March 20, 2024 • 51 mins
Episode 8, Dwyane and fashion icon Donatella Versace sit down to discuss how they met, began working together and why she choose Dwyane for her campaign. They talk about acceptance for Dwyane's daughter Zaya and how Dwyane and his family have been embraced by the LGBTQ+ community. Dwyane also asks if he can walk in one of Donatella's upcoming shows!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Today we have with us a fashion icon, a creative director, designer, advertiser,
and businesswoman whose brand has become globally synonymous with luxury.
She's heavily influenced how fashion is marketed today. It has
built an empire, one of the most recognizable brands in
the world. Welcome to the podcast, Donna Tellerasa.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Thank you so much. Thank you for everything you said
about me. I'm gonna go out thrue, but thank you anyway, No,
that is that.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Is all true. First of all, you look beautiful.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I got this besides your sweat on, so you know
how to go pick this up. That's why I was
running late today, so I had to go pick the
sweater from Jason who had it. I'm gonna put this
on Jason. I don't want to make this like a thing,
but the last time I seen you, I was actually
running late as well. I was late to the fashion show.
I remember that wild Wife and I so I want
(01:09):
to make this a thing. But the fashion show on
my line was the last time we seen each other. Yeah,
beautiful show, very powerful, you know, impactful show back in
my line. But what I wanted to talk about was
when I seen you at the after party at the
at the.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Apartment and I'm another person, right.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yes, I saw. I saw you personally, I saw you
know that down to tell it. Everyone don't get the
chance to see kind of let her hair down, music's
going and dancing your friends around. Tell me about that, tih.
We were back at at Johnny's apartment. He was back
at the house for the party.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
It's very touching for me over time because that was
Johnny house. Yeah, until the last days of his life,
and so many memories come to me the house. And
but what I do this after party after the show
because Johanney, when it was alive, it was asking me,
let's do a party after the show. I knew it
(02:00):
wasn't coming because it didn't like you coming. Yeah yeah, yeah,
I'll be there. But it never was. I was going
number of the guests and then when the parties, it
was slipping in the room. It was not a party man.
But he loves give people a chance to enjoy beautiful things.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, like it's I love that being there. I got
a chance to hang out with you know, some of
the models. Gig It is my favorite model and she
was there. We had my favorite I just got it
out there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I just said, George, the first special show for me,
a sixteen years old sixteen.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
She was incredible and we always sitting at the table
and we're just kind of vibing, and you know, the
music was right.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Me and you were addressed very similar very similarity.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And I felt honored because I don't feel like a
lot of people get the opportunity to see Donna telling
her environment. You know, I felt that you felt comfortable
where you were and like I said, your hair was
down and it was just a great evening after a
beautiful show.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Thank you. Also, because you guys throw invite was the
guys I know I could be myself. Yes, it's that
you guys give it to me the confidence to be myself.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
We'll keep inviting me because of course up fashion shows,
how you know, and I think of fashion shows. It's
like big moments, right, I've played in big games, and
I know how like my hands sweat right, my stomach.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Even if you do this over and over again, but
it's only the first time you show. You're never sure,
but anything.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Never sure when you do your games before.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I mean, I got a game plan and I'm not
go in but like you come in with a game plan,
and he was like, all right, I'm gonna execute this
game plan that I have, that the team has and
I have in my mind. How do you approach coming
into fashion shows? Is it the same thing, like you
have a plan you just want.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
To Yes, everything is like a very you were fought
before far to the collection, which is made it you know,
free map take collection. But when the fashion show r
I wait to think about an idea for where to
do the session show and also models and which is
the right outfit for that model? Even if you are
(04:20):
people who can wear everything were gorgeous, but you need
to think about the personality. Can you can work better
and give more to that kind of outfit. So when
I do the fittings, I do the fitting for four
days before the show with all the collection, and the
models come and I try something them. I said, do
you like it? You feel confident? And you can tell
(04:41):
me if we said no, I had to change, you know,
a change. That's how you give the model also the
occasion to show who we are, you know, to to
do the wrong things.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes, that's great to know that because you would think
from the outside it's just that you have your looks
and you just you wear this. But you said that
the models sometimes you put it on them and to
see how they're gonna wear it, and they're gonna wear.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
It with the same You don't want a maneque and
they want somebody with the souls.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
You don't want a Manican. I've been I've been blessed
enough since our relationship has exploded to have lately been
at a few of the faster shows. The last one
was Milan. Before that we were in Cairns which was
at the Chateau, which was.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Oh yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And that collection. You guys did talk to me about that, Like,
to me, it looked like it was a different experience
for you to do a collection we do a lipa
and have the faster It.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Was a different experience because we were doing like a
summer collection as more collection just so people go to
the beach with a vacation. So when you do something
like that, you're more free, you know, you know, you
know to think about this color, you know, too brightly,
too strong, but you know, just let yourself go and
me and we're fucking know what we're gonna wear for invocation,
(05:54):
what we like to wear, and we took something for
the archive and we'll work on that. And it was
so much fun. Also two girls watching two women working together. Yes,
so much different.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
You looked so like you looked so happy.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I was happy because it was a genuine moment in
the place that Villa was so beautiful, so beautiful. I
was born in the south of Italy, in a town
on the beach like that. So for me, when I
see the sea and know the sign, I feel free,
feel free.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I was.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I had a guest on my podcast named Dave Grubman.
We both were you know, Miami ties, and we both
were sitting there and it was like we were sitting
courtside kind of the way you guys had a set
up at these tables in the chairs, and we just
both looked at each other across the way and kind
of like geeked out a little bit, like, yo, bro,
we're here. You know. That's how I just want to
let you know, like that's how big it was for
all of us to be in Cairns at that moment.
(06:47):
It felt like various clolsive very private. Just to be
there and be sitting there and obviously watch.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
It was special because the audience was all about the
people I liked, I trust, you know, I admire. It
was not a business moment, you know, it wasn't It
wasn't a business moment at all.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, it was beautiful. The other fashion show that comes
to mind, one of the latest ones I went to
was the LA Fashion show.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Oh my god, that one that was over the top.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
And it had to be moved right because of the
weather in La.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Was four hours earlier, which is you know later, it's
better to any four hours earlier. We did the fitting
with the mothers in three days, the fitting, fixing the
cross but usually already until you know, until the day.
But my team work all nights and they appened. It
was was amazing. You can feel people around me the
(07:40):
love how much we appreciate this brands. You know, I
mutually want to succeed. Yeah, because nobody says nothing about,
oh my god, they to do something twenty four hours
earlier to work all night. We all work all night.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, and I'm sure I mean even thinking about that.
If everybody don't know about this is you know it
was it was raining terrible in La, and you know,
this big fashion show was playing and we all was
so excited. But you know, we had heard it it
was getting changed, and I heard it. It may not
happen like we were all on the other side.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, no, there you absolutely, I'm very determinated.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Absolutely, and so just to get it moved up and
to still you know, to be there. Uh, it was
just just a crowd, just for all of us. We
were just so anxious, right and we were just so excited.
Everyone looked so so beautiful. I came with my future
like my loud. I felt like I looked amazing, but
it was. It was a beautiful faston show. To me,
(08:35):
it was my It was my favorite one that I've
been at. I don't know, it was just like you said,
it was over the top, but it's just like the
first person that walked up it might have been. It
was just it's a show and we're in l A.
And it felt like we was at the staple cet
like that kind of.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I thought that that show, you know, I about to
do the stage and everything. It was very cinematic in
a way because we're in La of course, and l
it is beautiful and know all the were up so
from up and anyway, twenty four hour earlier is a problem,
willieve me, with eighty five models, almost ninety. I think
(09:13):
that time we got see on the cross to look perfect.
It's about luxury session and they were. They were made
across very luxurious, so to rush everything, but we did
the rush. Who took her time? Everybody helped. I mean
what I love about the show after the show, because
all of you guys made it, you know, but the
(09:36):
people work with me, the amount of people work with me,
and the love with this brand. Nobody say anything, will
work night and day and amazing.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, we're all in the back outerwards and you know,
just your entire team and you can just see how
excited it was like it was a celebration.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yes, celebration.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, it was pulled off and it was a huge
success in your tenure in the world that you've been in.
Do you have like a favorite fashion show that you've
done today that you've put on.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Well, I've done the favorite fashional show that I can
tell you. The one I did the right my brother
after my brother's death. You know, my brother in July
and in July and the show is September, and then
all of a sudden, journey wasn't there no more? I
went through you know, so many different moments and listening
(10:35):
him and then going did the show, you know, being
him because with this role was the most difficult thing
that did in my life. Favorite fashion show La you like.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
And that, you know, I think just me knowing the
history a little bit of you know, of ASA and
I think, what is the music? Right? Like the music,
the the sights, the sounds. I would say, the people,
the celebrities, and I think, you know, one thing when
I think about I go back and say, you know,
everything I've heard about Johnny was Johnny was a celebrity.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
It was a celebrity. Was a celebrity, yes, And.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
The celebrities came out and they.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
To the celebrity Johnny when nobody did. And it was
the first red carpet of an actress. I think it
was Pederoy Cruises, it was Jenny. But nobody used to
do celebrity.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Across Nobody would do Nobody after.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That, everybody starts, you know, after a few years. But
Jenny started.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Why do you think Johnny started?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Because he loved acting. He loved anything has to do
with people. To put a lot of efforts to become
somebody and uh, this is this is how you know,
celebrity movie. You in sports and you know they excel
and Jenny was doing people. We love to do things
for people who excel.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Job. I love that. I was probably nine years old
when this show happened. But please, can you walk us
down the nineteen ninety one fashion show. I heard this
is one of the most iconic fashion shows, the one
with Sidney Crawford.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
It was so this superbodel. Were at the beginning of
our career and I will have we never did the
fashion show. We always did pictures. You know, it was
divided between pictures girls and fashion show girls. We knows
how to walk, you know, auto falls. I was doing
the Wever Tasking campaign with Richard Avedon, one of the
(12:32):
most iconic photographer in fashion, with this kind of girl
and for the first time, I said, Johnny had to
bring it to it to start to use different girl
on the runway and everything they think about this girl
or the personality. We have a lot of personality, and
Johnny I was telling yourself, don't be about yourself. It
happened so graciously. Think of the song we were backstage,
(12:57):
the three of them talking in those little dress and
Johann's why don't you go out and seeing do whatever
you want, do whatever you want. You know, this was
was not possible at that time. Nobody was doing that.
