Beauty Products

Skin

Bigelow Citron Shower Gel

Bigelow Mustard Bath
Bliss Body Cream

Chanel Hydramax

Dior Eyes Ultra Capture Totale

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Face

NARS Cheek Blush

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat

Eyes
Mascara

Lips

Calvin Klein Natural Rose

Dolce & Gabbana Lip Jewels Compact

Fragrances

Escentric Molecules

Other Beauty Products

Berocca

Santa Maria Novella Acqua di Rose

Giovanna Battaglia photographs courtesy of PurseBlog and © 2008 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved. Product images courtesy of Amazon, C.O. Bigelow, Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Estee Lauder, NARS, Yves Saint Laurent, Escentric Molecules, Berocca, and Santa Maria Novella.

Prada Private Sunglasses

E’ ormai noto che Giovanna Battaglia ha il simpatico vezzo di personalizzare i suoi accessori più cari con le sue iniziali o il suo “nomignolo” Gio. Il suo monogramma compare a sorpresa su gioielli e camicie, per cui non poteva certo lasciarsi sfuggire la splendida opportunità offerta da Prada, a chi entra nelle sue boutique di Milano, Roma e Venezia, di poter personalizzare a suo piacimento un bel paio di occhiali da sole. Prada Private Sunglasses è disponibile in due colori, bianco e nero, in pochi modelli, anche nella variante “for Man”, e personalizzabile, su prenotazione, con lettere e simboli in alcune (e purtoppo poche) boutique Prada.

By now I notice that Giovanna Battaglia has the lovely habit of personalizing her dearest accessories with her initials or her nickname, "Gio." Her monogram appears by surprise on jewelry and blouses and for this reason she certainly could not let herself miss the splendid opportunity offered by Prada: anyone that enters their boutiques in Milan, Rome, and Venice, can personalize to one’s own taste a beautiful pair of sunglasses. Prada Private Sunglasses are available in two colors, white and black, in a few styles, also in a version for men, and can be personalized with letters and symbols by pre-order in select (and unfortunately few) Prada boutiques.

Translation from Italian to English by Isabelle Reford

Giovanna Battaglia and Prada Private Sunglasses images courtesy of twitter.com/batgiovanna, Prada.com, PurseForum, and © 2011 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Monica Vitti

It is easy to see why international star Monica Vitti, one of Italy’s most famous actresses of the 20th century, is an admired favorite of Giovanna Battaglia. Vitti was an alluring beauty with originality and versatility much like Gio herself. She could not only act, she carved her niche in comedy, an arena mainly dominated by men at the time. Vitti was bright and determined to succeed at a young age; even as a teenager she acted in amateur productions. She attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Rome and graduated in 1953 with her diploma as an actress. Vitti’s career took off several years later when she met director Michelangelo Antonini (also her lover) who regularly chose her as lead actress in some of the finest Italian films like L'avventura (1960), La notte (1961), L'eclisse (1962), and Deserto rosso (1964). Notice that Giovanna wasn’t even born yet!

In the 1970s, Vitti decided to sharpen her comedic skills and it is in this genre that she gained recognition in films like La ragazza con la pistola (1968) by Mario Monicelli, in which she plays the unlikely role of a Sicilian woman seeking revenge in London. She achieved even greater success in Amore mio, aiutami (1969) by Alberto Sordi, on the theme of marital infidelity, and in Dramma della gelosia (1970) by Ettore Scola, which sees her at the center of a working class love triangle alongside Marcello Mastroianni. Clearly Gio loves the nostalgic style of classic black and white films, perhaps she and her family watched Vitti together after a traditional Sunday supper of gnocchi with tomato sauce and pignoli cookies for dessert. Delizioso!

By the time Giovanna was actually born, Vitti had returned to the theatre as an actress and teacher. During the 1990s she worked in television, acting and directing. In 1993, Vitti was awarded the Festival Tribute at the Créteil International Women's Film Festival in France. While Vitti was raised with old fashioned Italian values, much like Giovanna she had contemporary dreams and aspirations. Both are great beauties with brains and lively senses of humor, both are rare finds. Women like Giovanna Battaglia and Monica Vitti should provide a sense of not only admiration, but also aspiration.

