Model Barbara Romer is staging a fashion industry takeover. Charisma enchanting and sophisticated, Barbara has the frame of forever beauty.

Photography + grooming: Valeria Orlando using VOR Make-up

She made her debut in the world of fashion by participating in the “Elite model look” competition at the age of 16, arriving among the 10 finalists in Brazil. The godmother of the competition was Gisele Bündchen and later I participated in San Paolo fashion week doing all the fashion shows including Forum, Ellus and Lino Villaventura. After his move to Milan, his first job in Italy was an advertisement for the perfume Cerruti 1881 after which he started showing during the fashion week for the biggest brands such as Mariella Burani, Gianfranco Ferré, Louis Vuitton, John Richmond, Costume National, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Salvatore Ferragamo for which she was the first model for more than 3 years. Later, she Barbara moved to Paris where she worked with Karl Lagerfeld and then traveled around the world working for the most famous fashion magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue and shooting various advertising campaigns. Today the most important clients with whom she continues to work are Collini Milano 1937, Antonio Riva and Brunello Cucinelli.

”In recent years, thanks to all the experiences and contacts accumulated, together with my husband the super model Samuele Riva, we are dealing with executive production for numerous brands and magazines.”

– BARBARA ROMER

PHOTOGRAPHY + GROOMING: VALERIA ORLANDO using VOR MAKE-UP

FASHION powered by: KIMONOME, COLLINI MILANO, DARCY DIAS, COSEL FASHION + ACCESSORIES by BIJOUX BRAZIL

A CONVERSATION WITH BARBARA ROMER

Describe Barbara as a child. 

As a little girl, I was curious and full of energy.

What’s on your current music playlist?

Listening mainly Bossa Nova, Samba and all Brazilian popular music.

Describe us the exactly moment when you decided to become a model.

I decided to become a model when they invited me to participate in ”The Look of the Year” competition. I was 15 years old and after being elected among the first ten finalists, the model agency ‘ELITE’ offered me a contract.

What is the biggest challenge for you as a model after the pandemic situation? 

My goal after the pandemic period is to preserve my health, especially that of the team I work with. This is a challenge for me.

Speaking about the challenges you faced during your career as a model, how did you manage to overcome everything and which was the most difficult one? 

MY FIRST AND MOST COMPLICATED CHALLENGE AS A MODEL WAS TO ABANDON MY COUNTRY FOR ANOTHER CONTINENT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I WAS VERY YOUNG. THEN SURELY APPROACH WITH THE GREAT FASHION BRANDS AS SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, FOR WHICH I WAS EXCLUSIVE 3 YEARS MODEL ALSO FACING THE SHOWS DURING THE FASHION WEEK FOR THE BRANDS I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED IN BRAZIL LIKE MARIELLA BURANI, GIANFRANCO FERRE’, LOUIS VUITTON, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN … SINCE I WAS YOUNG, I HAVE ALWAYS FACED MY CHALLENGES WITH THE MAXIMUM.

Can you tell us a little bit about your references and inspirations in your life as a young model?

My references + inspirations as a young model were: KRISTEN MCMENAMY, KAREN ELSON, ERIN O’CONNOR.

How do you manage to choose your collaborators?

When I can, I choose my collaborators in base of their human being, their professionalism and their curriculum in the end.

How do you determine what is durable design in fashion?

I think originality and creativity are the base for a durable design in fashion industry.

What does fashion industry needs more nowadays in order to improve it more?

Fashion industry, in my opinion, in order to improve more, must try to be accessible to its public as much as possible and to take an eco-sustainable way for a better education of young generations.

The most important person of your life?

 My grandmother MARIA LUCIA, my aunties CELIA and REGINA and my husband SAMUELE.

Iconic people you would like to meet and why? 

Yves Saint Laurent absolutely, the most creative human being of fashion industry.

Imagine that you must write a letter to your FUTURE SELF. What would you write?

DON’T TRY TO CHANGE PEOPLE, ACCEPT THEIR DEFECTS AND TAKE THE BEST OF WHAT THEY CAN OFFER YOU.

– barbara romer