Italijanska manekenka in digitalna ustvarjalka Nicole Simeone je svojo pot začela v Neaplju, danes pa deluje na mednarodnem prizorišču mode, lepote in luksuza. S skupnostjo, ki šteje več kot milijon sledilcev, ni le obraz pred kamero, temveč aktivna soustvarjalka vizualnih zgodb, kreativnih konceptov in kampanj. V intervjuju za Grazio razkriva, kako so jo oblikovali italijanske korenine, študij dentalne medicine in sodelovanja z globalnimi znamkami. Govori o novi definiciji luksuza, sodobni ženskosti, vrednosti tednov mode ter prehodu od digitalnega vpliva h kreativnemu avtorstvu. V naslednjem poglavju kariere si ne želi le večje prepoznavnosti, temveč predvsem lastništvo nad smerjo, v katero se razvija njeno delo.
Nicole, svojo pot ste začeli v Neaplju, nato pa zgradili mednarodno kariero v modi, luksuzu in digitalnih medijih. Kateri trenutki so najbolj odločilno oblikovali žensko in profesionalko, kakršna ste danes?
Ni bilo enega dramatičnega trenutka, ko bi se vse spremenilo. Šlo je za zaporedje odločitev, ki so me postopoma vodile onkraj znanega.
Neapelj bo vedno del moje identitete. Odraščanje tam pomeni življenje med nasprotji, zgodovino in sodobnostjo, eleganco in kaosom, morjem, arhitekturo ter zelo instinktivnim odnosom do lepote in sloga. Mislim, da je vse to oblikovalo mojo vizualno občutljivost, še preden sem sploh razumela, kaj pomeni vizualna identiteta.
Enako pomembno je bilo zapustiti znano okolje. To me je prisililo, da sem odkrila, kdo sem zunaj sveta, v katerem sem odraščala.
Pomembno obdobje je bil tudi študij dentalne medicine, medtem ko sem hkrati raziskovala svet modelinga in digitalnega ustvarjanja. Zdelo se je, da gre za popolnoma različna svetova, vendar sta disciplina in občutek za podrobnosti, ki sem ju razvila med študijem, pozneje vplivala na moj pristop h kreativnemu delu.
Ko so me začele nagovarjati mednarodne znamke, sem ugotovila, da nekaj, kar se je začelo kot osebno izražanje, povezuje moje delo s podjetji in občinstvom v različnih državah. Takrat sem razumela, da lahko digitalni mediji postanejo več kot platforma. Postanejo lahko kariera brez tradicionalnih geografskih meja.
Danes doživljam novo prehodno obdobje. Manj razmišljam o naslednji priložnosti in veliko več o arhitekturi dolgoročne mednarodne kariere.
Moj menedžer in direktor kampanj Mason Avakian je tesno vključen v ta proces. Skupaj razmišljava, kam lahko posamezni projekti vodijo, katere profesionalne odnose želiva razvijati in kako vsaka priložnost prispeva k širši smeri moje kariere, predvsem na mednarodnem trgu in v Združenih državah Amerike.
Na začetku kariere je rast pomenila, da sem novim izkušnjam rekla da. Danes pomeni tudi vedeti, katere priložnosti si ta da zares zaslužijo.
Z več kot milijonom sledilcev niste le model, temveč tudi vplivna digitalna pripovedovalka zgodb. Kako vključeni ste v kreativno usmerjanje svojih vsebin in kdaj zgodba deluje pristno vaša?
Verjetno sem vključena že skoraj nadležno! (smeh)
Sem izrazito vizualna oseba in navdih se ne začne vedno z modo. Lahko ga sprožijo prizor iz filma, arhitektura, star hotel, barva stene ali način, kako sončna svetloba vstopi v prostor. Nato začnem okoli tega občutka graditi zgodbo.
Opazim lokacijo, styling, svetlobo, gibanje in celo energijo na snemanju. Naučila pa sem se tudi, da kreativna vključenost ne pomeni nadzorovanja vseh ljudi v prostoru. Najboljši sodelavci prinesejo nekaj, česar sam ne bi mogel ustvariti.
Različna sodelovanja mi omogočajo raziskovanje popolnoma različnih vizualnih jezikov. Honey Birdette odpira čuten in filmski svet, delo z znamkami, kot sta Sephora Italia in Gisou, pa pozornost preusmeri k teksturi, podrobnostim in drugačnemu pripovedovanju. WISKIi Active v vizualni jezik vnaša gibanje in telo.