Everything was supercise and over thought and the freedom to
be He's.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Not afraid of pushing. Yeah, I mean, to be iconic,
you have to push about.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Right. If you follow the rules, all the rules, it's
not gonna right. I think I'm not saying just to
follow the rules some rules.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Follow the rules everybody. I think the one thing which
you know, you know, what I loved about and what
I love about the brand is it showcases and celebrates women, right,
And I think, you know, looking at a lot of
looks and showcases celebrates women's bodies and also too for me,
you know, when I look at it, I feel like,
you know, it allows us to feel sexy.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I said, et cetera, the red words, because being sexy
is something makes you more sure of yourself. You know,
if you can it can approach very difficult things. But
if you feel, you know, you have that kind of
figure and you feel sure, you feel sure, and it's
not a scene make the woman look sexy, it's not.
(14:13):
Many people were open to that. Jenny was open from
day one follow it.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yes, thank you, Johnny, thank you so much because it
changed you know, it changed the game, right you know.
And now, like you said, at the after Johnny start doing.
You see so many peoples we were doing and to
be the first is always hard.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
But it's like at the time of Jenny was Jenny
and Georgia money those are the truth, which I admire.
Georg Gerrmany is amazing what you did. But we're totally
different styles. You know. George Ormandy was very serious. She
don't take risks. Jenny was the opposite. Yes, So that's
were perfect together.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
That time, did you did you see that? So going
back a little bit, your mother was a thing, yes, right,
and that's what both you learned from your mother.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
So you learn that, you know, we were looking at
out luck what luxury is because that was actually all
the seamstress matter. Doing it by hand, you know, was
not factorist did cross but at the time it was
like luxually by by hand and everything.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yeah, So for all of us who don't know the
idea of starting a family brand, right, so v is
a family named family brand. The idea where the idea
come from?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
So I was a university at the time, So in
Florence and Jenny was it started to be a designer
because with the Italian Johnny was helping for the buying
of the cross. He was going around by the cross
and then all of a sudden, the two brands. We
asked him, what do you sign something for us? Because
it was asking particular thing for the store. So when
(15:50):
the standing and he did something, you know, it was
it was describing what you want. And he started with
a small company and that's how I was. It started prisoner.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
I didn't know I was going to be a big
one on it. Just love it to do it. And
I was a university in Florence. It was working in Bolognials.
She's very close. Every weekend I had to go and
work with him. I have to. I was out a
party with my friend, which I did anyway, but it's
all about party all the time. I had to go
(16:22):
to see what he was doing. It was people appreciated,
and little by little it became enniversearchy because it was
always true to himself, always free in his mind. Because
Jenny was gay and at that time it was really difficult.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Very difficult, but he was free. He was a free
It was a free man.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It was a free man and was pushing boundaries for
people to accept themselves and to explain them you are
worth it.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah. So recently I was on on a show Falon
and you know, I saw you, you saw me, and
I was talking about a clubation which we would get
more into. But the name, and so my entire life
in the States, it's been or in the hood where
I come from, its Fosac. We don't even say the whole,
(17:10):
we just say Fosac. And I think recently you've talked
about it. I've sought in articles. Everyone is telling us
the new way to pronounce or the right way to
pronounce them. Sorry, it's new for us, but can you
tell us a little bit more about, like how we
got it messed up and how it has been messed up?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
In English? The E is written in Italian. The it's
a language. Everything every world in America will finished with
the E you call. But's not that that's an I
for us? Okay for us, But you know, I don't mind.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I'm like, why did it takes so like, well, how
did it take so long for us to actually hear this?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Because it's our last name, it's not easy to pronounce versa.
There's such a ver suchion.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yes, and that's a great segue. And so obviously has
been highlighted so many songs, so many lyrics, the ones
with Bruno Mars and the ones with Migos. I mean
that's culture for us, right, it's.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Also for us, it's for me. It's culture. So proud
and so happy.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, what do you feel about that when you hear that?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Oh, I was so yeah. My second bringing my life
with music. I adore music, yes, and I was friends
with giants in music, like Prince. There's Michael and I
remember going to Besley Park a few times with Princess,
was showing all this things and explaining that the sounds
(18:47):
I make it. It was so exciting. It's so creative,
so music and fascial. There's something in common. Definitely for me,
it's very very important to when you do a show,
we have the right music, good music, and we will
love such a musician at the time, and I always
loved the music, so you know, for Prince did the
(19:10):
all soundtrack for research really, yes, I did that. The
time was a little I said, now disco. It gave
the disco to play.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, can we find it can we get a hand, Yeah,
we get a.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Hand on it. It was started with Welcome to the Dome.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Welcome to the Dome, the Dome.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
This is a such an experience in this Prince.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Boys, I know, like when the brand early on and
everyone knows it from like maybe we know it from
the runway, But it was a brand that was made
for musicians. I mean some of you guys friends like
Elton John, different artists. Well, we had certain things made
for them the tour. Yeah, like very personal pieces. I
mean Princess Diana.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Princess Diana very she was coming over. She was like
such a normal version. She was a princess and she
wears the girl because she felt feminine. She was that
I feel feminine disclosed.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Yeah, was that a personal call, like hey I need.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah personal when we're going and joining on palas to
deliver the close because at lunch we were the children.
She was so down to her and so amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Yeah, it's a photo that I remember with her and
it was just see her on like the sky blue.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yes, she looks amazing like it was painted on. She
was a good friend with Herton John and Jane. Okay,
so she had so much fun with them. She wants
to see them are of the time.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yes, So before I took about let's talk a little
bit about this global campaign that we have going on.
A lot of people I know were surprised when our
billboards last year popped up all over the world and
we've continued and now we're in our second run with it.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
One Why me, because who you are talking you are,
what you did in your career, in your life, your decision,
your acceptance and manys it makes you really the only
one work.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Oh, thank you, thank you, And I mean you've made
me for.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Us when it decided to work with for me to somebody,
and I need to know more about them in the
private life. And i'll i'll greet you. I would respect
that high, respect that so much.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
We thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And you know it's you know, good bad looking. By
the way they hit me on the right side. You
know you catch me on the left looking. If you
look on the left side, I'm not you see all
my phollow is on one side. But I guess so
many people, whether it's social media, whether it's text message,
I've getting so many people that are sending me, you know,
all our billboards and all of our posts like everywherewhere,
(21:45):
all around the world, China, in Japan, everywhere. I just
came So I just came out off a tour from China,
two week tour, and I can go and see it anywhere.
Like you know, obviously when we started the relationship it
was about getting to know each other and building. But
to be able to be where we are now and
to see in my name together everywhere around the world,
(22:05):
I just want to I just want to stop and
say thank you, thank you for believing it.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Thank you, I thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, the vision is y'all see the visions happening. It's
happened in real time. We got more cool things to come.
We just talk about We talk about them a little
bit later. But you know, for me and the community
I come from, we've always admired the brand. And and
I don't know if you know, but like even a
lot of movies, you will see like a guy like
the top rapper or the top gangster or the bouncer,
(22:31):
they always have them all black and they always put
on the big were the biggiest, the biggest. Yeah, So
it's embedded like this brand, isn't I just want you
to know, like it's embedded in our community, like big Time.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
One of the shows Jenny was alive was then in
the Garden of and that time was a big notorious
and to Pack really yes, to perform for us, imagine
to Pack perform in the Garden what incredible, incredible. So
this I much your community was important for me and Janey.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Yeah, so I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Yeah, it was too any to you know, just before
he died, because two months after it was killed.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Yeah. Man, obviously I'm a big I never forget.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Never forget the moment when was there. I mean, the
kind of people you know is there. I never never
forget the moment.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Oh man, Bob, I'm gonna tak it to you before
I have it to my next.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
So I wanted to know a little bit more about
the creative process from thinking of a collection, like do
you think of a collection as far as I'm gonna
make a trend or do you follow trends or like
the process from the collection to the show.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Oh, the trend is the people. We decide if it's
a trend. You know, if people wear many people, different
people from a different area, where's the cross that's a trend?
You cannot decide a trend, but what you can do.
I'm very loyal to myself and what I like, and
the Cross has to make people more to love themselves
(24:19):
and more sure of themselves. So to give confidence. And
this is my only goal with the Cross clothes, attitive
to the personal, to give it out, to give a
contest with your own attitude, to express yourselves. That's why
we're very different from many brands, you know, because we
want to give confidence. And also we're very open. You know,
anybody can wear this clothes, you know, and reach something life.
(24:43):
This is how we like to think.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, I do feel like the brand is a lifestyle brand.
