73 Questions With Donatella Versace | Vogue
- [Assistant] Buongiorno.
- [Interviewer] Oh, hey!
- [Assistant] Benvenuto.
- [Interviewer] Sono qui per l'intervista con Donatella.
- [Assistant] E la aspettando.
- [Interviewer] Ok, grazie.
Donatella!
- Hey Joe.
Welcome.
- [Interviewer] Assolutamente.
And the first question I'd like to ask you
is what are you most excited about in life right now?
- Well, the next Met Gala in May.
- [Interviewer] Ok.
And you're co-chair of the Met Gala this year.
What should we expect?
- You will expect the best Met Gala ever.
- [Interviewer] Can't wait.
And what are you reading right now?
- Magazines.
- [Interviewer] And what's a song
that you're currently obsessed with?
- Million Reasons.
- [Interviewer] If you were not running Versace,
how would you be spending your time?
- Having a nervous breakdown, probably.
- [Interviewer] What's something
you'd still love to learn?
- Chinese.
- [Interviewer] What's the best film ever made?
- "The Shape of Water."
- [Interviewer] Who's the best photographer
that's ever lived?
- Steven Meisel.
- [Interviewer] What are your favorite flowers on earth?
- Roses.
- [Interviewer] Well lucky for me I made the right decision
with that one. - Thank you.
- [Interviewer] My pleasure.
- Thank you.
- [Interviewer] Ok, so two major fashion hubs
in the world.
Which one is it - New York or Milan?
- New York, always.
- [Interviewer] Leather or lace?
- Leather.
- [Interviewer] Silver or gold?
- Gold.
- [Interviewer] And this one's pretty obvious I think,
but heels or flats?
- What a question!
- [Interviewer] Heels?
- Heels.
- [Interviewer] Donatella, what excites you
most about fashion?
- That it's always evolving.
- [Interviewer] What's your favorite aspect of your job?
- Staying around my team.
- [Interviewer] What's the hardest thing about your job?
- Listening to my team.
- [Interviewer] What's the most overused word
in fashion right now?
- Amazing!
- [Interviewer] What's a fashion rule
that you completely disagree with?
- Flat shoes.
- [Interviewer] Donatella, what's a movie
everyone should be watching right now?
- "The Shape of Water."
- [Interviewer] Ok.
What TV show have you recently been hooked on?
- The Amazing Mrs...
- [Interviewer] Oh, ah - Maisel.
- Maisel!
- [Interviewer] Love that show.
And if you could have coffee with anybody
on the planet, who would it be?
- It would be Michelle Obama.
- [Interviewer] And what about dinner?
- It would be Barack Obama.
- [Interviewer] What's one item every woman should have
in her wardrobe?
- A pair of tight, black pants.
- [Interviewer] Ok.
What's your greatest achievement?
- My children.
- [Interviewer] How would you describe your personal style?
- Very personal.
- [Interviewer] What's the most important thing
to ever happen in the fashion world?
- Technology.
- [Interviewer] What's a trend you wish
would never, ever return?
- Minimalism.
- [Interviewer] Do you think one day
we're going to be reading your autobiography?
- Never.
Never. - Why?
- Because all the mistakes I did in my life,
I like to keep them private.
- [Interviewer] If you ruled the world,
what would you make a law?
- Stop children starvation.
- [Interviewer] Where do you hope to see the world
in five years from now?
- More progress. More technology.
- [Interviewer] What was your favorite part
about acting in Zoolander?
- Meeting Ben Stiller.
- That's so great. - [Assistant] Ecco lì.
- [Donatella] So beautiful.
- [Interviewer] Oh, very nice.
They look very, very lovely.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Donatella, this is
your brother's apartment, right?
- Yes, it is.
- [Interviewer] Um, it's been 20 years
since you lost your brother, Gianni.
What do you think he would say about the work
you've done as the brand's artistic director?
- Ah, not good enough.
