Have you ever experienced such an intense déjà vu which makes you doubt about the date written black on white on the calendar right in front of you?

It happened to me this morning. With a cup of coffee in one hand, I was reading the daily news on my netbook. An usual overview of the usual websites: WWD flash news, Garance Doré new post, Scott Schuman shots. Before turning it off and start with my day, a quick look at Vogue.it

Daily news, horizontal*: Vogue Italia, internships start again.

I warn you in advance, this is going to be the longest post I've ever written**, so make yourself comfortable, take a cup of tea (...or coffee maybe), now or never!

Let's start from the beginning.

January 2012

At that time I was in the middle of the last year of university, the least enjoyable period indeed: there were exams to prepare, an internship to find for writing my thesis, the necessity to focus on my future plan, is economy my future for sure? Who knows... In short, pajamas and shaggy hair mode was the only constant of my days.

Vogue internship's offer, posted a few days after my 22nd birthday, had the same effect on me as a pinch on the chair: now I do it***.

The text of the application came straight off, nothing pretentious, syrupy, self-indulgent (it would not be me), just the truth, naked and raw: I'm studying economics, I've learned how to draw up a budget (with pain), but I've also realized that draw up a budget is not enough for me, fashion is my passion and I'm no more able to relegate it exclusively in my virtual box****. I'm fully concious that my future is in my hands, I'm not afraid of taking risks and much less of struggle.

I double double checked the text, you know, to avoid errors, then I submitted it. Oops, something went wrong, everything went haywire. I tried again, I rewrote it all again, with a looot of patience. Second haywire. C'mon are you kidding me? I should have made a copy of the text before loosing it all again! No way, it's not written on my destiny maybe. The next day I saw the article again. What do I do? Try again? Give up? I tried again, but this time I copied and pasted the text on another file, you know, just in case. Submitted. Your application has been successfully sent, it'll appear on bottom of the page.

Ok, they'll never never pick me*****, but at least I tried. I put my nose inside the books again.

February 2012 (or March maybe, I don't remember...)

Still university, lessons, studies, an evening job. Back home after a day equal to the previous one and to the one before, I found an email in my inbox.

I'd need to receive your institutional resume to consider the opportunity of making an internship at the journal bla bla bla... Sure, I'll send it right the way! Giulia, rejoice silently because hundreds of boys and girls might have received the same request, they'll never pick you. Go to sleep because there's a lesson tomorrow at 8:30, if you do not wake up in time to catch the bus you are lost.

In the meanwhile I found an amazing internship, it had to deal with fashion and with marketing also. Ok, it was a little challenging, but the environment was great and my days were no longer the same. I started in April, for six months. During these six months I did my best not to make a mess day after day at office, not to fall asleep during my evening second job, make the final university exams and write my thesis.

June 2012

It was the end of another working day, one hour driving in the traffic and then back home. I checked my inbox. There was an email with subject Vogue editorial internship.

Dear Giulia, I'm glad to inform you bla bla bla... My brain went blackout, I started laughing, crying, screaming and jumping, I jumped so much. I was in the kitchen, my mother was arranging something, I guess she tought that I was totally losing my sanity******.

OMG, do they pick me, don't they? I have not finished to read the email, maybe I got one of those cosmic blunders. I stopped and I started reading it again from the beginning: yes, they've picked me. I'll start on October 1st.

September 2012

On September 19th I presented my thesis, on 28th I ended up my six months internship, not without a lump in my throat, I felt like at home. On 29th I packed my bags and on 30th I arrived to Milan.

You can't even imagine how much effort I put on drag my luggage: I was so clumsy while pulling them behind, off the train and then on the subway to Buonarroti, that I would have robbed myself if I were a thief, I was a perfect walking target. And so it happened. After five minutes on the italian fashion capital's ground, they tried to rob me: but I say, what did you think to find in the pockets of my yellow and black flowers' coat? Did you guess I was taking my phone or the money to pay the rent maybe? Clumsy yes, stupid no.