And I know you guys have went often to perfumes
and home goods and furnitures, and so it's really become
a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
It's a lifestyle because we have everything, not just a cross.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah, not just the clothes. But what I love about
it is is the different financial whatever financially you are
in life, I feel that everybody has an inn into
the into the family. Yes, you know, some way, somehow,
you know, no matter what levels that you are spending,
I feel like everyone has in That's why I feel
like it's a full lifestyle brand is a.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Full lifestyle brand, right, And that was my brother, you know,
start to do furniture for the house, and that was
jenny idea because if you were versach, you want to
sit in a good place, remember versa, just so you
start to design everything else. At that time, nobody did. Now,
if you designer, when Janey started, nobody was doing that. Yeah,
he created a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
When you took over the brand, what kind of pressure
was on that? Oh? By that yeah, let's talk about.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Pressuring was dead. Jenny was the king and I had
to work in these shoes. So I was petrified. I
was petrified, insecure. I didn't know what to do. But
I you, I have a company around, many people working
such I could not let down and I wasn't shown me,
you know, I was thinking about who could do it.
(26:03):
And then when I did it, I mean, the first
show was it was. I didn't like it, but you
never have confidence, you know, even if I was working
every day with Jamney, you know, and torture during the work,
I don't like the exchangeing. You know, we have so
(26:25):
much fun, but we fight a lot, me and Joey.
But it wasn't good my first one. It was like,
I don't want to make mistakes. And when you start
thinking like that, you make close that not relevant, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So nothing from that show you could pull it back
Now nothing I put back.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I had that experience. This don't happen this. I need
to think different, not to be afraid, but to field
Jennifer such a shoes was not hissy.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Yeah, but you've created your own right. You didn't step
into issues.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
You careate my home because as you know, I was,
I love music. Yeah, so I was a friend was
a few great musicians just for their music, not for
the for the clothes or to address them. And that
gave me a lot a lot of confidence because I
saw the creative process for them I was, and how
tough it was, but how brilliant was the result, and
(27:20):
gave me a lot of confidence. Yeah, you said it
was a lot of people in your community.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah, you can you clear this up from me because
I've heard so many different stories the Medusa where and
how I've heard like multiple stories about the Medusa and
the exception, like the beginning of it and how it
became the logo for the brand.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
So my family, yes, we're from the South of it
exactly Regio Calabria, which is the last city in front
of Sicily. So we're seeing Sicily from our house. And
we were a lot, a lot of sick fingers. You
take story of Italy, the great story, especially Greek gods
(28:06):
and everything. But but we were founding, you know, and
we were doing some research people from and in front
of you, next to the sea, and we were working,
me and Jenney by It was on this Medusa. It
was a Greek goddess and oh my god, she's strange.
(28:27):
She's strange, but you know what, Joenny, you can't take
the eyes off over And that was the Medusa was
in the botology, in the Greattology. You can look at
eybody else. It really happened like that in this this
piece of Medusa and sick really.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, I've heard like five different stories. I'm glad this
is a real one.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
It was. It was not so it was risky too,
because in the mythology, the Medusa can kill you if
she wants, she's so strong, but she can be also
somebody will give you confidence, like yeah, when you put
your highs on there, you cannot take the power.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
And so that and so that that created the.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
That's it's a woman. That's not a woman's acauseous certain.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Sorry snakes snakes.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Snakes in there. So she wasn't a good nice classic ion.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Okay, thank you for thanks for great story. Because yeah,
like it's there's so many things out there, so many.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
In our city doing during when we're looking for you know.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Yeah, like someone said that when you get to the
apartment in Milan, it was on like.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
The door, everything everywhere was a represented brand Va Janny.
I really believe in this. Let's put her everywhere. The
door was in the also knife everything to you know,
she was everywhere.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
So I have a random fact about you that I
found out, And the only reason I'm saying is random
is because we're both on the same Waveland. I heard
that Chinese was the language you wanted to learn. Yeah, okay,
so I spent a lot of time in China and
I want to also. Yes, I'm in like I'm in
meetings a lot, and I'm talking to a lot of
the fans, and like, you know, it's a lot of
(30:23):
things being said. I'm like, wait, you know, but I
know it's a very one of the toughest language language.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
I'm going to start to study.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, can we can? You like, can you hook me up?
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Can we study?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I need to learn.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I'm not obsessed with I'm upset with that part of
the world, you know, the lifestime, our young the people
are the crowd. The crowd is in China, the age
of the people are so young. And I'm obsessed with
Chinese language.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
I'm tired of just saying need how man when I
go over there, like I want to, you know, I
want to know more because you know, obviously I'm doing
business around the world and it's an important space for me,
and I'm like, I need to I need to, like
I need somebody to help me.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Good translator, like you know. Okay, so we both are
in so we study together.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
But we have to there we go, we study, We're
gonna learn some words together. One of the things that
I love about you every time I hear you speak,
and not a lot of you know, first of all
the audience that would be listening, I'm sure a lot
of them probably have not had an opportunity to hear
you speak because you are such a private person. But
when I hear you speak, a lot I hear you
speak about women empowerment. Absolutely women, women, women.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Men empowerment. We you know, men are fragile as a woman,
you know, but can be strong and very fragile another moment.
So when you give confidence empowerment to be whoever you
are and don't be afraid to show you are, that's why.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
And we sit here today on Women's International Days, Yes,
obviously a very important day in the world. And to me,
your voice for always making sure that you're empower empower,
empower power women and you know, I just wanted to
make sure that I know that's something that's important to you.
And you know, every time you get a chance to
use your voice to make sure that that's that you
say that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
We're in the power. We're in that stage on here.
We're about empower and obviously everyone's voice, but you know,
definitely about the power women for sure. You and I
both have a love for a community. It's g b
t Q plus community. We sit here right now, we're
in West Hollywood at the LGBT Center here in l
A one of many, and you've done an incredible amount
(32:38):
of work.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
I hope to do more. Yes, because we're all the same. Yes,
there's no difference and people should be look, look at
and have a voice. Yeah, everybody else, Yeah, talk about
talk about what is missing from me is acceptance? Acceptance, yes,
and accepting then and know you said two different voice
(33:02):
and different way of it.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
As a father who daughter is part of, you know
this community which our family is a part of the community.
My daughter's aion. I've obviously had as we know you have.
We have a lot of hate, but we also have
a lot of support.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
That's horrible through what to do helping I think have.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
You had to deal with a lot of that personally,
you had to deal with a lot of hate because
of your support.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Of well, I had the hate right Jenny after that
because people who said that it's gay, It was gay,
So it was my fault something people are not accepting. No,
Acceptance is a very very difficult thing. I mean when
Jenny was twenty five and seven years ago, it's still
the same today. You know, you think you reach different
(33:50):
places where people accept each other. No, I don't think.
I mean, I hope we'll be at that, but it's not.
It's up to us. We have a voice to make
to explain to people all the same or human being.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Yeah, that's one thing that links us is the fact
that you know, we both you know support you know
the LGBT.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
My brother was gay Johnny, and he went through hell
at that time. Because it was a long long time ago.
People are a fund of him, people are calling names.
He went through a very very rough time, and I
always support him.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
I've always you know, well, I mean, you're doing an
incredible job and I know.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
I'm very happy to do this for the center is amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
The center is incredible, incredible, incredible, what we do is incredible.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
In your time, how have you seen the acceptance? How
have you seen it grow or the acceptance grow in.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
The big cities all over the world, only the big cities,
But if you go away Lend, New York, Rome, Milan,
But in when you go out from the big city,
it is the same. You know, it's okay because no
enough people talk about this. Nolays plain what is it?
(35:01):
You know is a There is no difference really, you know,
it is what counts who are as a person. Values
you live your life and respect people, acceptance, They need
to be a real thing.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
I mean, off my family and I we feel that
we've we've gotten richer as a family because we've been
lucky enough to get to know and be accepted by
and added to a community. Our life has gotten richer
because of it, you know, And that's you know, that's
so that's what we feel, you know, and that's the
way we look at it. And we're so thankful for
our daughter to share a community with us and allow
(35:38):
us to be a part of it and to be
allies and to be you know, people who speak on
and be a part of it, because we understand the
importance you know, as a black male. It's a black
man who's from a black community that we feel is
always getting you know, stumped down and step down and
you know, and not getting a chance to grow. I
don't feel that we should do it. Why would we
(35:59):
do it while we do it to another community. We
don't like it the way it's been done to us,
and so we try to make sure it's a way
family that we're building relationships, we're speaking on and speaking
out from our personal experiences, but also to understanding that
so many families are going through this feeling of not
being accepted.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
So many people that's that's terrible. Yeah, I mean you
did the fantastic Yeah, I was amazing. Yeah, and the
people of the marriage for that, I can tell you
because I hear people around that marriage very much.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Yeah. I mean we wish you wouldn't have to be
admirred for for us, it's just human nature, you know,
It's like it's leading with love and you know love
is the acceptance for us and nothing else matters.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Yeah, Unfortunately everyone do not think that way. But in
the midst of it, I think you and I both
and something that I feel like maybe we both wake
up every day and while we work so hard, is
because of family.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Right, Family is so important, family supportant you have?
Speaker 1 (37:02):
You have two kids, I like Daniel, I have multiple kids.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
How many.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Show nothing about me? How parenting style be so busy
building taking this company to as many heights as as
it has been. How have you dealt with being a
parent as the person that you are.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
In this world with their family always give me a lot.
And my children, which are very different from each other.
One is very one is a rock he plays music,
is a rocker or a rocker. And the other Rush
is very you know, the fit on the ground. But
both of them they gave me so much strength, so
(37:48):
much acceptance. Who I am how I live that, you know,
I wouldn't do my children. I wouldn't be here. My
children they give you, They give me their confidence. Confidence.
I didn't have to pay anything to him, may give
me the confidence. It's not easy to be daughter or
son or somebody famous, you know, especially you know that,
(38:08):
especially growing up. I don't want to be. I'm not
the daughter or the son of And does I understand
we're very very private, both of them. But I know
I talk to them and I can say anything. Don't
want acceptances there.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
We're trying to I need to understand my kids and understand.