Monica Vitti and Giovanna Battaglia photographs courtesy of Fashion Spot.

Update on sabato 2 aprile 2011 by kellina

For more on Italian icon Monica Vitti, read Gala's comparison of styles in "Giovanna Battaglia À La Vitti."

Edmundo Castillo

When it comes to accessories, Giovanna Battaglia prizes her shoes above all. When she last counted, about two years ago, she had over 350 pairs in her possession. Comfort is never an option, so while she does own ballerinas and sandals you will most likely spot Gio running around in spectacular heels. She collects various designers including Prada, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dolce & Gabbana, and Roger Vivier but Edmundo Castillo, who says that shoes are makeup for the feet, holds a special place in her heart.

This shoe designer caused a storm in the fashion scene when he launched his own shoe label at the beginning of this century. He scooped the coveted Perry Ellis Award for Accessories Designer of the Year in 2001 and opened his own New York City store two years later. His elegant designs in bold colors forced fashionistas to don their trainers to outrun colleagues when his new collections arrived, so it came as a shock when the designer announced that he planned to stop his own label to become creative director of Sergio Rossi.

But now the Puerto Rican born shoe designer is back with his own line after six years working at Sergio Rossi. His "Light Sandal," a beautiful wedge that actually lights up, immediately made headlines due to its groundbreaking LED technology. "I aim to bring footwear into the 21st century," says Castillo. "Designing shouldn’t be about looking back. It’s about moving forward." What sets him apart is that instead of being a slave to trends, Castillo designs shoes that will be a part of your wardrobe for years and remain relevant. He is also a big believer that the shoe shouldn’t be wearing the woman. This spring Castillo surprised his fans with a number of designs featuring a kitten heel. "The high heel is sexy but it's also turned into something vulgar. Anyone can make a high heel these days. There's something in kitten heels that seems fresh."

Edmundo Castillo photograph courtesy of Getty Images. Shoe image courtesy of edmundocastillo.com.

Alberta Ferretti

Giovanna Battaglia is a fashion chameleon who looks good in any brand but with her unerring eye Gio is naturally drawn to fashions in which the designers highlight the importance of detail: femininity with a touch of rock chic. Therefore it is no surprise that our beloved Italian fashion editor is a fan of another talented Italian, Alberta Ferretti, a designer arguably best known for her iconic silk chiffon gowns.

If you are dying to know what the lovely Giovanna might be wearing this upcoming season, Alberta Ferretti’s answer seems to be the minidress. A far cry from the long, draped dresses of the Italian fashion house, the minidress might seem a bit of a controversial choice for the freezing European climate. However, this is no fashion emergency: Ferretti reassures her fans that the A/W 2011 range will not allow the chill to reach our legs as the over-the-knee boot will be a key statement piece in the line. Why? These particular over-the-knee boots will be made in colors such as electric blue or fuchsia: not for the faint-hearted! If anyone can pull those off, it’s surely Giovanna (note they would look fabulous on another stylish Italian, Anna Dello Russo).

Moreover, Ferretti is not only about daring and innovative fashion, she is ecologically conscious as well; the designer recently announced Pure Threads, her collaboration with eco-fashion lover Emma Watson. The new organic clothing line is inspired by a true icon: "very classic, ‘60s Jane Birkin." This is surely great news for those who love beautiful as well as sustainable clothing. The collection will comprise just five pieces: two dresses, a pair of jean shorts, a maxi skirt, and a top. We hope to see Giovanna wearing the pieces from the new organic line: ethical fashion needs a chic spokeswoman and Gio would fit the role perfectly! The new line launches March 21, perhaps you will soon be wearing the same sexy jean shorts as your favorite Italian stylist! Visit Giovanna's closet to see more of her wearing this amazing dress from the Alberta Ferretti Fall/Winter 2010 RTW collection paired with gladiator sandals by Sergio Rossi.

Alberta Ferretti images courtesy of albertaferretti.com
Emma Watson in Alberta Ferretti image © 2011 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Giovanna Battaglia photograph courtesy of purseblog.com.