Model, poet, actress, director… AND our new idol! Yes that’s right; she is all of those things! Greta Bellamacina, an ex-KCL English Literature and Language student, has gone up and beyond since her university days, having recently created a poetry fashion film for our very own London Fashion Week.
On asking how it all started, I found that Greta had quite a different conception of your typical idle ‘gap yah’, and had in fact interned not only at US Vogue, but also UK Vogue and Tatler magazine within the same year!
Having not had any previous fashion experience, Greta called the US Vogue office and successfully talked her way through various people into being given some contact details. To my surprise, Greta found her experience at London Vogue dull in comparison to the adventures of Manhattan:
“At US Vogue I interviewed some incredible people, and they just gave you so much responsibility. Their work ethic is crazy; you’d work so hard then go for a meal at 12pm, then head off to a party, and be back at the office for 9am! When at UK Vogue, everything was quite regimented and slow.”
Within that same gap year, Greta was also spotted by a photographer at Teen Vogue who happened to be brother to the owner of Models1 – so Greta was signed and continued to model during her days at Kings.
“Its quite addictive once you start, but it was so hard. I was always going off to five castings a day or flying off somewhere, and no-one had any idea.”
Whilst studying for a degree and working as a model, Greta also managed to write and publish a book of poetry called Kaleidoscope, at which point she had a personal epiphany that poetry was her true calling. After various poetry readings where listeners commented that there should be more poetry around, Greta was asked to write for the online fashion diary of Twenty8Twelve.
“The owner of Twenty8Twelve loves philosophy and poetry, it’s never advertised but if you buy their jeans they have little phrases in the pockets! I ended up making poetry fashion films for them and designing their ad campaigns, it was all very exciting.”
Now also working for a company called VIVA, Greta is able to propose ideas and be put in touch with clients, producing fashion films for Harpers Bazaar, and having completed on the day of this interview, a fashion film for the new Nikon camera advert! We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for that one, as well as her new book ‘To December’ set to be published at the end of this year!
Some final things about Greta…
…Favourite Poem:
“Ooh I’m not sure about a particular favourite, but I do really like E E Cummings.”
…Favourite place in London:
“Hampstead Heath, I grew up around there and it’s just so wild for a park!”
…Style Icons:
“Annie Hall from Woody Allan – I really like ready-to-go and French fashion.”
…When you have time to relax you… :
“Travel – I spend all my money on travelling! I’m also a bit of an underground painter, I always paint at night.”
…Any words of advice for budding fashion journalists?
“Be open-minded and don’t be afraid to approach anyone with a new idea. You have to be willing to make yourself vulnerable and take risks in order to gain more.”
http://www.gretabellamacina.com/
By Sophie Hutchings
