Page 100 - Hola_USA

SO CI A L I T E

GIOVANNA

BATTAGLIA

THE ICONIC FASHIONISTA—
WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION

FOR BERGDORF GOODMAN’S
MANNEQUINS—TELLS US ABOUT
HER ITALIAN LESSONS

WITH OBAMA

BY CLAUDIA TORRES-RONDÓN +
GISELLE BALIDO

he is simply fabulous! And for once, the word is not
S mere hyperbole. Just look at the sheer fabulousness
of the world she’s created. In her editorial work with
iconic photographers such as Peter Lindbergh, Patrick
Demarchelier, Paolo Roversi, and Terry Richardson, she
manages to blend cool sophistication with an irreverent
sense of playfulness that epitomizes joie de vivre. As a
stylist, her unerring eye for fashion has attracted a list of
clients that includes Dolce & Gabbana, Carolina Her-
rera, Michael Kors, Christian Dior, Fendi, Bulgari, and
Saks Fifth Avenue. Recently, she took over the windows
of Bergdorf Goodman during New York Fashion Week,
an event she describes as one of the highlights of her life.
In the midst of her whirlwind life between New York
and Stockholm—the place she calls home with hus-
band George Engelbert—we chatted with Battaglia,
who is senior fashion editor at Vogue Japan and contrib-
uting fashion editor at W magazine. The native Italian
who calls herself Bat Gio due to her love for all things
Batman talked to HOLA! USA about her latest book,
Gio_Graphy: Fun in the Wild World of Fashion (Rizzoli),
revealed the source of her inspiration, and recalled her
nerve-wracking Obama encounter.

What can you tell us about Gio_Graphy? The book is a
visual diary about many things that go from how to go
to the bathroom with a gown, to what happened when
my dress broke at the Met. It’s almost like a modern
scrapbook of memories and fun things, so it’s a very PHOTOGRAPHER, CHRIS COLLS; MAKE UP, VIRGINIA YOUNG; HAIR, DIEGO DA SILVA
funny, fun book. There are even outfit recipes!

In the book you also talk about the moment when you
met the Obamas at the White House. What was it like? I
was super nervous when we were in the same room, and
when I went to shake hands, I was so nervous that I

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