Model Fashion Designer & Simona Mangiante talks Education, Creative Inspiration, and Life in the EU

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"There is no such thing as a secure path in life there is only the destination that your passion will lead you to. Be yourself. Think out of the box. Don’t judge what you don’t know. Always have your own personal taste of experiences, don’t live through anyone’s eyes other than your own."

Mistah Wilson: Hey there, Simona! What an honor it is to have you here with us for this exclusive

interview with ThaWilsonBlock Magazine! For our audience reading this, could you give us just a quick background on yourself?
Simona Mangiante: Hi, thanks so much for this interview. I love the concept of your magazine and its topics. I am an Italian globetrotter. Raised in Italy I studied and worked in Brussels, London, Paris, Spain, Washington, and New York. A lawyer by education but an artist by heart. Ever Since I was a little girl I was fascinating by the creative world, from music to painting to acting and fashion. I used to draw girls in different outfits and fish in my mother closet to recreate the looks and model them for my sister to approve! I studied piano and ballet and I always wanted to study dramatic arts.  My parents, though very supportive, were "conventional" enough to prevent me from investing all my education in a creative path (for them, it was “too risky”) and they pushed me to study law. I became a lawyer, an international lawyer, a human rights lawyer at the EU.

Mistah Wilson: Before we get into tha meat of things, I want to discuss education. You attend New York Film Academy. How was your experience?
Simona Mangiante: As I said though I am a lawyer by education I am an artist by heart. With my first savings at the EU, I paid for my acting school in New York- summer program. At the time I attended the New York film academy, I was a functionary at the European Union. This didn’t prevent me from

pursuing my creative ambitions and as my parents wouldn’t support them I did it on my own with the results of my work at the EU. I used an alias, that a changed a few times, to keep privacy at my work. I remember when I revealed my real name to my classmates at NYFA they googled it and they couldn’t believe I was an attorney at the EU. I was the most "unconventional" student in the entire school. But that’s what a real artist is about, isn’t it? Thinking Out of the box! I was far from the stereotype of the aspiring actress, auditioning all day and having a side job, I was a full time attorney and a side acting student. Mostly to give oxygen to my creative side rather than for pursuing an acting career at the time. My real passion was fashion. I did modeling, photo shooting occasionally for different brands until I got a full time job at some point with Versace... but I’ll talk about it later...

Mistah Wilson: When did you develop your passion for arts and entertainment?
Simona Mangiante: Ever since I was a child I was very creative - drawing, playing music, studied

ballet. It was in my veins.

Mistah Wilson: What fashion brands do you pull inspiration from when envisioning new concepts for your clothing?
Simona Mangiante: My inspiration is Versace. A bolt confident woman that dares to make a statement through her style. My fashion line though is nothing I have seen before - it’s inspired by my own concept of woman and Femininity. California inspired me to design swimwear, but I am not into developing an entire clothing line. There is nothing that makes me more happy to see my designs materializing in models for women to wear and enjoy to feel sexy and beautiful.

Mistah Wilson: Who are some key figures in your life that has influenced tha creative you are today?

Simona Mangiante: Definitely my meeting with the Versace family. I am too young to have met Gianni the genius - but I Had the opportunity to know his bother currently at the head of the Versace company and Donatella when I worked in their office in Paris. They are alike me, southern Italians. I can sense the Mediterranean bold notes of Barocco in their style and it really caught my eyes.

Mistah Wilson: What positive, encouraging words do you have for young aspiring creatives?
Simona Mangiante: Believe in yourself - never let anyone tell you that you are too young or too old, or too small or too big to pursue your passions. There is no such thing as a secure path in life there is only the destination that your passion will lead you to. Be yourself. Think out of the box. Don’t judge what you don’t know. Always have your own personal taste of experiences, don’t live through anyone’s eyes other than your own.

Mistah Wilson: Where can people find and follow you online?
Simona Mangiante: Twitter: Simona Mangia
Istagram: Simona_mangiante
And of course check out my fashion line at Agapebysimona.com

Mistah Wilson: Hey, Simona! Thank you so much for coming thru for this exclusive interview with ThaWilsonBlock Magazine! It's truly been an honor for us!