October 1st, 2012

I woke up early, I had to go to the Human Resources' office first, at Piazza Castello, and then to the journal, at Piazza Cadorna. I didn't know Milan so much, but I tought I couldn't lose myself, anyway I'd have got there beforehand, I'm used to arrive beforehand. Unfortunately I spent too much time trying to choose what to wear and I wasted all the additional time... I got out.

I opted for high heels because who knew which was the dress code, but they were not one of those super elegant heels so they were a fair compromise.

I got out the subway at Castello station, because the address was Piazza Castello, right? Damn, Piazza Castello is huuge, should I go left or right? I asked for help to a couple of policemen: it's on the left (thank God...I was walking to the right).

I walked worrying to arrive late, I had the anxiety of not being able to arrive early actually, with high heels, and hot flashes, why is rain flowing down from my forehead?! Precisely when you need to make a good impression of yourself you look a mess, congrats!

Formalities completed I went to the journal, realizing that if I had stopped at Cadorna, instead of Cairoli Castello station, I would have saved a lot of way and sweat, well now I know.

I went inside out of breath, it was even better than a dream because it was reality.

They made me wait sitting on a couch, so I took this chance to regain a normal color (which is pale white for me), breathe and look around. I waited for someone to come and take me to the office*******. Right when I was losing my hopes a girl came running, she seemed super easy, nice, for sure she was wearing a great outfit. I followed her and since that moment my month began.

Here the story ends because I don't want to ruin the surprise to anybody. If any of you is thinking about trying this way, which I would advise you from my heart, he or she must be able to wonder in front of everything they would ask him or her to do: for me it has been a pleasure to do so.

*kisses*

Giulia

* as they usually say.

** not that I'm usually stingy with words.

*** they will never pick me.

**** that I don't even have time to update.

***** damn, how many people wrote?!

****** she would not even have been entirely wrong to think about it.

******* I waited quite a long time.

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Nice question, especially when combined with its twin-sister question "but where is He?" and the even more painful one "will He ever understand that I'm his She?".

Despite wearing each time the right pair of shoes at the right moment, Carrie Bradshaw had to carry on her shoulders (with great attitude), a counterweight full of doubts and insecurities because yes, she understood that Mister Big was the man she wanted by her side but how to make it clear to the Him involved?

And what about Miss Holly Golightly? She was able to dress up wonderfully in a couple of minutes* but don't even try to ask her "what's your Him?" before one hour and forty minutes of film...she wouldn't have been able to answer you.

So I'm saying, if we, young women, are not able to recognize our Him, how can we even image that they, men, would be able to recognize their Him**? Well simple...just arm yourself with scissors, a drop of glue, your best portrait ever and it's done!

With a little irony, because I can't really do otherwise in these circumstances, but with the certainty that at least one of you will do it for sure***, I tought it might be an alternative way of looking at menswear Fall Winter 2013-14 collections.

Do your collage, then, and make your choice. I'll wait for the result!

*kisses*

Giulia

* that even if I fall asleep dress up, ready for the next day, I would be as fast as her.

** in the sense of stylistic identity.

*** yes, I'm talking about you...

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They called it visual path. It's an exhibition, do not panic.

Images are by Peter Lindbergh, the frame in which they were contained is Corso Como 10, a little corner within the city borders, I've never seen such a bucolic place.

    

Imagine that you are able to share with someone else all your unknowns, and at the same time the certainties that you have accumulated over the years. All these things together could generate an homogeneous mixture, more or less made of the same amount of both ingredients (certainties and unknowns), or maybe a mix biased towards one of the two parts, for sure there can never be one blend equal to another, each blend is unique.

The unique mixture that I saw was Peter Lindbergh's one, intentionally biased toward the unknown side, despite the fact that his talent has always been a certainty, and this is absolutely known.

So the exhibition began with a room full of knowns, some of the most popular fashion shots from floor to ceiling, which reported not only the evolution of trends but also documented the careers of many great models, like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, just to name a couple of them. He has always portrayed beauty without any overstructure, always faithful to his essential creativity.

The remaining part was a journey without neither a specific order nor a timeline: on stage the fascinating and artful adventures of our lives, the unknown, which benefits from constant references to cinema and science fiction.

I hope you'll like the pictures!