How do you be public facing but be private. You
guys have done a great job of it. We have
a great job of it.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
But when I'm private, I'm private. I mean I I
do something not to share with everybody. Doesn't my children,
my family and my dog and yeah, I mean just
just as a it's difficult. It's very difficult.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
It's very difficult.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
People want to know everything. But if you're a public person,
you want to know everything about you, but you do
something that's for yourself.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Is any one of the kids are part of the brand,
like a part of it, the family brand of only
my daughter. Okay, she's a part of it. You don't
want no part.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I love music. That's he pressed many instruments and as
a musician.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, that's awesome, Bob, you want to jump back in.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
I wanted to get into how like fashion has evolved
and how at one point you mentioned the celebrities, like
the actresses were got into the fashion road. I remember
when you back in twenty ten went to the fashion
twenty eleven to the fashion show in Milan. Did you
embrace or did you see the coming of athletes? And
like now athletes are now being athletes like NBA players,
(39:43):
like us coming to the fashion.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Shows about only rockstar and the actor and actress. I mean,
I love actress. I love the effort, but the strength
everything we do is so much effort. It put to
be a great accurate and I mean, for me, it's
very very important to have a different kind of community
(40:08):
to our show and all the exports. You know, the
pain we go through to become more we are. You
have to about to say wow a lot of respective.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Let me share the story. So twenty eleven, yeah, in
Milan was my first fashion show that I attended with
and I had just came off of losing the NBA Finals,
maybe a couple of days or a week before, So
I didn't want to come to the show because I
was a little better. Yeah, I was sad. I was
ambursed all the things you're after losing in the NBA Finals.
(40:48):
But we did. We came to Milan, we attended the show.
That was my first time meeting you. Afterwards that we
had like a little dinner. My first time meeting you.
I was sitting at the same table. You probably don't remember.
I was a little guy. Carmelo Anthony and I both
attended the show together and it was like I've never
experienced nothing like that. I would say that that was
(41:10):
the first time I was like, oh this is It
felt like the NBA Finals, all the cameras and the
fashing and the just the just the whole show. But
to take it back to Bob. Bob is my videographer. Photographer.
Bob was shooting me around the time and he didn't
have We didn't have a ticket for Bob to get
into the show. When he had me un get one
and Bob actually snuck in the show. He was in
(41:34):
the photographer role from the front row front row when
the show started, I looked around and I saw Bob
in the front row with the photographers, and.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I was like, just looking at the mom I'm not
you know, I'm no surprised I saw that I did
start again.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
That's the show that made me actually, so I have
a big special connection as well because ever since then,
I've been sneaking the show.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Now like yo, just just walk yes, but we got like,
we got pictures in the back, we got pictures sitting there,
like from I have my own pictures from Bob that's there.
So uh, it's cool that and to go back to
that moment. Obviously a very tough time in my life
as an athlete by losing the finals, but a couple
of days later getting a chance to experience something that
(42:24):
I've never experienced before being at the fashion show.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
I have one more question, where do you see fashion going?
As it's evolved? Where do you see it going?
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Certainly be aware on the you know, a planet for sure,
so we can we really need all of us to
think about how to don't bad things for planets, so
fabrics and way to work and different things. So I'm
very concentrated on that. It's very difficult because especially for
(42:55):
fabric print and you know you need some chemicals to
the print and everything. So we're really study about that
out too. We can become more, you know, and I'm
it's conscious and that that's what is one thing. Second
thing I think we what I'm afraid the young designer.
(43:17):
You know, maybe we listened too much today to business
people with all the respectful business people. And before when
Jender start was not like that was totally creativity. Crecativity
will do whatever you want, you know, and I know
to answer to anybody today is a huge business. Everybody
in the merchant that's the CEO marketing person. We try
(43:39):
to tell you what you can do, what you cannot do.
Thank God, I don't listen to any of them. So,
but I wish the next generation doesn't make these people
control them because we need to create the creational creation
is something to do. Freedom.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Yeah, I think that's what we all love about fashion, right,
is the freedom to the freedom of it. It's the
expression of it. Fashion expressions personalities and traits without even
saying a word. And so to have you know, those
christraints in there, it's not that's not fashion. You don't
want those robos.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
I think to be, you know, very important. It's for
something very important. But we need to live. People are
creating freely and accept everything. We don't judge. Judge judge. Yes,
that's how fashion will give famos because it was free.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Because it's you guys are It's like I like to
use the analogy of Picasso. You know, you know, you
guys are your own Picasso's. You're able to paint whatever masterpiece.
You won't then you come out of the room and
show everybody. You know, everyone show, yeah, the show, because
he did. We got the footage and everything outside of fashion,
(44:51):
Dona Teller, like I know everything when when everyone thinks
down and Teller, we think of obviously Vasa, we think
of fashion, and that's not just who you are. You
know obviously we understand, we know you're true mother. But
outside of that, like what else excites you? What else
is the interesting?
Speaker 2 (45:04):
A music? And I'm very curious. I like to travel.
I want to learn. I want allergenie and see different culture,
especially on generation, what we think about us, what we're
doing travelers. One big part of letting to know different,
different places and different kind of thinking. It's very important
(45:27):
for me and all of my family. Of course, I
don't know if a lot of me still so, I'm
sure they do. It's hard different and I read a
lot literately, a lot read. I'm very private if I
don't have to do to work because I'm so much
(45:47):
around the world working, you know, doing different patrol work
with you're it can want to be you know, not
dif front of everybody, always to your lawyer friends that
had nothing to do with fashion, because those are the
ones that they tell you the truth. Yeah, if you
(46:08):
were good, the show was good, I want to listen
to three people.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
And so there's de manding obviously schedule that. I mean,
I feel like it's fashion shows every other week everywhere
around the world, and that's just.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
When I go to China, Yeah, which I just got
back from.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
It doesn't leave, it hasn't left opportunities for other business interests,
like anything outside of fashion.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
I love music, that's the only you know. I love sports.
I'm looking at people like you and what you achieve
your body and your your mind because not only your
body and your strength, the concentration, you know, and the
determination to reach. So this was like the same as
for music. You know, the great rock star the Red
(46:51):
star people really gave all of themselves. Yeah, so that
Earton John was a good friend of my brother, my
local You know, creativity, this on life.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I like to say as a as an athlete, you
said the mind, and I feel that's one of the
things a lot of athletes don't get credit for is
their mind. Right. I think the physical is what leads.
Everyone sees the physical, but the mind.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
Is actually that's the mind makes money work.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Yeah, definitely that.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
It should be talking more about this because, as you say,
it's true, we only look from outside. Look, I'm not
sure mind that's the word to reach.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Yeah. A lot of people ask me like, do you
miss playing the game? And you know, it's things around
the game that you miss, but I was telling them
when it comes to the actual game, what I actually
miss is I missed being in chaotic situations and being
a commons.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
Person in the room, being cool to be cool, and yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Like you know when it's when it's when when you
down one, you got the ball on the row, is
the clock is taken down, you got to make the shot.
It's chaos around, yes, and you gotta calm your heart
rate down, you gotta calm your mind down. And you
got to focus on the work, right, You got to
focus on that. And that's the thing that in this
life that I'm living now as a business like, I
(48:08):
missed those chaotic sits way. I think I tried to
create chaos.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
Time comes for a fashion show. Me, you've had so
much cows.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
What's your chaotic moment?
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Like? Is it like so many people involved?
Speaker 3 (48:21):
No one.
Speaker 2 (48:22):
We do a collection and do a fashion show and
make up the hair, and we've crew twenty people, thirty
people each one, so passtage is full. It's like arena
and the lighting people and to control you know, the set.
Everything is so much plus the press to the press
(48:43):
in all this and I'm looking at you. I can't
scream and try to be oh yeah, can you do this?
But I want to hurry up. This is what I
want to do, but I can't. You know, you to
control yourself in this kind of situation, handling different different fits.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Have you ever walked in a fashion show?
Speaker 2 (48:58):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (48:58):
Too small, like I would, So I want to walk
one day. I'm just gonna you would walk. I want
to walk one day, But I think that would be
like such a rush.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
Everybody said the same thing. The mother especially when we
start like you know, we're so afraid before when we
put the feet on the runway and we love it,
making back wowing like that because the field, the people
around looking at them, the field, you know, the power
at the moment.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Was there like a ten fifteen second walk.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
There's more than that. For example, the show in La
was four minutes walk for minutes, so long for a
for for a runway because the stairs go up and
now the place.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
That's what as we get to the end, what do
you feel like is the special sauce? What do you
feel like is the longe jevity? Why is been having
this such long jevity? Because it wasn't afraid to change,
wasn't afraid to change. It didn't get in love with
the yesterday. I try to you know that the different
(50:05):
things from different moments, not afraid to change. That's special sauce.
Mm hmmw. That is because we all are.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Sitting very comfortable in something. You know, when you change,
you're not comfortable anymore.
Speaker 1 (50:18):
But at that moment, it's called being comfortable. Being uncomfortable,
you know, I think you got to find comfort and
being uncomfortable if you want to do amazing and great things,
like you know, like Versace has done right, uncomfortable. The
name of my podcast is The Why, and there's a
lot of reasons why it's called that, But always in
(50:39):
my last questions with that, as you sit here today
with all the things that you have accomplished, with all
the things that your family have accomplished, what is your why?
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Why I'm still afraid of everything? Like the first day,
Why these nerves before the show and before you know,
meeting press and meeting I did my whole life. Yeah,
but I always at the moment, really really really scared.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
Yeah. Is it because you're perfectionists?
Speaker 2 (51:07):
I don't know why, because I think because I'm human,
Because you're human, and there you go and you cannot
get the love of what you do yourself all the time.
It always can do better. But the humanity is very important.
