Celebrating Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia

 

On March 6th I attended  the Chicago premiere of "Franca: Chaos and Creation" directed by Franca' son Francesco Carrozzini and I was invited by the Director of Programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center,  Barbara Scharres to be part of the panel.

I absolutely loved the movie and the way Franca was portrayed in it by her son.

She was strong, funny, courageous, free and true to herself!
She was so beautifully Italian in her personality, yet extremely open minded about everything and creative in such a unique way!

I totally understand when she says that her time in London changed her and that she would have never come back from England...this is what London does to you when you live there! It opens your mind so much that there is no going back afterwards.

She wanted to be number 1 globally and she did it! Numbers say it all! She was a winner, because she went after her dreams no matter what!

Franca Sozzani said she never listened to market researches and that in the end she was right and they were wrong. Her controversial issues sold more than anyone could have ever expected.

She used fashion as a strong tool to say something, to talk about important issues through the power of the international language of photos, with the help of very talented photographers.

This is a short video of me during the panel at the Gene Siskel Film Center answering a question about what I personally think of Franca after watching her movie:  

 
In this video Franca said something so true during the Swarovski Award for positive change: "to change you need to take risks and you need to find someone who believes in you...".
I couldn't agree more with her!

Franca told her son in the movie she wanted to do something important in this life that could stay after she was gone... and she did it during her amazing 28 years at Vogue Italia, the most important fashion magazine in the world. She will be always remembered!
It's just like Horace said: " Exegi monumentum aere perennius, regalique situ piramidum altius, quod non imber edax, no Aquilo impotens possit diruere..."( I have created a monument more lasting than bronze, and higher than the royal site of the pyramids, which neither harsh rains nor the wild North wind can erode...).

 
(Photo: Vogue Italia 1st issue with Franca Sozzani as Editor in Chief, July/Aug 1988)