*kisses*

Giulia

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A jump in the past shows that good taste does not subject itself to the passing of the season. To which collection do these clothes belong? I don't know...doesn't matter at all, that's the point!

*kisses*

Giulia

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There are tones of reasons why you feel the need to buy: for necessity, for pleasure, because you think you never have enough (here the mantra is sooner or later I'll need it for sure), to fill small and big lacks.

Countless reasons, countless ways of purchase. Some people prefer to go to tried and tested stores where most of the times they know quite well what they are going to find, where to find it inside the store and in which day of the week, a kind of ritual consolidated over time. Some others rely on online shopping, because you know, nowadays time is the only true luxury, and when it dramatically lacks, you need to find a solution in some ways, so laptops set distances to zero and credit cards cut out cash desk queues.

I must admit that, while I'm quite good at the first option, I'm not that good with virtual shopping: I don't think I'll ever be able to give up touching objects' texture, fabrics in particular, before the purchase, I think it may be due to the same principle that makes me say that ebooks will never be as fascinating as paper books.

Trying to find a remedy, I will recover my handicap with some good advices on street markets, true stress free oasis where you can find both war relics from the First World War and brooches made of bouncing balls, plus all in between. Undefined space and time, neatly shapeless paths where the only duty is to get carried away, with some little tricks:

- Do not start the reconnaissance having a clear idea about what you would like to buy: the point is to be able to grasp the right thing in the right moment, it's a matter of belonging and predestination. You might think that we are the ones that find each piece of our booty but I think that, on the contrary, they find us;

- Pay attention to easy baits: since you are moving through a no lords' land, don't waste time and efforts trying to find the perfect copy of the item you saw in that beautiful shop in the city center, first of all trust me, you'll never find it, second of all you'll throw to the wind the chance to discover something new, not so conventional;

- Be patient: sometimes it may happen to come back home with a skinny booty, below expectations. Since unpredictability is part of the game, don't get upset, fate keeps turning and probably the next time it'll turn in your favor;

- Wear comfortable shoes: it might seems trivial but with just three words I said it all.

Before I started to write this post I thought to end it up by giving you some information about my favorite street markets, a kind of Where?, When?, What?, but then I reminded the circumstances when I shot the picture up there: it was sunday afternoon, one of those almost summer days in the middle of autumn and I run by chance in Brera, Milan. Why should we make a list of events not to miss when the case makes it for us anyway?

*kisses*

Giulia

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If it is true that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, it is also true that absolute beauty is hardly recognizable, I mean something universally accepted as such and without reservation.

Let me explain.

As much as I appreciate a fashion show as a whole, there are always a few looks that I wish I could change, call it arrogance or just human instinct, I think it is quite the same principle that occurs in football, when nobody feels completely satisfied with the choices of the coach.

   

All this was partly confirmed by an exhibition I saw during my brief stay in Milan, set up for little less than a month at the Triennale. On top a bag, the Lady Dior, which has marked an era and has contributed to build a status, on the background a dialogue between established artists who have recorded its popularity over the years and young emerging artists who gave it a modern and very personal interpretation.

Probably the maison Dior recognized the rectangular shape and the cannage stitching as elements able to perfectly convey the idea of extreme refinement and couture: now, among several other hands, the bag has become molten metal , rubber and iron curtain, unstructured in its explosion, trapped in the ice as well as freed from the grip of the rock.

Undoubtedly a good attempt to bring out diversity, in an unusual world such as the fashion one, in which adhere to certain trends is a very impending risk: to replicate is quite simple, to renew it's definitely not that simple, but in the end it is the only way that repays the effort.

*kisses*

Giulia

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Beatles' fans will forgive me if I borrow part of their deserved nickname, but since I use it knowing its value, I do it for a good reason.

What I sayed in my second post about the unequivocal contribution of Gianni Versace widespread inside all his designs, a kind of imprint which makes us say this thing is just like he used to do, can be easily applayed to the New York based young designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough.

The duo belongs to the category of new players talented and conscious of their potential, as inventive as focused on details, materials and prints. These bags, the PS1s, are an evidence of what I'm saying: practical shape, refined aesthetic and high quality materials, ideal for both men and women.

