I feel like giving is to believe in what you are doing. It is natural to have highs and lows. Many people think it’s easy, while it is actually very difficult. So, always believe in what you do and have passion, focus on your work every day, from morning to evening, when it’s time to think about what’s coming next. -What goals do you think require a greater concentration? As I said, besides studying, you need to focus and make many researches. Some time ago, people had to travel, which is essential to understand things, but today internet helps a lot. I could give a thousands of advice but what is worth for somebody may not be worth for somebody else- solutions are in your own heart. -What is the greatest difficulty you have encountered so far? The greatest difficulty I have encountered, which I still have, is the choice of starting my business here in Catania. After I had finished my studies, I came back to start from here. Even though I had the chance to work for a prêt-à-porter company, I decided to develop my brand. The costs are not the same as in Milan, but it is still very difficult. It is not easy to deal with fashion in Sicily, so I’m working to move to Milan even though my base will always be in Catania.

PH Edoardo Morina

STYLING Andrea Franco e Valentino fiammetta

By Harim Accademy

OPHELIA’S DREAM SHOOTING – THE STYLIST’S REPORT

Selena Magni

adeinmedi event, June 2013; Valentino Fiammetta and Andrea Franco, excellent stylists, were invited by HAIRM ( Accademia Euromediterranea) to comment and publish in real- time the collections of the fashion designers. On the catwalk the collection of the stylist Mara Sanzone striked them more than any other. From now on they had a purpose: give exposure to the talent of the designer through a shooting. It started with the research of a good photographer. The perfect one was Edoardo Morina, whose photo features impress for the surreal atmosphere of the shots and a peculiar edit. Edoardo Morina found in Valentino and Andrea two valuable companions to create something unusual. In summer 2013 they began to prepare the mood and to search for the location, the accessories and the model. The choice of the collection’s items was difficult but coherent: yes to skirts, floating dresses, corsets and ruffs made of woven wool, beige, bronze or clay shades, no to golden lace and to the red supplements of the same collection, that would looked too lively. Two sets were spotted: a building with baroque interiors and a garden with fountains and ponds, where Ophelia would be ideally drown, ruined gardens and fountains to interpret the dreams of the famous Shakespearian character, by whom the collection is inspired. The Benedictin cloister in Catania was the perfect place. A jewel of the late Sicilian baroque, one of the biggest Benedictin buildings in Europe, it was acknowledged as part of the world heritage by Unesco. The cloister, that today is the headquarter of DiSUM ( Department of Liberal Arts) of the University of Catania, encloses a “domus romana”, a courtyard and a beautiful suspended garden. The project of the shooting was approved for its cultural interest, and so, the wonderful Levante courtyard became the location of the shooting, together with its arches, Arab and baroque structures and the novices’ garden with its enormous marble fountain.

PH Edoardo Morina

For what concerns the selection of the model, they needed someone with a face that had some feature of the Renaissance, with aristocratic lineaments that could give interest to the photo shooting. Debora from Castdiva agency was perfect. The final adjustments: a team of hairstylists and make-up artists that would be excited to take part in the project and would be inspired to create an ethereal make-up and a Medusa hairstyle. Since the first outfit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a long slip made of beige silk chiffon, with a long pearl necklace used as a belt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they decided to show Ophelia as a sleep-walker, who, undressed, walks through her own dream. In the limited amount of daylight of December, other outfits were created that could enact this Shakespearian character like a ghost, the memory of a woman that runs away from her reality, stripping of the excess, dressed only in crinolines, corsets and light petticoats, on which the jewels hitched. From this dream she will never come back.

STYLING Andrea Franco e Valentino fiammetta

PH Edoardo Morina

STYLING Andrea Franco e Valentino fiammetta

HE STYLISTS OF THIS GENERATION ARE WORKING WITH INNOVATIVE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, NEW TOOLS AND NEW RESEARCHES.

“Internet is incredible, it’s both powerful and delicate. One can promote society instead of selling products, the whole world is watching you but you don’t know anything about them. And if (the contents) are too sophisticated, people don’t appreciate it. Looks like it’s simplicity they appreciate the most.” Miuccia Prada It’s not easy for a young stylist to enter the world of fashion. There are many obstacles to face, competition is fierce and even famous brands have met some difficulties in this hard time for economy. Many try to be successful proposing new style and production techniques. It’s necessary to study new marketing plans and communication strategies to adapt to the current trends, since fashion is ruling not just on the runways but on the media as well.