Stella Novarino, Founder and Creative Director of Stella Jean
My Style Philosophy: “Uno, nessuno, e centomila—Luigi Pirandello. A phrase so powerful that it needs no verb: it contains the complexity of who we are—one identity, no fixed identity, and the countless versions reflected through the eyes of others. In fashion, and especially in styling, this becomes a language. Clothes are like words: individually they may exist, but only through their composition do they create meaning. Styling is the territory where fragments become a narrative, where a story takes shape. And yet, the person wearing that story remains forever: one, no one, and one hundred thousand.”
My Favorite MFW Spot: “Mercato Ittico. Open to the public only on Saturdays, this extraordinary market is one of Milan’s hidden rituals. Since I was a child, my father used to tell me that, paradoxically, the best fish in Italy could be found in Milan—a city without a sea. Growing up in a family where food has always been a language of pleasure and connection, I have carried this tradition with me. Even during Fashion Week, whenever I can, I still make time for this Saturday ritual. My son, who is a chef, chooses the finest scallops and sea urchins, which he transforms into two of my favourite dishes: carpaccio di coquilles Saint-Jacques and spaghetti with sea urchin. Next door, the flower market adds another layer to this morning tradition: before we leave, my daughter always returns home with armfuls of flowers — her own small ritual of beauty.”
My Favorite Italian Phrase: “Vuolsi così colà dove si puote ciò che si vuole, e più non dimandare.” — Dante Alighieri, Inferno, Canto III, vv. 95–96. “An extraordinarily refined and elegant way of saying ‘mind your own affairs’ without ever lowering the tone.”
Columbia