I might be emotional but when I saw them in Milan I tought that a little piece of Big Apple was suspended a short distance from the italian ground. It was nice...

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*

Giulia

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I really love details, I usually seek them in every aspect of my life, could it be a great novel, the one with long descriptions, a neighborhood which seems a world itself or even a place full of people. Sometimes watching a movie through one of those huge modern televisions I get angry for not being able to catch all the details.

Ok, let's stop turning around the point. I'm telling you that because I know, such outfits might seem just extravagant or not daily wearable to the most: if you think so, try to look at each item separately, decomposing the whole, because, to me, they are all really lovely.

Personally speaking I find them both delight for my eyes in their entire, I like colors, geometric patterns and flowers, there are so many details that catch my attention that I would like to see many more like them everyday!

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*
Giulia

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This picture represents the most amazing moment
of my "short Milan Fashion Week" experience. 

I don't know if you are interested as I am in street style fashion blogs, but rely on me, this man is the most talented and gifted communicator through images of our "blogger era", the first one able to understand that fashion is not a game that starts and ends within its industry but lives and breathes on people's skin, which wear clothes on the streets.

I saw him outside Fendi Fashion Show and I could not believe my eyes: he was taking some pictures before getting inside the show when - to my surprise - my brain ordered to my mouth to call him. He has been really helpful and kind when I asked him if I could take a picture.

When I look at him I see a single entity combined with his camera, just like a kind of modern bionic superhero, fantastic. For the record, if I succeeded in capturing your interest his website il www.thesartorialist.com. Check it out!

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*
Giulia

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I know, people always say I really enjoyed it even though I wasn't entirely part of it, I must admit, it sounds like mere consolation.

But this time has been different, the atmosphere outside Fendi Fashion Show, yesterday at 12 am along Via Sciesa, was so engaging that I felt like on the real front row with all major guests walking just a few meters away from me, unbelievable.

Cars with no one sitting on the front passenger seat were flowing relentlessly forming a long serpentine: pretentious guests didn't dare to get off the car if not in front of the entrance, successful Fashion Editors came running down the street making their way through the crowd not to be late.

These are some of the pictures I took despite the confusion caused by unbelief. As I said yesterday, on the next posts I'll show you all the pictures of common people.

For now I hope I've passed on how I felt: if the details are not enough close your eyes and imagine car horns honking - this time there has been a collision - people warning the arrival of special guests and the sound of continuos shots. There you are.

                                                                                                                                                 *kisses*
Giulia

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As promised I'll post some of the pictures I took today at Piazza Oberdan during Gucci's double fashion show, which has literally paralyzed the traffic of cars, trams and buses, for the sake of poor security forces.

Crosswalks, roadways and rails are just meaningless signs on the ground for the fashion crowd, the only thing that matters is be there and get noticed, regardless of the risk of being invested. People make pictures and expect pictures, there's no one like the other so the sources for inspiration are limitless.

When I arrived there, I do not hide it, I was a bit scared because I tought God how can I deal with all this, I'm not a professional photographer, but then I realized that it doesn't matter, there are so many details that everyone has the chance to capture some of them!

For the moment I'll post just some pictures of the most famous guests, obviously there were many more, as former Fashion Editor of Vogue France Carine Roitfeld, Vogue America's Hamish Bowles and blogger Bryan Boy. In the next few days I'll post all the pictures of "common people", which to me are rather the less common ones. Stay tuned!

                                                                                                                                                   *kisses*
Giulia

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Hi!! I'm sorry I haven't post anything for a while, I've been busy, but I intend to recover in the next few days.

As you can see from the map I posted, there are many interesting red spots widespread here and there which mark the locations of some fashion shows that will take place tomorrow and on Thursday: I'll be in Milan just for a couple of days unfortunately, but I'll do my best to be your eyes and your ears outside the shows and throughout the city.

Since I still do not own the gift of ubiquity I'll probably choose some of them but I hope I'll come across something unexpected to capture with my camera. Stay tuned!

                                                                                                                                                  *kisses*
Giulia

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