Pri platformah, kot sta Farfetch in Italist, modo predstavljaš v širšem mednarodnem okolju luksuza. Nagovarjaš občinstvo, ki modo že razume in spremlja globalno, zato je še posebej pomembno ohraniti prepoznaven pogled.
Bistveno je, da sama ne izginem znotraj znamke.
Mason Avakian z menoj razvija usmeritev kampanj, pozicioniranje in širšo strategijo projektov, fotograf Francesco Norcia pa vizualni jezik interpretira skozi svetlobo, kompozicijo in svoj pogled za kamero. Njuni odgovornosti sta različni, vendar se dopolnjujeta. Sama v proces vnašam svojo identiteto in razumevanje občinstva, namesto da bi prišla zgolj na fotografiranje.
Zgodba je pristno moja takrat, ko vsi prispevajo svoje znanje, jaz pa se v končnem rezultatu še vedno prepoznam.
Luksuza danes ne določata več samo ekskluzivnost in cena. Kaj za vas pomeni pravi luksuz, profesionalno in zasebno?
Možnost izbire.
Ko si mlajši, lahko luksuz predstavljajo stvari, ki jih želiš nekoč imeti. Moja definicija se je popolnoma spremenila.
Imeti nadzor nad svojim časom, izbirati, kam grem, s kom delam, čemu namenim pozornost in čemu ne, se mi zdi izjemno razkošno.
Tudi zasebnost je postala luksuz. Živimo v kulturi, v kateri je mogoče skoraj vsak trenutek takoj dokumentirati. Ker je vidnost del mojega poklica, so trenutki, ko nihče ničesar ne potrebuje od mene, postali še posebej dragoceni.
V profesionalnem smislu luksuz pomeni premišljenost.
Delala sem v modi, lepoti, športni modi in življenjskem slogu ter ugotovila, da cena sama ne ustvarja poželenja. Ljudje prepoznajo, kdaj je bilo nekaj zares premišljeno.
To občutimo v tkanini, fotografiji, izboru ljudi, okolju, embalaži, storitvi in celo v stvareh, ki so bile namenoma izpuščene. Pravi luksuz daje občutek, da je nekomu bilo mar za vsako odločitev, tudi za tiste, ki jih zavestno sploh ne opazimo.
Naslov naslovnice Nova doba digitalnega luksuza nakazuje, da se pomen vpliva spreminja. Kaj opredeljuje to novo obdobje in kje v njem vidite sebe?
Mislim, da prehajamo od vpliva, ki temelji zgolj na pozornosti, k vplivu, ki temelji na identiteti.
Veliko občinstvo ima svojo moč, vendar številke same ne povedo, ali ima nekdo tudi kreativni vpliv. Bolj me zanima, ali je ustvaril prepoznaven svet.
Ali prepoznamo njegov okus, podobe in način komuniciranja? Če bi s fotografije odstranili uporabniško ime, bi še vedno vedeli, kdo jo je ustvaril?
Prav zato so digitalni ustvarjalci postali tako zanimivi za modo.
Tradicionalna moda nam je dala izjemne oblikovalce, urednike, fotografe in modele, ki so ustvarjali fantazijo. Digitalni mediji so dodali novo razsežnost, možnost neposrednega komuniciranja tega sveta občinstvu in takojšnjega odziva.
Moja kariera obstaja nekje med tema svetovoma. Obožujem dovršenost, skrivnostnost in trajnost tradicionalne modne podobe, hkrati pa razumem intimnost in neposrednost digitalne kulture.
Ne verjamem, da mora eno nadomestiti drugo. Nova doba digitalnega luksuza zame nastane takrat, ko oba svetova postaneta del istega pogovora.
Moda pogosto predstavlja ideale lepote, medtem ko družbena omrežja vse bolj slavijo individualnost. Kako se je skozi kariero spreminjalo vaše razumevanje lepote?
Popolnost me zanima veliko manj kot nekoč.
Morda je to nekoliko ironično, saj sem študirala dentalno medicino, kjer se naučiš opaziti izjemno majhne podrobnosti in simetrijo. (smeh)
Leta pred kamerami pa so me naučila nečesa drugega. Ustvariš lahko tehnično popolno fotografijo. Svetloba, ličenje in poza so lahko brezhibni, pa fotografija še vedno ne pove ničesar.