- [Interviewer] What do you miss most about Gianni?
- His laugh.
- [Interviewer] What was your favorite memory with him?
- Being backstage with him at the latest fashion show
in Paris, just before he was killed.
- [Interviewer] In what way did he inspire you?
- His life inspired me.
- [Interviewer] What's the best advice
that he's ever given you?
- Be true to yourself.
- [Interviewer] And you created this tribute collection
in memory of him.
Um, why now?
- It was too painful to think about it before.
Twenty years went by, and I was ready.
- [Interviewer] I'm sure he'd be very proud.
So, what's the best gift you've ever received?
- A yellow diamond from my brother, Gianni.
- It's America, because it's so big
and so different from East Coast to West Coast.
- [Interviewer] And in America, what's your favorite thing
that Americans say?
- Fantastic.
- [Interviewer] Ah, which Italian word do you wish
English speakers would stop saying incorrectly?
- Versace.
It's Versace.
- [Interviewer] What makes Versace unique?
- Me.
- [Interviewer] Most memorable Versace show?
- 1991.
The fashion show with all the supermodels
singing "Freedom" on the runway.
- [Interviewer] If you were a hashtag, what would you be?
- #blonde.
- [Interviewer] Nice.
Now, as I understand it, you were your brother's muse.
- Was I?
- [Interviewer] And in all the work that you do,
who would you consider to be your muse?
- Strong women all over the world.
- [Interviewer] How has fashion changed
since you took the leadership of the brand?
- Complete revolution made by technology and social media.
- [Interviewer] Mm-hmm.
What can we expect from your upcoming collection?
- Don't you know it's a secret?!
I can not talk about.
- [Interviewer] Can't blame me for trying on that one.
What's the first reaction when you heard
Lady Gaga's song Donatella?
- I say, wow, finally!
- [Interviewer] And it's true you know
all the words to Bruno Mars' "Versace on the Floor?"
- Absolutely, yes.
- [Interviewer] And that Migos song.
Do you actually recommend anyone having a medusa on them
like they're illuminati, or that they put Versace
on the top of their Audi?
- Why not?
- All right. - Of course, yes.
- [Interviewer] Donatella, how would you describe yourself?
- I describe myself as a warm person.
And, ah, very loyal.
- [Interviewer] How do you feel you are perceived?
- As a cold person.
Very distant.
- [Interviewer] What's the biggest misconception about you?
- That I'm not friendly.
- [Interviewer] Who do you admire the most?
- I admire women in the world.
- [Interviewer] What's the best advice
that you've ever received in your life?
- Be true to yourself.
- [Interviewer] What advice would you offer
to your 16-year-old self?
- Follow the rules just a little bit more.
- [Interviewer] How do you react to criticism?
- I hate it.
- [Interviewer] Who is the best designer of all time?
- Karl Lagerfeld.
- [Interviewer] Who's an emerging designer
that you're excited to watch develop?
- Michael Halpern.
- [Interviewer] What is an issue that you wish
a lot of us would be talking about a lot more often?
- Women.
- [Interviewer] Now last weekend
was the second annual Women's March.
What's your vision for the movement in 2018?
- I think it will get stronger and bigger.
- [Interviewer] What does it mean to be a woman today?
- It means to be aware of what happens in the world.
And do something about it.
- [Interviewer] Do you consider yourself a feminist?
- Absolutely, yes.
- [Interviewer] What does feminism mean to you?
- What I just say before, be aware of the problems
in the world, and try to fix it a little bit.
- [Interviewer] Right.
What's one thing that's going to save humanity?
- Sustainability.
- [Interviewer] And Donatella, for the last question,
I have to ask you, what fashion advice would you give me?
- Oh my God, that's a lot of work.
- Yeah, I know. - Jonathan!
- [Assistant] Ecco lo.
- [Interviewer] Oh, how perfect is this!?
Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
Ciao!
- [Interviewer] Ciao.
