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Straight From Milan Fashion Week: These Are the Italian Models to Watch
By Janelle Okwodu
From the days of Monica Vitti and Sophia Loren onward, Italian beauties have served as the basis for countless aspirational fashion moments. In the modeling industry, several of the greatest of all time—Carla Bruni, Benedetta Barzini, Monica Bellucci, Mariacarla Boscono—hail from Italy’s idyllic shores. And while Italian models aren’t quite as omnipresent as their Brazilian and Dutch counterparts, the latest lineup is notable not just for their beauty but also their style and killer charisma. From budding art historians to bona fide fashion nerds, get to know the local talent of Milan Fashion Week while they’re ruling the runways of Prada, Gucci, Moschino, and more.
Chiara Mazzoleni
Hometown: Bergamo
Mazzoleni’s impressive profile made her a standout this season at Prada, Calvin Klein Collection, Proenza Schouler, and Boss. Her imposing height—she’s almost 6 feet tall—and Roman nose set her apart from modeling’s array of icy blondes. An art history buff with a love of Italian masters like Pollaiolo, Mazzoleni can be found visiting museums in whichever city her work takes her, scoping out Monet at MoMA pre–Fashion Week or taking in Vatican City’s sculpture-and-fresco–filled cathedrals. Her impressive fashion-month start hasn’t gone unnoticed: Prada casting director Ashley Brokaw listed her as one of the 10 faces to watch this season.