Druga podoba pa ujame nenavaden izraz ali gib, ki ga nihče ni načrtoval, in prav to je fotografija, ki si jo zapomnimo.
To je spremenilo moj pogled na lepoto in tudi nase. Danes me veliko bolj privlači prisotnost. Nekateri ljudje vstopijo v prostor in v trenutku vzbudijo radovednost. Morda ne moremo natančno pojasniti, zakaj so lepi, in prav to je najzanimivejše.
Lepota postane veliko vznemirljivejša, ko se nehamo spraševati, ali je nekaj popolno, in se začnemo spraševati, ali je nepozabno.
Kaj za vas pomeni ženskost in kako jo izražate skozi modo, ne da bi dovolili trendom ali pričakovanjem, da vas opredelijo?
Ženskost je nekaj, v čemer uživam, ne nekaj, kar bi se čutila dolžno uprizarjati.
Ne verjamem, da bi morale ženske izbirati med ženskostjo in močjo, čutnostjo in resnostjo, nežnostjo in neodvisnostjo. Te kombinacije so zame veliko zanimivejše od izbire ene same identitete.
Nekega dne si želim obleko, ki povsem sledi telesu. Drugič izberem predimenzioniran kroj, zelo malo ličil in skoraj strog videz. Oboje se mi zdi ženstveno, ker sem v obeh primerih ista ženska.
Sodelovanja z znamkami, kot so Honey Birdette, Sephora Italia, Gisou, Tower 28, BYOMA in WISKIi Active, so mi omogočila raziskovanje različnih izrazov ženskosti, od čutnosti in lepote do gibanja, samozavesti in moči.
Všeč mi je svoboda prehajanja med temi svetovi, ne da bi verjela, da je ena različica mene pristnejša od druge.
Ne želim, da moda opredeljuje mojo ženskost. Želim, da moja ženskost vpliva na to, kako interpretiram modo.
Tedni mode ostajajo pomembna globalna stičišča, vendar se njihova vloga spreminja. Kakšno vrednost ponujajo danes poleg modnih revij, predvsem pri vidnosti, odnosih in novih priložnostih?
Teden mode je eden redkih trenutkov, ko izrazito digitalna industrija nenadoma znova postane zelo fizična.
Večino leta se profesionalni odnosi razvijajo prek zaslonov, elektronske pošte, sporočil, klicev in predstavitev kampanj. Nato so nenadoma vsi istočasno v Milanu, Parizu, Londonu ali New Yorku.
Desetminutni osebni pogovor lahko včasih razkrije več kot trije meseci elektronskih sporočil.
Modna revija seveda ostaja pomembna, vendar jo obdaja celoten profesionalni ekosistem predstavitev, pomerjanj, uredniških fotografiranj, sestankov, fotografov, urednikov, večerij, ekip znamk in poznanstev, iz katerih se lahko čez nekaj mesecev razvije nekaj večjega.
Z Masonom se na ta obdobja pripravljava premišljeno. Pogovoriva se, katera okolja ustrezajo mojemu pozicioniranju, katere obstoječe profesionalne odnose želiva okrepiti in katere priložnosti je vredno razvijati tudi po koncu tedna mode.
Prisotnost povsod ni nujno enaka vidnosti na pravih mestih. Raje zaključim teden mode s tremi pomembnimi novimi odnosi, kot da se udeležim tridesetih dogodkov, ki se jih nihče ne spomni.
Mednarodni uspeh pogosto temelji na pomembnih povezavah. Katere lastnosti iščete pri oblikovalcih, fotografih in znamkah, ko razmišljate o sodelovanju?
Pozorna sem na to, ali si nekdo res želi sodelovanja ali zgolj izvedbe. To sta zelo različni stvari.
Farfetch in Italist sta moje delo povezala z mednarodnim prostorom luksuzne mode in spletne prodaje. Ker takšno okolje združuje številne oblikovalce in estetike, je ohranjanje lastnega pogleda še posebej pomembno.
Lepota zahteva drugačen jezik. Sodelovanja s Sephoro Italia, Gisou, Tower 28 in BYOMA so mi omogočila raziskovanje teksture, kože, gibanja in občutka bližine z občinstvom.