Speaker 1 (51:19):
Yeah, very important. So why obviously is always evolving. Dona
tell Aversace thank you for sitting down having this conversation
with me. I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
Thank you so much. It was an honor to to
to you
Today we have with us a fashion icon, a creative director, designer, advertiser,
and businesswoman whose brand has become globally synonymous with luxury.
She's heavily influenced how fashion is marketed today. It has
built an empire, one of the most recognizable brands in
the world. Welcome to the podcast, Donna Tellerasa.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Thank you so much. Thank you for everything you said
about me. I'm gonna go out thrue, but thank you anyway, No,
that is that.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Is all true. First of all, you look beautiful.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Oh, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I got this besides your sweat on, so you know
how to go pick this up. That's why I was
running late today, so I had to go pick the
sweater from Jason who had it. I'm gonna put this
on Jason. I don't want to make this like a thing,
but the last time I seen you, I was actually
running late as well. I was late to the fashion show.
I remember that wild Wife and I so I want
(01:09):
to make this a thing. But the fashion show on
my line was the last time we seen each other. Yeah,
beautiful show, very powerful, you know, impactful show back in
my line. But what I wanted to talk about was
when I seen you at the after party at the
at the.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Apartment and I'm another person, right.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yes, I saw. I saw you personally, I saw you
know that down to tell it. Everyone don't get the
chance to see kind of let her hair down, music's
going and dancing your friends around. Tell me about that, tih.
We were back at at Johnny's apartment. He was back
at the house for the party.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
It's very touching for me over time because that was
Johnny house. Yeah, until the last days of his life,
and so many memories come to me the house. And
but what I do this after party after the show
because Johanney, when it was alive, it was asking me,
let's do a party after the show. I knew it
(02:00):
wasn't coming because it didn't like you coming. Yeah yeah, yeah,
I'll be there. But it never was. I was going
number of the guests and then when the parties, it
was slipping in the room. It was not a party man.
But he loves give people a chance to enjoy beautiful things.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, like it's I love that being there. I got
a chance to hang out with you know, some of
the models. Gig It is my favorite model and she
was there. We had my favorite I just got it
out there.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I just said, George, the first special show for me,
a sixteen years old sixteen.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
She was incredible and we always sitting at the table
and we're just kind of vibing, and you know, the
music was right.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Me and you were addressed very similar very similarity.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And I felt honored because I don't feel like a
lot of people get the opportunity to see Donna telling
her environment. You know, I felt that you felt comfortable
where you were and like I said, your hair was
down and it was just a great evening after a
beautiful show.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Thank you. Also, because you guys throw invite was the
guys I know I could be myself. Yes, it's that
you guys give it to me the confidence to be myself.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
We'll keep inviting me because of course up fashion shows,
how you know, and I think of fashion shows. It's
like big moments, right, I've played in big games, and
I know how like my hands sweat right, my stomach.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Even if you do this over and over again, but
it's only the first time you show. You're never sure,
but anything.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Never sure when you do your games before.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I mean, I got a game plan and I'm not
go in but like you come in with a game plan,
and he was like, all right, I'm gonna execute this
game plan that I have, that the team has and
I have in my mind. How do you approach coming
into fashion shows? Is it the same thing, like you
have a plan you just want.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
To Yes, everything is like a very you were fought
before far to the collection, which is made it you know,
free map take collection. But when the fashion show r
I wait to think about an idea for where to
do the session show and also models and which is
the right outfit for that model? Even if you are
(04:20):
people who can wear everything were gorgeous, but you need
to think about the personality. Can you can work better
and give more to that kind of outfit. So when
I do the fittings, I do the fitting for four
days before the show with all the collection, and the
models come and I try something them. I said, do
you like it? You feel confident? And you can tell
(04:41):
me if we said no, I had to change, you know,
a change. That's how you give the model also the
occasion to show who we are, you know, to to
do the wrong things.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Yes, that's great to know that because you would think
from the outside it's just that you have your looks
and you just you wear this. But you said that
the models sometimes you put it on them and to
see how they're gonna wear it, and they're gonna wear.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
It with the same You don't want a maneque and
they want somebody with the souls.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
You don't want a Manican. I've been I've been blessed
enough since our relationship has exploded to have lately been
at a few of the faster shows. The last one
was Milan. Before that we were in Cairns which was
at the Chateau, which was.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Oh yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And that collection. You guys did talk to me about that, Like,
to me, it looked like it was a different experience
for you to do a collection we do a lipa
and have the faster It.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Was a different experience because we were doing like a
summer collection as more collection just so people go to
the beach with a vacation. So when you do something
like that, you're more free, you know, you know, you
know to think about this color, you know, too brightly,
too strong, but you know, just let yourself go and
me and we're fucking know what we're gonna wear for invocation,
(05:54):
what we like to wear, and we took something for
the archive and we'll work on that. And it was
so much fun. Also two girls watching two women working together. Yes,
so much different.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
You looked so like you looked so happy.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I was happy because it was a genuine moment in
the place that Villa was so beautiful, so beautiful. I
was born in the south of Italy, in a town
on the beach like that. So for me, when I
see the sea and know the sign, I feel free,
feel free.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I was.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I had a guest on my podcast named Dave Grubman.
We both were you know, Miami ties, and we both
were sitting there and it was like we were sitting
courtside kind of the way you guys had a set
up at these tables in the chairs, and we just
both looked at each other across the way and kind
of like geeked out a little bit, like, yo, bro,
we're here. You know. That's how I just want to
let you know, like that's how big it was for
all of us to be in Cairns at that moment.
(06:47):
It felt like various clolsive very private. Just to be
there and be sitting there and obviously watch.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
It was special because the audience was all about the
people I liked, I trust, you know, I admire. It
was not a business moment, you know, it wasn't It
wasn't a business moment at all.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, it was beautiful. The other fashion show that comes
to mind, one of the latest ones I went to
was the LA Fashion show.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Oh my god, that one that was over the top.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
And it had to be moved right because of the
weather in La.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Was four hours earlier, which is you know later, it's
better to any four hours earlier. We did the fitting
with the mothers in three days, the fitting, fixing the
cross but usually already until you know, until the day.
But my team work all nights and they appened. It
was was amazing. You can feel people around me the
(07:40):
love how much we appreciate this brands. You know, I
mutually want to succeed. Yeah, because nobody says nothing about,
oh my god, they to do something twenty four hours
earlier to work all night. We all work all night.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, and I'm sure I mean even thinking about that.
If everybody don't know about this is you know it
was it was raining terrible in La, and you know,
this big fashion show was playing and we all was
so excited. But you know, we had heard it it
was getting changed, and I heard it. It may not
happen like we were all on the other side.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, no, there you absolutely, I'm very determinated.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Absolutely, and so just to get it moved up and
to still you know, to be there. Uh, it was
just just a crowd, just for all of us. We
were just so anxious, right and we were just so excited.
Everyone looked so so beautiful. I came with my future
like my loud. I felt like I looked amazing, but
it was. It was a beautiful faston show. To me,
(08:35):
it was my It was my favorite one that I've
been at. I don't know, it was just like you said,
it was over the top, but it's just like the
first person that walked up it might have been. It
was just it's a show and we're in l A.
And it felt like we was at the staple cet
like that kind of.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I thought that that show, you know, I about to
do the stage and everything. It was very cinematic in
a way because we're in La of course, and l
it is beautiful and know all the were up so
from up and anyway, twenty four hour earlier is a problem,
willieve me, with eighty five models, almost ninety. I think
(09:13):
that time we got see on the cross to look perfect.
It's about luxury session and they were. They were made
across very luxurious, so to rush everything, but we did
the rush. Who took her time? Everybody helped. I mean
what I love about the show after the show, because
all of you guys made it, you know, but the
(09:36):
people work with me, the amount of people work with me,
and the love with this brand. Nobody say anything, will
work night and day and amazing.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, we're all in the back outerwards and you know,
just your entire team and you can just see how
excited it was like it was a celebration.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yes, celebration.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, it was pulled off and it was a huge
success in your tenure in the world that you've been in.
Do you have like a favorite fashion show that you've
done today that you've put on.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Well, I've done the favorite fashional show that I can
tell you. The one I did the right my brother
after my brother's death. You know, my brother in July
and in July and the show is September, and then
all of a sudden, journey wasn't there no more? I
went through you know, so many different moments and listening
(10:35):
him and then going did the show, you know, being
him because with this role was the most difficult thing
that did in my life. Favorite fashion show La you like.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
And that, you know, I think just me knowing the
history a little bit of you know, of ASA and
I think, what is the music? Right? Like the music,
the the sights, the sounds. I would say, the people,
the celebrities, and I think, you know, one thing when
I think about I go back and say, you know,
everything I've heard about Johnny was Johnny was a celebrity.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
It was a celebrity. Was a celebrity, yes, And.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
The celebrities came out and they.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
To the celebrity Johnny when nobody did. And it was
the first red carpet of an actress. I think it
was Pederoy Cruises, it was Jenny. But nobody used to
do celebrity.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Across Nobody would do Nobody after.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
That, everybody starts, you know, after a few years. But
Jenny started.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Why do you think Johnny started?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Because he loved acting. He loved anything has to do
with people. To put a lot of efforts to become
somebody and uh, this is this is how you know,
celebrity movie. You in sports and you know they excel
and Jenny was doing people. We love to do things
for people who excel.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Job. I love that. I was probably nine years old
when this show happened. But please, can you walk us
down the nineteen ninety one fashion show. I heard this
is one of the most iconic fashion shows, the one
with Sidney Crawford.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
It was so this superbodel. Were at the beginning of
our career and I will have we never did the
fashion show. We always did pictures. You know, it was
divided between pictures girls and fashion show girls. We knows
how to walk, you know, auto falls. I was doing
the Wever Tasking campaign with Richard Avedon, one of the
(12:32):
most iconic photographer in fashion, with this kind of girl
and for the first time, I said, Johnny had to
bring it to it to start to use different girl
on the runway and everything they think about this girl
or the personality. We have a lot of personality, and
Johnny I was telling yourself, don't be about yourself. It
happened so graciously. Think of the song we were backstage,
(12:57):
the three of them talking in those little dress and
Johann's why don't you go out and seeing do whatever
you want, do whatever you want. You know, this was
was not possible at that time. Nobody was doing that.
