Interview
ELISABETTA DESSY: TOP SPORTSWOMAN
AND RUNWAY-IKONE
Elisabetta Dessy is the face of the new comma campaign. In an interview with comma, the model talks about success, empowerment and pioneering roles.
Elisabetta in a comma interview about her personal "Little Moments" and her career as a model.
But moments when we pause, when we are alone, when we take a break from everyday life, can also become very personal "little moments". Elisabetta told us that the best little moments for her are "(...) especially at home in front of the fireplace with a book and a cup of tea". After ending her Olympic swimming career at the age of 18, the now 66-year-old became a model, worked as an actress and raised two children. She has posed for countless brands, traveled the world and knows the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between body and mind.
Eisabetta, it's an honor to have you on set as a model for our new campaign. Tell us something about your life.
My career as a professional swimmer began at an early age, so it was a great challenge to combine school and sports. When I participated in the Olympic Games at the age of 18, I knew that I had achieved everything in this sport. So I exchanged this lifelong dream for another and became a model and actress. At 28, I became pregnant and decided to just be a wife and mother. 33 years later my husband died and I knew I had to reinvent myself.
How did you decide to follow your time as a top athlete with a career as a model?
During a walk with my father, a photographer asked me if he could take pictures of me. Two weeks later I got my first job at Valentino.
How do you stay mentally and physically fit?
I run 15 kilometers every day, regardless of the weather. It helps me balance my mind and body, and it gives me the best ideas.
Our spring/summer campaign is all about the "Little Moments" that make our lives special. What do yours look like?
These are the moments when I have time for myself, when I sit in front of the fireplace at home, when I drink a cup of tea or read a good book.
What does female empowerment mean to you?
To be able to be yourself. Accepting who you are and doing what you want without having to compete with a man.
Do you use your position in the fashion industry to encourage others to be empowered in their lives?
Yes, I want to be an inspiration to all those women who want to give their lives a new meaning as they get older. I want to show them that they can still be beautiful and desirable at 66 - without diets or plastic surgery, even in one of the toughest industries in the world (fashion). They just have to be themselves and love themselves.
Speaking of mental health, have you developed any specific strategies to deal with the pressures of the industry?
I always have a good book with me to pass the time during casting or before shooting, and I talk a lot with my colleagues on set. I'm also friendly and polite, which is good for the psyche.
What is your advice to young people searching for their own identity?
Read as much as you can. Reading helps us understand who we are. The more you read, the easier it is to find your way.