Honey Birdette ima izrazito čutno identiteto, WISKIi Active komunicira skozi gibanje in življenjski slog, z znamkami, kot so Fashion Nova, SHEIN in Pinspark, pa sem spoznala digitalno vodena modna okolja.
Prehajanje med luksuzno modo, lepoto, perilom, športnimi oblačili in digitalnimi znamkami me je naučilo, da iste formule ne morem uporabiti pri vsakem projektu.
Pri fotografih potrebujem zaupanje, pri znamkah jasnost, pri oblikovalcih pa iščem prepričanje v lastno vizijo in prepoznaven pogled.
Z Masonom profesionalne priložnosti ocenjujeva tudi z vidika kreativnega potenciala, pozicioniranja, občinstva, obsega projekta in njegovega mesta v mednarodni smeri moje kariere.
Ne zanima me več zbiranje logotipov. Zanimajo me profesionalni odnosi, ki lahko prerastejo v pomembno ustvarjalno delo.
Ali obstaja znamka, oblikovalec, kreativni direktor ali mednarodni projekt, s katerim bi si v prihodnosti želeli sodelovati? Kakšno zgodbo bi želeli ustvariti?
Prada. Brez oklevanja.
Pri Pradi me navdušuje, da lepota skoraj nikoli ni edino bistvo. Pod podobo je običajno ideja, nekaj inteligentnega, nepričakovanega ali celo rahlo neprijetnega. Zaradi tega pogledaš še enkrat.
Če bi si lahko zamislila projekt s Prado, bi ga želela posneti v Italiji, vendar ne v njeni najbolj očitni, razglednični različici.
Predstavljam si Italijanko, ki se po življenju v tujini vrne domov in spozna, da se kraj v resnici ni spremenil. Spremenila se je ona.
Morda bi zgodbo postavili v zimski Neapelj, na prazne ulice zgodaj zjutraj. Surovo in domače okolje bi ustvarilo kontrast z izjemno natančnimi Pradinimi silhuetami.
Zelo filmsko, zelo nadzorovano in skoraj brez razlage.
Zame bi bilo osebno tudi povezovanje italijanske identitete, s katero sem odraščala, in mednarodnega pogleda, ki sem ga razvila skozi kariero.
Želela bi, da je zgodba lepa, vendar predvsem, da o njej ljudje razmišljajo še potem, ko nehajo gledati oblačila.
Ko vstopate v novo poglavje kariere, kaj želite doseči in kaj naj bi ime Nicole Simeone predstavljalo v prihodnjih letih?
Lastništvo, predvsem lastništvo nad svojo smerjo.
Imela sem srečo, da sem lahko delala na zelo različnih področjih industrije. Farfetch in Italist sta me povezala z mednarodnim občinstvom luksuzne mode. Sephora Italia, Gisou, Tower 28 in BYOMA so mi omogočili raziskovanje različnih področij lepote. Sodelovanja s Fashion Novo, Honey Birdette, WISKIi Active, Public Desire, SHEIN in Pinspark pa so mi prinesla izkušnje v modi, perilu, športnih oblačilih in digitalnih kampanjah.
Razvoj projekta kopalk z Victim 15 je bil pomemben, ker me je spodbudil k razmišljanju onkraj samega pojavljanja na fotografiji. Začela sem bolj razmišljati o konceptu, vizualni identiteti in pozicioniranju.
Vse bolj me zanima prostor med kreativnim talentom in kreativnim vodstvom.
Naslednje poglavje ne pomeni zgolj povečevanja občinstva. Želim nadaljevati mednarodno širitev z močnim poudarkom na Združenih državah Amerike, razvijati večje modne, lepotne in luksuzne projekte ter sodelovati pri kampanjah, v katere sem povabljena tudi zaradi svojega kreativnega pogleda.
Mason Avakian ima pri tem pomembno vlogo. Kot moj menedžer in direktor kampanj tesno sodeluje z menoj pri karierni strategiji, usmerjanju kampanj, profesionalnem pozicioniranju ter ocenjevanju in razvijanju priložnosti.
Kariera ni ena kampanja, ena znamka ali ena fotografija. Kariera je tisto, kar vse te odločitve postanejo, ko jih povežemo.