Everything was supercise and over thought and the freedom to
be He's.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Not afraid of pushing. Yeah, I mean, to be iconic,
you have to push about.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
Right. If you follow the rules, all the rules, it's
not gonna right. I think I'm not saying just to
follow the rules some rules.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Follow the rules everybody. I think the one thing which
you know, you know, what I loved about and what
I love about the brand is it showcases and celebrates women, right,
And I think, you know, looking at a lot of
looks and showcases celebrates women's bodies and also too for me,
you know, when I look at it, I feel like,
you know, it allows us to feel sexy.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I said, et cetera, the red words, because being sexy
is something makes you more sure of yourself. You know,
if you can it can approach very difficult things. But
if you feel, you know, you have that kind of
figure and you feel sure, you feel sure, and it's
not a scene make the woman look sexy, it's not.
(14:13):
Many people were open to that. Jenny was open from
day one follow it.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yes, thank you, Johnny, thank you so much because it
changed you know, it changed the game, right you know.
And now, like you said, at the after Johnny start doing.
You see so many peoples we were doing and to
be the first is always hard.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
But it's like at the time of Jenny was Jenny
and Georgia money those are the truth, which I admire.
Georg Gerrmany is amazing what you did. But we're totally
different styles. You know. George Ormandy was very serious. She
don't take risks. Jenny was the opposite. Yes, So that's
were perfect together.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
That time, did you did you see that? So going
back a little bit, your mother was a thing, yes, right,
and that's what both you learned from your mother.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
So you learn that, you know, we were looking at
out luck what luxury is because that was actually all
the seamstress matter. Doing it by hand, you know, was
not factorist did cross but at the time it was
like luxually by by hand and everything.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yeah, So for all of us who don't know the
idea of starting a family brand, right, so v is
a family named family brand. The idea where the idea
come from?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
So I was a university at the time, So in
Florence and Jenny was it started to be a designer
because with the Italian Johnny was helping for the buying
of the cross. He was going around by the cross
and then all of a sudden, the two brands. We
asked him, what do you sign something for us? Because
it was asking particular thing for the store. So when
(15:50):
the standing and he did something, you know, it was
it was describing what you want. And he started with
a small company and that's how I was. It started prisoner.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
I didn't know I was going to be a big
one on it. Just love it to do it. And
I was a university in Florence. It was working in Bolognials.
She's very close. Every weekend I had to go and
work with him. I have to. I was out a
party with my friend, which I did anyway, but it's
all about party all the time. I had to go
(16:22):
to see what he was doing. It was people appreciated,
and little by little it became enniversearchy because it was
always true to himself, always free in his mind. Because
Jenny was gay and at that time it was really difficult.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Very difficult, but he was free. He was a free
It was a free man.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It was a free man and was pushing boundaries for
people to accept themselves and to explain them you are
worth it.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah. So recently I was on on a show Falon
and you know, I saw you, you saw me, and
I was talking about a clubation which we would get
more into. But the name, and so my entire life
in the States, it's been or in the hood where
I come from, its Fosac. We don't even say the whole,
(17:10):
we just say Fosac. And I think recently you've talked
about it. I've sought in articles. Everyone is telling us
the new way to pronounce or the right way to
pronounce them. Sorry, it's new for us, but can you
tell us a little bit more about, like how we
got it messed up and how it has been messed up?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
In English? The E is written in Italian. The it's
a language. Everything every world in America will finished with
the E you call. But's not that that's an I
for us? Okay for us, But you know, I don't mind.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I'm like, why did it takes so like, well, how
did it take so long for us to actually hear this?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Because it's our last name, it's not easy to pronounce versa.
There's such a ver suchion.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yes, and that's a great segue. And so obviously has
been highlighted so many songs, so many lyrics, the ones
with Bruno Mars and the ones with Migos. I mean
that's culture for us, right, it's.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Also for us, it's for me. It's culture. So proud
and so happy.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, what do you feel about that when you hear that?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Oh, I was so yeah. My second bringing my life
with music. I adore music, yes, and I was friends
with giants in music, like Prince. There's Michael and I
remember going to Besley Park a few times with Princess,
was showing all this things and explaining that the sounds
(18:47):
I make it. It was so exciting. It's so creative,
so music and fascial. There's something in common. Definitely for me,
it's very very important to when you do a show,
we have the right music, good music, and we will
love such a musician at the time, and I always
loved the music, so you know, for Prince did the
(19:10):
all soundtrack for research really, yes, I did that. The
time was a little I said, now disco. It gave
the disco to play.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, can we find it can we get a hand, Yeah,
we get a.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Hand on it. It was started with Welcome to the Dome.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Welcome to the Dome, the Dome.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
This is a such an experience in this Prince.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Boys, I know, like when the brand early on and
everyone knows it from like maybe we know it from
the runway, But it was a brand that was made
for musicians. I mean some of you guys friends like
Elton John, different artists. Well, we had certain things made
for them the tour. Yeah, like very personal pieces. I
mean Princess Diana.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Princess Diana very she was coming over. She was like
such a normal version. She was a princess and she
wears the girl because she felt feminine. She was that
I feel feminine disclosed.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Yeah, was that a personal call, like hey I need.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah personal when we're going and joining on palas to
deliver the close because at lunch we were the children.
She was so down to her and so amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Yeah, it's a photo that I remember with her and
it was just see her on like the sky blue.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yes, she looks amazing like it was painted on. She
was a good friend with Herton John and Jane. Okay,
so she had so much fun with them. She wants
to see them are of the time.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yes, So before I took about let's talk a little
bit about this global campaign that we have going on.
A lot of people I know were surprised when our
billboards last year popped up all over the world and
we've continued and now we're in our second run with it.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
One Why me, because who you are talking you are,
what you did in your career, in your life, your decision,
your acceptance and manys it makes you really the only
one work.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Oh, thank you, thank you, And I mean you've made
me for.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Us when it decided to work with for me to somebody,
and I need to know more about them in the
private life. And i'll i'll greet you. I would respect
that high, respect that so much.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
We thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
And you know it's you know, good bad looking. By
the way they hit me on the right side. You
know you catch me on the left looking. If you
look on the left side, I'm not you see all
my phollow is on one side. But I guess so
many people, whether it's social media, whether it's text message,
I've getting so many people that are sending me, you know,
all our billboards and all of our posts like everywherewhere,
(21:45):
all around the world, China, in Japan, everywhere. I just
came So I just came out off a tour from China,
two week tour, and I can go and see it anywhere.
Like you know, obviously when we started the relationship it
was about getting to know each other and building. But
to be able to be where we are now and
to see in my name together everywhere around the world,
(22:05):
I just want to I just want to stop and
say thank you, thank you for believing it.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Thank you, I thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, the vision is y'all see the visions happening. It's
happened in real time. We got more cool things to come.
We just talk about We talk about them a little
bit later. But you know, for me and the community
I come from, we've always admired the brand. And and
I don't know if you know, but like even a
lot of movies, you will see like a guy like
the top rapper or the top gangster or the bouncer,
(22:31):
they always have them all black and they always put
on the big were the biggiest, the biggest. Yeah, So
it's embedded like this brand, isn't I just want you
to know, like it's embedded in our community, like big Time.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
One of the shows Jenny was alive was then in
the Garden of and that time was a big notorious
and to Pack really yes, to perform for us, imagine
to Pack perform in the Garden what incredible, incredible. So
this I much your community was important for me and Janey.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Yeah, so I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Yeah, it was too any to you know, just before
he died, because two months after it was killed.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Yeah. Man, obviously I'm a big I never forget.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Never forget the moment when was there. I mean, the
kind of people you know is there. I never never
forget the moment.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Oh man, Bob, I'm gonna tak it to you before
I have it to my next.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
So I wanted to know a little bit more about
the creative process from thinking of a collection, like do
you think of a collection as far as I'm gonna
make a trend or do you follow trends or like
the process from the collection to the show.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Oh, the trend is the people. We decide if it's
a trend. You know, if people wear many people, different
people from a different area, where's the cross that's a trend?
You cannot decide a trend, but what you can do.
I'm very loyal to myself and what I like, and
the Cross has to make people more to love themselves
(24:19):
and more sure of themselves. So to give confidence. And
this is my only goal with the Cross clothes, attitive
to the personal, to give it out, to give a
contest with your own attitude, to express yourselves. That's why
we're very different from many brands, you know, because we
want to give confidence. And also we're very open. You know,
anybody can wear this clothes, you know, and reach something life.
(24:43):
This is how we like to think.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, I do feel like the brand is a lifestyle brand.
And I know you guys have went often to perfumes
and home goods and furnitures, and so it's really become
a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
It's a lifestyle because we have everything, not just a cross.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
Yeah, not just the clothes. But what I love about
it is is the different financial whatever financially you are
in life, I feel that everybody has an inn into
the into the family. Yes, you know, some way, somehow,
you know, no matter what levels that you are spending,
I feel like everyone has in That's why I feel
like it's a full lifestyle brand is a.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Full lifestyle brand, right, And that was my brother, you know,
start to do furniture for the house, and that was
jenny idea because if you were versach, you want to
sit in a good place, remember versa, just so you
start to design everything else. At that time, nobody did. Now,
if you designer, when Janey started, nobody was doing that. Yeah,
he created a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
When you took over the brand, what kind of pressure
was on that? Oh? By that yeah, let's talk about.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Pressuring was dead. Jenny was the king and I had
to work in these shoes. So I was petrified. I
was petrified, insecure. I didn't know what to do. But
I you, I have a company around, many people working
such I could not let down and I wasn't shown me,
you know, I was thinking about who could do it.
