VERSACE: A GLAMOROUS DREAM COME TRUE
The winning photo for NYC #VERSACEPALAZZOEMPIRE
When one hears the word Versace, they think gold, Medusa heads, and glamour. When a huge admirer of the brand receives an email stating that they just won an international photography contest held by Versace, they freak out, cry, check to see it’s a scam, and thank whatever religious figure they affiliate themselves with. The contest was called “7 Bags for 7 Cities,” and was put together to promote one of the newest handbags from Versace, the Palazzo Empire bag. The contest included seven cities from all over the world, from New York City to Hong Kong. In order to enter this contest, one had to submit an original photo of an iconic place within one of these cities.
I found out about the contest some months before winning. I entered a picture I had taken of the Empire State building late last summer while I was on my way to see Aladdin on Broadway with my cousin. The night before getting word that my photo had won, I was watching the lifetime movie about Donatella Versace, and woke up the next morning and put on a Versace Polo shirt (seriously freaky timing). Well that very day I discovered that the picture I took won for New York City. Versace flew myself and my Mother all the way to Milan and cordially invited us to see the Versace Women’s Spring/Summer 2017 fashion show first hand and even incorporated a likeness of the photo in a limited addition New York themed handbag. To put it briefly, winning this contest was a serious dream come true. I was at a point where I was figuring out who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life, and my week in Milan was a definite puzzle piece in the quest to figure this out. Yes, the shopping was fabulous, the dinners were lovely, the five-star hotel we booked for ourselves was stunning, the people were beyond visually pleasing, and the culture was so stimulating. However, beyond all that, winning this trip played a key part in the journey I am currently on in life.
On my way back from seeing the Last Supper, I was walking through an iconic mall called the Galleria on my way to Versace with my Mom to buy some shoes for the fashion show. On my way I saw a confident well dressed woman walking pass me. Her hair was in a short light brunette bob and her outfit was certainly couture and certainly dry clean only. I knew exactly who that woman was, it was Anna Wintour. I stopped dead in my tracks and without thought said “Is that Anna Wintour?” Anna continued to walk by making no eye contact with me, but trailing behind her was a pretty young girl who turned around and smirked at me as if saying “Yes that was Anna Wintour.” I was star struck, the Editor in Chief of Vogue, the person who single handedly has the most power and influence over the fashion industry just walked past me on the street and it was a moment I’ll never forget. The day I saw Anna was day three of my time in Milan. To win this contest, be in Milan, and then see the editor in chief of Vogue walk past me on the street felt like the "Universe" was screaming at me in the best possible way.
Left: Versace S/S 2017 Fashion Show Invitation
Right: Limited Edition NYC bag
Above: The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II mall in Milan, Italy
The day of the fashion show was even more incredible. I got up that morning and walked the streets of Milan listening to Madonna and had a latte in front of the Duomo and just enjoyed the view. Towards the end of the day my Mother and I got ready for the show. I wore a Black ensemble, gold Versace accessories, and brand new black leather Versace loafers. Downstairs waiting at our new hotel (we extended the trip and got our own hotel prior to checking into the one Versace put us in) were two Mercedes vans waiting to take my Mother and I along with the other winners from six different cities around the globe to the much anticipated event. I will never forget seeing the word "VERSACE" on a giant purple billboard outside the venue, I had chills. The vans dropped us off at the gate to the venue where a huge crowd of people waited most likely with the desire to see a celebrity drive in. The venue was huge, people were beautifully dressed in stunning designer outfits - most of them being the latest Versace. Inside was a large room with purple carpeting and benches forming a big V, the lighting was also purple. My seat was perfect. I was second row on an isle which gave me a clear view of the models coming down the runway. After about 20 minutes the show started, the music was loud and pulsating, perfectly forcing the viewer to pay attention to the clothes and nothing but the clothes. It was magic, it was perfection, it was a life high. Here I was this kid from Rhode Island sitting second row at the best fashion show during Milan Fashion Week. My favorite part was watching Naomi Campbell and Gigi Hadid confidently walk down the runway, it was breathtaking and inspiring. While all this unfolded before my eyes a voice was repeating a mantra of statements over the music track that were ever so chill inducing, "Take the leap, and the net will appear,” “All you need is a friend or two,” “a beating heart and a plan.’ “if we do nothing, we get nothing.” In this moment I felt like the Universe was talking to me, look at where I was, look at what I was seeing and hearing. The entire experience felt like a giant confirmation that I can have anything I want, be anyone I want, pursue anything I want, and achieve anything I want.
“I want to be the joy to people through my work.”
My time in Milan was unforgettable and to have my Mother, my best friend in life be with me on this trip was a gift within a gift. Brands like Versace are so much more than a status symbol. Versace has allowed me to dream and confirmed to me that dreams can come true. So much unfolded in a matter of a week that I could honestly write a novel about my experience, but key things happened to me that really changed my life, and for that I am eternally thankful to Versace for helping me take the leap.