Želim tudi nadaljevati sodelovanja s strokovnjaki, ki imajo močan lasten pogled. Vloga fotografa Francesca Norcie se razlikuje od Masonovih odgovornosti pri menedžmentu in usmerjanju kampanj, in prav to razlikovanje cenim. Najmočnejši projekti nastanejo, ko različni ljudje k skupni viziji prispevajo različno znanje.
Ne želim, da bi ime Nicole Simeone čez nekaj let predstavljalo število sledilcev. Želim, da predstavlja okus, razvoj, mednarodno modo in kreativno avtorstvo.
Če ljudje nekoč ne bodo prepoznali le mojega obraza, temveč tudi odločitve, ki stojijo za mojim delom, bom vedela, da sem ustvarila nekaj pomembnega.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A NEW ERA OF DIGITAL LUXURY
Italian model and digital creator Nicole Simeone began her journey in Naples and has since established an international presence across fashion, beauty and luxury. With a community of more than one million followers, she is not simply a face in front of the camera. She is actively involved in developing visual narratives, creative concepts and campaigns. In this interview with Grazia, Simeone reflects on the influence of her Italian roots, her studies in dentistry and her collaborations with global brands. She discusses the changing meaning of luxury, modern femininity, the value of Fashion Weeks and the evolution from digital influence to creative authorship. In the next chapter of her career, she is seeking more than visibility. She is pursuing ownership of her direction.
Nicole, you began your journey in Naples and have since built an international career in fashion, luxury and digital media. Which moments have been the most decisive in shaping the woman and professional you are today?
There was not one dramatic moment when everything changed. It was a series of decisions that gradually took me beyond what was familiar.
Naples will always be part of my identity. Growing up there means being surrounded by contrasts: history and modernity, elegance and chaos, the sea, architecture and a very instinctive relationship with beauty and style. I think that influenced my visual sensibility before I even understood what a visual identity was.
Leaving what was familiar was equally important. It forced me to discover who I was outside the environment where I grew up.
Another defining period was studying dentistry while simultaneously exploring modelling and digital creation. They seemed like completely different worlds, but the discipline and attention to detail I developed academically eventually influenced how I approached creative work.
When international brands began approaching me, something that had started as personal self expression was suddenly connecting me with companies and audiences in different countries. That was when I understood that digital media could become more than a platform. It could become a career without traditional geographic boundaries.
Today, I am experiencing another transition. I am thinking less about the next opportunity and much more about the architecture of a long term international career.
My manager and campaign director, Mason Avakian, is closely involved in that process. We consider where projects can lead, which professional relationships we want to develop and how individual opportunities contribute to the larger direction we are building, particularly internationally and in the United States.
Earlier in my career, growth meant saying yes to new experiences. Now I think growth also means understanding which opportunities deserve a yes.
With a community of more than one million followers, you are not only a model but also a powerful digital storyteller. How involved are you in the creative direction of your content, and what makes a story feel authentically yours?
I am probably annoyingly involved! (Laughs.)
I am extremely visual, and inspiration does not always begin with fashion. It can come from a film scene, architecture, an old hotel, the colour of a wall or simply the way sunlight enters a room. Then I start building around that feeling.
I notice the location, styling, light, movement and even the energy on set. But I have also learned that being creatively involved does not mean controlling every person in the room. The best collaborators bring something you could not have created alone.
Different professional relationships have allowed me to explore completely different visual languages. Honey Birdette can invite something sensual and cinematic, while working with names such as Sephora Italia and Gisou naturally shifts the focus towards texture, detail and a different kind of storytelling. WISKIi Active introduces movement and the body into the visual language.
Platforms such as Farfetch and Italist communicate fashion within a much broader international luxury environment. You are speaking to an audience that already understands and consumes fashion globally, so maintaining a recognizable point of view becomes especially important.
The essential thing is that I do not disappear inside the brand.
Mason Avakian works with me on campaign direction, positioning and the broader strategy surrounding projects, while photographer Francesco Norcia interprets the visual language through light, composition and his perspective behind the camera. Their responsibilities are distinct but complementary. I bring my identity and understanding of my audience into the process rather than simply arriving to be photographed.
A story feels authentically mine when everyone has contributed their expertise, but I can still recognize myself in the final result.
Luxury is no longer defined only by exclusivity or price. What does true luxury mean to you today, both professionally and personally?
The ability to choose.