(26:03):
And then when I did it, I mean, the first
show was it was. I didn't like it, but you
never have confidence, you know, even if I was working
every day with Jamney, you know, and torture during the work,
I don't like the exchangeing. You know, we have so
(26:25):
much fun, but we fight a lot, me and Joey.
But it wasn't good my first one. It was like,
I don't want to make mistakes. And when you start
thinking like that, you make close that not relevant, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So nothing from that show you could pull it back
Now nothing I put back.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I had that experience. This don't happen this. I need
to think different, not to be afraid, but to field
Jennifer such a shoes was not hissy.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Yeah, but you've created your own right. You didn't step
into issues.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
You careate my home because as you know, I was,
I love music. Yeah, so I was a friend was
a few great musicians just for their music, not for
the for the clothes or to address them. And that
gave me a lot a lot of confidence because I
saw the creative process for them I was, and how
tough it was, but how brilliant was the result, and
(27:20):
gave me a lot of confidence. Yeah, you said it
was a lot of people in your community.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Yeah, you can you clear this up from me because
I've heard so many different stories the Medusa where and
how I've heard like multiple stories about the Medusa and
the exception, like the beginning of it and how it
became the logo for the brand.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
So my family, yes, we're from the South of it
exactly Regio Calabria, which is the last city in front
of Sicily. So we're seeing Sicily from our house. And
we were a lot, a lot of sick fingers. You
take story of Italy, the great story, especially Greek gods
(28:06):
and everything. But but we were founding, you know, and
we were doing some research people from and in front
of you, next to the sea, and we were working,
me and Jenney by It was on this Medusa. It
was a Greek goddess and oh my god, she's strange.
(28:27):
She's strange, but you know what, Joenny, you can't take
the eyes off over And that was the Medusa was
in the botology, in the Greattology. You can look at
eybody else. It really happened like that in this this
piece of Medusa and sick really.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Yeah, I've heard like five different stories. I'm glad this
is a real one.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
It was. It was not so it was risky too,
because in the mythology, the Medusa can kill you if
she wants, she's so strong, but she can be also
somebody will give you confidence, like yeah, when you put
your highs on there, you cannot take the power.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
And so that and so that that created the.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
That's it's a woman. That's not a woman's acauseous certain.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Sorry snakes snakes.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Snakes in there. So she wasn't a good nice classic ion.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Okay, thank you for thanks for great story. Because yeah,
like it's there's so many things out there, so many.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
In our city doing during when we're looking for you know.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Yeah, like someone said that when you get to the
apartment in Milan, it was on like.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
The door, everything everywhere was a represented brand Va Janny.
I really believe in this. Let's put her everywhere. The
door was in the also knife everything to you know,
she was everywhere.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
So I have a random fact about you that I
found out, And the only reason I'm saying is random
is because we're both on the same Waveland. I heard
that Chinese was the language you wanted to learn. Yeah, okay,
so I spent a lot of time in China and
I want to also. Yes, I'm in like I'm in
meetings a lot, and I'm talking to a lot of
the fans, and like, you know, it's a lot of
(30:23):
things being said. I'm like, wait, you know, but I
know it's a very one of the toughest language language.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
I'm going to start to study.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, can we can? You like, can you hook me up?
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Can we study?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
I need to learn.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I'm not obsessed with I'm upset with that part of
the world, you know, the lifestime, our young the people
are the crowd. The crowd is in China, the age
of the people are so young. And I'm obsessed with
Chinese language.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
I'm tired of just saying need how man when I
go over there, like I want to, you know, I
want to know more because you know, obviously I'm doing
business around the world and it's an important space for me,
and I'm like, I need to I need to, like
I need somebody to help me.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Good translator, like you know. Okay, so we both are
in so we study together.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
But we have to there we go, we study, We're
gonna learn some words together. One of the things that
I love about you every time I hear you speak,
and not a lot of you know, first of all
the audience that would be listening, I'm sure a lot
of them probably have not had an opportunity to hear
you speak because you are such a private person. But
when I hear you speak, a lot I hear you
speak about women empowerment. Absolutely women, women, women.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Men empowerment. We you know, men are fragile as a woman,
you know, but can be strong and very fragile another moment.
So when you give confidence empowerment to be whoever you
are and don't be afraid to show you are, that's why.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
And we sit here today on Women's International Days, Yes,
obviously a very important day in the world. And to me,
your voice for always making sure that you're empower empower,
empower power women and you know, I just wanted to
make sure that I know that's something that's important to you.
And you know, every time you get a chance to
use your voice to make sure that that's that you
say that.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
We're in the power. We're in that stage on here.
We're about empower and obviously everyone's voice, but you know,
definitely about the power women for sure. You and I
both have a love for a community. It's g b
t Q plus community. We sit here right now, we're
in West Hollywood at the LGBT Center here in l
A one of many, and you've done an incredible amount
(32:38):
of work.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
I hope to do more. Yes, because we're all the same. Yes,
there's no difference and people should be look, look at
and have a voice. Yeah, everybody else, Yeah, talk about
talk about what is missing from me is acceptance? Acceptance, yes,
and accepting then and know you said two different voice
(33:02):
and different way of it.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
As a father who daughter is part of, you know
this community which our family is a part of the community.
My daughter's aion. I've obviously had as we know you have.
We have a lot of hate, but we also have
a lot of support.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
That's horrible through what to do helping I think have.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
You had to deal with a lot of that personally,
you had to deal with a lot of hate because
of your support.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Of well, I had the hate right Jenny after that
because people who said that it's gay, It was gay,
So it was my fault something people are not accepting. No,
Acceptance is a very very difficult thing. I mean when
Jenny was twenty five and seven years ago, it's still
the same today. You know, you think you reach different
(33:50):
places where people accept each other. No, I don't think.
I mean, I hope we'll be at that, but it's not.
It's up to us. We have a voice to make
to explain to people all the same or human being.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Yeah, that's one thing that links us is the fact
that you know, we both you know support you know
the LGBT.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
My brother was gay Johnny, and he went through hell
at that time. Because it was a long long time ago.
People are a fund of him, people are calling names.
He went through a very very rough time, and I
always support him.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
I've always you know, well, I mean, you're doing an
incredible job and I know.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
I'm very happy to do this for the center is amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
The center is incredible, incredible, incredible, what we do is incredible.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
In your time, how have you seen the acceptance? How
have you seen it grow or the acceptance grow in.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
The big cities all over the world, only the big cities,
But if you go away Lend, New York, Rome, Milan,
But in when you go out from the big city,
it is the same. You know, it's okay because no
enough people talk about this. Nolays plain what is it?
(35:01):
You know is a There is no difference really, you know,
it is what counts who are as a person. Values
you live your life and respect people, acceptance, They need
to be a real thing.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
I mean, off my family and I we feel that
we've we've gotten richer as a family because we've been
lucky enough to get to know and be accepted by
and added to a community. Our life has gotten richer
because of it, you know, And that's you know, that's
so that's what we feel, you know, and that's the
way we look at it. And we're so thankful for
our daughter to share a community with us and allow
(35:38):
us to be a part of it and to be
allies and to be you know, people who speak on
and be a part of it, because we understand the
importance you know, as a black male. It's a black
man who's from a black community that we feel is
always getting you know, stumped down and step down and
you know, and not getting a chance to grow. I
don't feel that we should do it. Why would we
(35:59):
do it while we do it to another community. We
don't like it the way it's been done to us,
and so we try to make sure it's a way
family that we're building relationships, we're speaking on and speaking
out from our personal experiences, but also to understanding that
so many families are going through this feeling of not
being accepted.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
So many people that's that's terrible. Yeah, I mean you
did the fantastic Yeah, I was amazing. Yeah, and the
people of the marriage for that, I can tell you
because I hear people around that marriage very much.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Yeah. I mean we wish you wouldn't have to be
admirred for for us, it's just human nature, you know,
It's like it's leading with love and you know love
is the acceptance for us and nothing else matters.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Yeah, Unfortunately everyone do not think that way. But in
the midst of it, I think you and I both
and something that I feel like maybe we both wake
up every day and while we work so hard, is
because of family.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Right, Family is so important, family supportant you have?
Speaker 1 (37:02):
You have two kids, I like Daniel, I have multiple kids.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
How many.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Show nothing about me? How parenting style be so busy
building taking this company to as many heights as as
it has been. How have you dealt with being a
parent as the person that you are.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
In this world with their family always give me a lot.
And my children, which are very different from each other.
One is very one is a rock he plays music,
is a rocker or a rocker. And the other Rush
is very you know, the fit on the ground. But
both of them they gave me so much strength, so
(37:48):
much acceptance. Who I am how I live that, you know,
I wouldn't do my children. I wouldn't be here. My
children they give you, They give me their confidence. Confidence.
I didn't have to pay anything to him, may give
me the confidence. It's not easy to be daughter or
son or somebody famous, you know, especially you know that,
(38:08):
especially growing up. I don't want to be. I'm not
the daughter or the son of And does I understand
we're very very private, both of them. But I know
I talk to them and I can say anything. Don't
want acceptances there.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
We're trying to I need to understand my kids and understand.
