Ciao Bianca!
Aristocrat, muse, fashion designer, and "it-girl," 28-year-old Bianca Brandolini d'Adda, now the face of Cartier's Nouvelle Vague collection, embodies Italian elegance, sensuality and flawlessness.
Bianca is a born traveler, a global citizen: From Paris to Dubai, Milan to New York, or London to Rio, there are many places she can call home. Inspired by her family, this gifted young woman has infused modernity into aristocracy. Through her veins flows the blood of ambassadors, princes, and industry tycoons. Her grandmother, sister of Gianni Agnelli, the "Lawyer," is the legendary Cristiana for which the term "jet set" was coined. Her grandfather was Prince Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucinge. Her mother, the Brazilian countess Georgina Brandolini d'Adda, was the muse of fashion designer Valentino who she met by chance during the Rio Carnival. She later became director of Balmain ready-to-wear. Her father is the Ruy count, descendant of a noble Venetian family.
Although she walked for Valentino at age 16, a career in the fashion industry was not how she envisioned her future. From the time she took her first acting class she dreamed of performing on the Parisian stage. But fashion always scintillates before us, luring us into its creative vortex without a chance to resist!
It was difficult to organize an appointment with her crazy schedule, but we managed to meet one sunny Sunday at the Jean-Georges restaurant Market, on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. She arrived with her voluptuous brown locks, sporting used sneakers and across her was face a smile that'll leave you speechless. More than being beautiful, Brandolini d'Adda is cool, witty and funny. Luckily for me, she took the time to answer a couple of questions as we conversed in French.
Peacock Plume: I have seen multiple names define you: Giambattista Valli’s muse, model, it girl, fashion designer… How would you define yourself?
Bianca Brandolini d'Adda: I must say I am honored to be Giambattista’s muse; I think he has tremendous talent and he is a good friend of mine. I don’t like the name "it-girl" because I think that people give some negative connotation to it. When I hear the term "it girl" I feel that all we do is going out to party with an easy life without the notion of work which I do a lot. I am not a fashion designer per se, I am a fashion collaborator. For now I have done a jewelry line with the brand Amsterdam Sauer, a bathing suit line with the Brazilian brand Osklen and the latest is Sergio Rossi, which will be my third line with them. Even though I don’t feel like one, I guess we can say that I am a model [laughs]. And yes, I find it funny, don’t ask me why! I have been the face of Dolce & Gabbana for four years and now I am the face of Cartier.
Pieces from the Amsterdam Sauer x Bianca Brandolini jewelry collection. Image Credit: Moda Operandi.
PP: What was your inspiration for the Sergio Rossi Collaboration?
BB: To be honest, I create what I want to wear. I realized that when you work in fashion, people tend to have the same inspiration at the moment. I found myself like a five-year-old, amazed to see the prototype I drew arrive on my desk three days later. They have their own factory so the process is faster. The first line was black and white, super simple. The aim was to create the perfect shoes for the wardrobe: Black leather boyish shoes, easy to wear everyday and for the night, satin high heels. The second line was more feminine, colorful and with super high heels. My inspiration was Studio 54. Very soon you will discover my last collection and let me tell you that I was in a baby doll mood!
A sketch from the Sergio Rossi x Bianca Brandolini line comes to life in a photo shoot for W Magazine. Image Credit: WWD and W Magazine.
PP: Do you have any other fashion collaboration in mind?
BB: I don’t have the pretension to say that I would be a good fit for any brand. I wait for them to ask me, and if they match my personality, I'll go for it. In the long run, I would love to have my own brand, but that's not for now!
PP: How does it feel to live a public life? How do you handle social networks?
BB: Leading a public life is double-edged. It can help you be more known and attract more people but sometimes you just want your privacy to be respected. I feel that if you really want something to stay private you just have to be more discreet. Because of cell phones, I am constantly watching my moves. I’ll try to never go wild! Regarding social networks, at the beginning, I had a private Instagram account. Then my career evolved and I had to make it public. I don't know if it is a good or bad thing, but nowadays, having people follow you is super important in this industry.
The Instagram of Brandolini d'Adda.
PP: I saw a lot of pictures of you during Paris Haute Couture Week. What was your favorite show?
BB: I am not usually a fan but I have to say that this year Chanel caught my attention more than any other show. Of course it is always an amazing spectacle but the details of the clothes! The embroideries were breath taking. I can’t imagine the amount of work on every dress.
PP: I assume that you travel a lot, but what is the place that you call home?
BB: It is true that I travel a lot. I barely stay more than five days straight in the same country. But Paris has always been my home.
PP: Can you describe your perfect Parisian day?
BB: I don’t like to have my days scheduled when I am in Paris. I am not here as often as I would like to be. So when I am, I benefit from this time to do stuff that I never have time to do like consulting my doctors, having my hair done by my friend David Mallet, going to the movies… and of course having fun with my loved ones.
PP: Which trend would you consider to be the coolest fashion faux-pas?
BB: Fashion is to deny what we said last season. I'll explain myself. We turn around in a 10-15 years cycle. I would've never thought to wear high-waisted trousers again, like “That 70s Show,” yet I wear those all the time. Pointed shoes? They were synonymous to "Pulp Fiction" for me. Somebody asked me what were the three things that I would never wear. My answer was pointed shoes, backpacks and a bandana. Guess I wear all three of them and I now even create pointed shoes [laughs].
PP: Do you have any beauty advice?
BB: NO SUN! I truly believe that it is the youth secret. I spend days on shooting where my skin suffocates from all the makeup they put on me. The beauty products that I use are super natural from Hervé Herau to reduce the damages. I drink a lemon juice every morning to clean my body from the inside and I do a lot of sports.
PP: To end, what is the place you would call heaven?
BB: Brazil for sure! As you might know, I am half Brazilian. When I get there, I can feel my roots. People are so joyful and nice. I just love to be there. And usually I gather with family around Christmas time in our house in Trancoso. This is my real heaven!