When you are younger, luxury can look like the things you hope to own. My definition has changed completely.
Having control over my time, choosing where I go, who I work with, what deserves my attention and what does not feels incredibly luxurious to me.
Privacy has also become a luxury. We live in a culture where almost every moment can be documented immediately. Because visibility is part of my profession, the moments when nobody needs anything from me have become especially valuable.
Professionally, luxury means intention.
I have worked across fashion, beauty, activewear and lifestyle, and I have learned that price alone does not create desire. People recognize when something has been considered properly.
It is in the fabric, photography, casting, environment, packaging, service and even the things deliberately left out. True luxury makes you feel that somebody cared about every decision, including those you never consciously notice.
Your cover title, A New Era of Digital Luxury, suggests that the meaning of influence is changing. What defines this new era, and how do you see your own place within it?
I think we are moving from influence based purely on attention towards influence built around identity.
Having a large audience is powerful, but numbers alone do not tell me whether someone has creative influence. I am more interested in whether they have created a recognizable world.
Can you recognize their taste, imagery and way of communicating? If you removed the username from a photograph, would you still have some idea of who created it?
That is where I think digital creators have become particularly interesting to fashion.
Traditional fashion gave us extraordinary designers, editors, photographers and models who created fantasy. Digital media introduced another dimension: the ability to communicate that world directly to an audience and receive an immediate response.
My career exists somewhere between those two spaces. I love the polish, mystery and permanence of traditional fashion imagery, but I also understand the intimacy and immediacy of digital culture.
I do not think one needs to replace the other. For me, the new era of digital luxury is what happens when those worlds become one conversation.
Fashion often presents ideals of beauty, while social media increasingly celebrates individuality. How has your understanding of beauty evolved throughout your career?
I have become much less interested in perfection.
Perhaps that is ironic, considering I studied dentistry, where you are trained to notice incredibly small details and symmetry. (Laughs.)
Spending years in front of cameras taught me something very different. You can create a technically perfect image. The lighting, makeup and pose can all be perfect, yet the photograph can still say nothing.
Then another image captures a strange expression or an unplanned movement, and that is the photograph you remember.
That changed the way I look at beauty and at myself. I am much more attracted to presence now. Some people enter a room and immediately make you curious. Perhaps you cannot identify exactly what makes them beautiful, and I think that is the interesting part.
Beauty becomes much more exciting when you stop asking, “Is this perfect?” and start asking, “Is this memorable?”
What does femininity mean to you, and how do you express it through fashion without allowing trends or expectations to define you?
Femininity is something I enjoy rather than something I feel obligated to perform.
I do not believe women should have to choose between being feminine and powerful, sensual and serious, soft and independent. Those combinations are much more interesting to me than choosing one identity.
Some days I want a dress that completely follows the body. On another day, I want oversized tailoring, very little makeup and something almost severe. Both feel feminine because I am still the same woman wearing them.
Working with Honey Birdette, Sephora Italia, Gisou, Tower 28, BYOMA and WISKIi Active has allowed me to explore different expressions of femininity, from sensuality and beauty to movement, confidence and strength.
I value the freedom to move between those worlds without believing that one version of me is more authentic than another.
I do not want fashion to define my femininity. I want my femininity to influence how I interpret fashion.
Fashion Weeks remain important global meeting points, but their role continues to evolve. What value do they offer today beyond the runway, particularly in terms of visibility, relationships and new opportunities?
Fashion Week is one of the rare moments when an extremely digital industry suddenly becomes very physical again.
For most of the year, professional relationships develop through screens, emails, messages, calls and campaign presentations. Then suddenly everyone is in Milan, Paris, London or New York at the same time.
A ten minute conversation in person can sometimes tell you more than three months of emails.
The runway remains important, but an entire professional ecosystem surrounds it: presentations, fittings, editorial shoots, meetings, photographers, editors, dinners, brand teams and introductions that may develop into something significant months later.
Mason and I approach those periods deliberately. We discuss which environments make sense for my positioning, which existing professional relationships we want to strengthen and where meaningful opportunities may be worth developing after Fashion Week ends.
Being present everywhere is not necessarily the same as being visible in the right places. I would rather leave Fashion Week having developed three meaningful relationships than having attended thirty events nobody remembers.