How do you be public facing but be private. You
guys have done a great job of it. We have
a great job of it.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
But when I'm private, I'm private. I mean I I
do something not to share with everybody. Doesn't my children,
my family and my dog and yeah, I mean just
just as a it's difficult. It's very difficult.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
It's very difficult.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
People want to know everything. But if you're a public person,
you want to know everything about you, but you do
something that's for yourself.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Is any one of the kids are part of the brand,
like a part of it, the family brand of only
my daughter. Okay, she's a part of it. You don't
want no part.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I love music. That's he pressed many instruments and as
a musician.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, that's awesome, Bob, you want to jump back in.
Speaker 4 (39:19):
I wanted to get into how like fashion has evolved
and how at one point you mentioned the celebrities, like
the actresses were got into the fashion road. I remember
when you back in twenty ten went to the fashion
twenty eleven to the fashion show in Milan. Did you
embrace or did you see the coming of athletes? And
like now athletes are now being athletes like NBA players,
(39:43):
like us coming to the fashion.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Shows about only rockstar and the actor and actress. I mean,
I love actress. I love the effort, but the strength
everything we do is so much effort. It put to
be a great accurate and I mean, for me, it's
very very important to have a different kind of community
(40:08):
to our show and all the exports. You know, the
pain we go through to become more we are. You
have to about to say wow a lot of respective.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Let me share the story. So twenty eleven, yeah, in
Milan was my first fashion show that I attended with
and I had just came off of losing the NBA Finals,
maybe a couple of days or a week before, So
I didn't want to come to the show because I
was a little better. Yeah, I was sad. I was
ambursed all the things you're after losing in the NBA Finals.
(40:48):
But we did. We came to Milan, we attended the show.
That was my first time meeting you. Afterwards that we
had like a little dinner. My first time meeting you.
I was sitting at the same table. You probably don't remember.
I was a little guy. Carmelo Anthony and I both
attended the show together and it was like I've never
experienced nothing like that. I would say that that was
(41:10):
the first time I was like, oh this is It
felt like the NBA Finals, all the cameras and the
fashing and the just the just the whole show. But
to take it back to Bob. Bob is my videographer. Photographer.
Bob was shooting me around the time and he didn't
have We didn't have a ticket for Bob to get
into the show. When he had me un get one
and Bob actually snuck in the show. He was in
(41:34):
the photographer role from the front row front row when
the show started, I looked around and I saw Bob
in the front row with the photographers, and.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I was like, just looking at the mom I'm not
you know, I'm no surprised I saw that I did
start again.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
That's the show that made me actually, so I have
a big special connection as well because ever since then,
I've been sneaking the show.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Now like yo, just just walk yes, but we got like,
we got pictures in the back, we got pictures sitting there,
like from I have my own pictures from Bob that's there.
So uh, it's cool that and to go back to
that moment. Obviously a very tough time in my life
as an athlete by losing the finals, but a couple
of days later getting a chance to experience something that
(42:24):
I've never experienced before being at the fashion show.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
I have one more question, where do you see fashion going?
As it's evolved? Where do you see it going?
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Certainly be aware on the you know, a planet for sure,
so we can we really need all of us to
think about how to don't bad things for planets, so
fabrics and way to work and different things. So I'm
very concentrated on that. It's very difficult because especially for
(42:55):
fabric print and you know you need some chemicals to
the print and everything. So we're really study about that
out too. We can become more, you know, and I'm
it's conscious and that that's what is one thing. Second
thing I think we what I'm afraid the young designer.
(43:17):
You know, maybe we listened too much today to business
people with all the respectful business people. And before when
Jender start was not like that was totally creativity. Crecativity
will do whatever you want, you know, and I know
to answer to anybody today is a huge business. Everybody
in the merchant that's the CEO marketing person. We try
(43:39):
to tell you what you can do, what you cannot do.
Thank God, I don't listen to any of them. So,
but I wish the next generation doesn't make these people
control them because we need to create the creational creation
is something to do. Freedom.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Yeah, I think that's what we all love about fashion, right,
is the freedom to the freedom of it. It's the
expression of it. Fashion expressions personalities and traits without even
saying a word. And so to have you know, those
christraints in there, it's not that's not fashion. You don't
want those robos.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
I think to be, you know, very important. It's for
something very important. But we need to live. People are
creating freely and accept everything. We don't judge. Judge judge. Yes,
that's how fashion will give famos because it was free.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Because it's you guys are It's like I like to
use the analogy of Picasso. You know, you know, you
guys are your own Picasso's. You're able to paint whatever masterpiece.
You won't then you come out of the room and
show everybody. You know, everyone show, yeah, the show, because
he did. We got the footage and everything outside of fashion,
(44:51):
Dona Teller, like I know everything when when everyone thinks
down and Teller, we think of obviously Vasa, we think
of fashion, and that's not just who you are. You
know obviously we understand, we know you're true mother. But
outside of that, like what else excites you? What else
is the interesting?
Speaker 2 (45:04):
A music? And I'm very curious. I like to travel.
I want to learn. I want allergenie and see different culture,
especially on generation, what we think about us, what we're
doing travelers. One big part of letting to know different,
different places and different kind of thinking. It's very important
(45:27):
for me and all of my family. Of course, I
don't know if a lot of me still so, I'm
sure they do. It's hard different and I read a
lot literately, a lot read. I'm very private if I
don't have to do to work because I'm so much
(45:47):
around the world working, you know, doing different patrol work
with you're it can want to be you know, not
dif front of everybody, always to your lawyer friends that
had nothing to do with fashion, because those are the
ones that they tell you the truth. Yeah, if you
(46:08):
were good, the show was good, I want to listen
to three people.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
And so there's de manding obviously schedule that. I mean,
I feel like it's fashion shows every other week everywhere
around the world, and that's just.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
When I go to China, Yeah, which I just got
back from.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
It doesn't leave, it hasn't left opportunities for other business interests,
like anything outside of fashion.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
I love music, that's the only you know. I love sports.
I'm looking at people like you and what you achieve
your body and your your mind because not only your
body and your strength, the concentration, you know, and the
determination to reach. So this was like the same as
for music. You know, the great rock star the Red
(46:51):
star people really gave all of themselves. Yeah, so that
Earton John was a good friend of my brother, my
local You know, creativity, this on life.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I like to say as a as an athlete, you
said the mind, and I feel that's one of the
things a lot of athletes don't get credit for is
their mind. Right. I think the physical is what leads.
Everyone sees the physical, but the mind.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
Is actually that's the mind makes money work.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Yeah, definitely that.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
It should be talking more about this because, as you say,
it's true, we only look from outside. Look, I'm not
sure mind that's the word to reach.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Yeah. A lot of people ask me like, do you
miss playing the game? And you know, it's things around
the game that you miss, but I was telling them
when it comes to the actual game, what I actually
miss is I missed being in chaotic situations and being
a commons.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
Person in the room, being cool to be cool, and yeah.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Like you know when it's when it's when when you
down one, you got the ball on the row, is
the clock is taken down, you got to make the shot.
It's chaos around, yes, and you gotta calm your heart
rate down, you gotta calm your mind down. And you
got to focus on the work, right, You got to
focus on that. And that's the thing that in this
life that I'm living now as a business like, I
(48:08):
missed those chaotic sits way. I think I tried to
create chaos.
Speaker 2 (48:11):
Time comes for a fashion show. Me, you've had so
much cows.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
What's your chaotic moment?
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Like? Is it like so many people involved?
Speaker 3 (48:21):
No one.
Speaker 2 (48:22):
We do a collection and do a fashion show and
make up the hair, and we've crew twenty people, thirty
people each one, so passtage is full. It's like arena
and the lighting people and to control you know, the set.
Everything is so much plus the press to the press
(48:43):
in all this and I'm looking at you. I can't
scream and try to be oh yeah, can you do this?
But I want to hurry up. This is what I
want to do, but I can't. You know, you to
control yourself in this kind of situation, handling different different fits.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Have you ever walked in a fashion show?
Speaker 2 (48:58):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (48:58):
Too small, like I would, So I want to walk
one day. I'm just gonna you would walk. I want
to walk one day, But I think that would be
like such a rush.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
Everybody said the same thing. The mother especially when we
start like you know, we're so afraid before when we
put the feet on the runway and we love it,
making back wowing like that because the field, the people
around looking at them, the field, you know, the power
at the moment.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Was there like a ten fifteen second walk.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
There's more than that. For example, the show in La
was four minutes walk for minutes, so long for a
for for a runway because the stairs go up and
now the place.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
That's what as we get to the end, what do
you feel like is the special sauce? What do you
feel like is the longe jevity? Why is been having
this such long jevity? Because it wasn't afraid to change,
wasn't afraid to change. It didn't get in love with
the yesterday. I try to you know that the different
(50:05):
things from different moments, not afraid to change. That's special sauce.
Mm hmmw. That is because we all are.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Sitting very comfortable in something. You know, when you change,
you're not comfortable anymore.
Speaker 1 (50:18):
But at that moment, it's called being comfortable. Being uncomfortable,
you know, I think you got to find comfort and
being uncomfortable if you want to do amazing and great things,
like you know, like Versace has done right, uncomfortable. The
name of my podcast is The Why, and there's a
lot of reasons why it's called that, But always in
(50:39):
my last questions with that, as you sit here today
with all the things that you have accomplished, with all
the things that your family have accomplished, what is your why?
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Why I'm still afraid of everything? Like the first day,
Why these nerves before the show and before you know,
meeting press and meeting I did my whole life. Yeah,
but I always at the moment, really really really scared.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
Yeah. Is it because you're perfectionists?
Speaker 2 (51:07):
I don't know why, because I think because I'm human,
Because you're human, and there you go and you cannot
get the love of what you do yourself all the time.
It always can do better. But the humanity is very important.
Speaker 1 (51:19):
Yeah, very important. So why obviously is always evolving. Dona
tell Aversace thank you for sitting down having this conversation
with me. I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (51:29):
Thank you so much. It was an honor to to
to you
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.