You'll Find Her Work In
International glossies such as W, Vogue Italia, and Dasha Zhukova's new art magazine, Garage.
Style Signature
"It used to be high heels, but I wear flats now too, so I would say short skirts."
Background Check
"I modeled for a long time and worked closely with Dolce & Gabbana. I was their fit and runway model and the 'woman of the maison.' The designers called me their 'little musina.' I learned so much from them and was lucky to have that opportunity, but for me, modeling was just a way to get inside the fashion industry. I didn't know if I wanted to be a designer or what. At the time, Domenico [Dolce] and Stefano [Gabbana] were working with a stylist named Charlotte Stockdale. She was the first stylist I'd met, and immediately I was like, Wow! I like this job. I think I found my spot."
Dressed to Impress
At Paris Fashion Week, en route to a show in the Tuileries. Giovanna's flair for dressing makes her a favorite among street-style photographers.
Learning Curve
"There are lots of not-so-glamorous parts of the job, especially when you're starting out. In the beginning, I did my own pickups and returns on my Vespa, and I used my brother's art gallery as a base for shoots—he wanted to kill me! I had never assisted anyone. I just started doing my own shoots and making my own mistakes—big mistakes. But the good thing about making a mistake by yourself is that you never do it again. I didn't know how expensive it was to ship a box from Milan to Paris, and I spent 2,000 euros sending outfits from Yves Saint Laurent. I was in tears on the phone with UPS, like, Oh my god, I could buy a pair of Manolos, a coat, and a Prada dress for that!"
Building Blocks
"As a stylist, you have to have a lot of passion for clothes—not only to wear them but to know the history and culture of them as well. Sometimes my styling reflects what I would wear, and other times I'm creating a character. One of my favorite shoots I've ever done is a story I styled with photographer Ellen von Unwerth in Paris that was inspired by Hitchcock."
Fashion Inspirations
"Monica Vitti, one of the great Italian actresses of the 1960s and 1970s; Peggy Guggenheim because of how eccentric she was; Audrey Hepburn; Marchesa Luisa Casati; Gwen Stefani. There are many more.