International success is often built through meaningful connections. What qualities do you look for in designers, photographers and brands when considering a collaboration?
I pay attention to whether someone genuinely wants collaboration or simply execution. Those are very different things.
Farfetch and Italist connected my work with the international luxury fashion and ecommerce space. When you work in an environment that brings together many designers and aesthetics, maintaining your own point of view becomes especially important.
Beauty requires another language. Working with Sephora Italia, Gisou, Tower 28 and BYOMA has allowed me to explore texture, skin, movement and a sense of closeness with the audience.
Honey Birdette has a distinct sensual identity, while WISKIi Active communicates through movement and lifestyle. I have also experienced digitally led fashion environments through brands such as Fashion Nova, SHEIN and Pinspark.
Moving between luxury fashion, beauty, lingerie, activewear and digital brands has taught me not to apply the same formula to every project.
With photographers, I need trust. With brands, I need clarity. With designers, I look for conviction and a recognizable perspective.
Mason and I also evaluate opportunities from a strategic perspective, considering the creative potential, positioning, audience, scope and how a project fits within the international direction of my career.
I am less interested in collecting logos. I am interested in professional relationships that can develop into meaningful creative work.
Is there a particular brand, designer, creative director or international project you would love to collaborate with in the future, and what kind of story would you want to create together?
Prada. Without hesitation.
What fascinates me about Prada is that beauty is rarely the entire point. There is usually an idea beneath the image, something intelligent, unexpected or even slightly uncomfortable. It makes you look twice.
If I could imagine a project with Prada, I would want to shoot it in Italy, but not the obvious version of Italy. Not the postcard.
I imagine an Italian woman returning home after living internationally and realizing that the place has not really changed. She has.
Perhaps Naples in winter rather than summer. Empty streets early in the morning. Something raw and familiar in the environment contrasted with incredibly precise Prada silhouettes.
Very cinematic, very controlled and with almost no explanation.
For me, there would also be something personal in bringing together the Italian identity I grew up with and the international perspective I have developed through my career.
I would want it to be beautiful, of course, but more importantly, I would want people to continue thinking about the story after they had stopped looking at the clothes.
As you enter the next chapter of your career, what are you working towards, and what would you like the name Nicole Simeone to represent in the years ahead?
Ownership, especially ownership of my direction.
I have been fortunate to work across very different parts of the industry. Farfetch and Italist connected my work with an international luxury fashion audience. Sephora Italia, Gisou, Tower 28 and BYOMA allowed me to explore different areas of beauty. Collaborations with Fashion Nova, Honey Birdette, WISKIi Active, Public Desire, SHEIN and Pinspark gave me experience across fashion, lingerie, activewear and digital campaigns.
Developing a swimwear project with Victim 15 was another important experience because it encouraged me to think beyond simply appearing in an image. It made me consider the concept, visual identity and positioning.
That made me increasingly interested in the space between creative talent and creative leadership.
The next chapter is not simply about making my audience larger. I want to continue expanding internationally, with a strong focus on the United States, develop larger fashion, beauty and luxury projects, and participate in campaigns where my creative perspective is part of why I am invited into the room.
Mason Avakian is an important part of that development. As my manager and campaign director, he works closely with me on career strategy, campaign direction, professional positioning and the evaluation and development of opportunities.
A career is not one campaign, one brand or one photograph. It is what all those decisions become when you put them together.
I also want to continue working with specialists who have strong perspectives of their own. Francesco Norcia’s role as photographer is distinct from Mason’s responsibilities in management and campaign direction, and I value that distinction. The strongest projects happen when different people bring different expertise to one vision.
Years from now, I do not want the name Nicole Simeone to represent a follower count. I would like it to represent taste, evolution, international fashion and creative authorship.
If people eventually recognize not only my face but also the choices behind the work, I will feel that I have built something meaningful.
Obraz naslovnice:
Nicole Simeone, @nicolesimeonex
Mednarodna manekenka in digitalna ustvarjalka Fotografije:
Francesco Norcia
Fotograf Menedžment in vodenje kampanje:
Mason Avakian
Menedžer in direktor kampanje Izbrana sodelovanja z znamkami:
Farfetch · Italist · Sephora Italia · Fashion Nova · Honey Birdette · Gisou · WISKIi Active · Tower 28 · BYOMA · Public Desire · SHEIN · Pinspark · Victim 15
