[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPjwssPTQ98[/youtube]

So I admit I got carried away by what seemed to be a perfectly beautiful hot, sunny day here in Milan a couple weeks back, then it was just downhill from there, summer was still nowhere to be seen…the result however- a pair of pink studded ballerinas.

It was like a reflex, saw the blonde guy and before you knew it, I was online surfing all my fav boutiques on the hunt for some cool first-days-of-summer items.

My sharp reflexes took me straight to Bona Drag‘s e-shop. I confess, I have an extense wishlist there.

I was torn between the black studded and pink studded flats…thought the pinks were more original; delicate yet naughty.

I’m also quite a sucker for detail, other than the shoes, there were two other things I loved about my instinctive purchase, actually three. The box had my name handwritten on it and next to it, a heart, like the doodles we used to do in our notebooks back in school when we were bored out of our minds (and in love)…nearly 90% of the time in my case. Then there was the snake printed tissue paper which is beyond cool. But even more cool was the Bona Drag soundtrack to match which I’ve been listening to non-stop.

I have nothing but to love the girls over at Bona Drag for their exquisite taste and fab eye for details. <3

I just attended a very insightful conference at Bocconi University here in Milan discussing Diesel’s Be Stupid (for a Successful Living) triumphant advertising campaign, where the panel was composed of three really down-to-earth, brilliant and simple individuals whom I’m really glad I got to hear speak.

The personalities were Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini*- Italian singer, Renzo Rosso- Diesel Jeans founder and Alessandro Profumo- UniCredit Bank ex CEO.

These guys were great. I just quickly want to quote what some of them said, statements which stuck to mind and which I find very useful and wise.

First off, Jovanotti made it clear that the tagline Be Stupid is nothing without the ‘Be’. The keyword here is ‘Be’. Stupid alone is an insult period. Be Stupid, however, is a state of being, it’s what makes the difference, it’s what takes guts to do.

I totally agree. To me, Be Stupid is like following your instincts, being spontaneous, not taking yourself so seriously and going with your initial gut feeling. I can think of a gazillion reasons why I have actually Been Stupid many times in my life…all for a good cause of course…and the results? beyond excellent.

The cool thing about the conference was the mash-up of backgrounds the panelists had: a singer/composer/artist, a designer/entrepreneur and a banker/manager and still the synergy between the three characters was so unique and unpretentious.

Despite his managerial and rather conservative mindset, Profumo from UniCredit had some handy insights to share with us. He said young people are not stirring things up as much as they should be. That’s their role…to mess things up so that managers keep up with today’s fast-paced world and not miss out. Then he added that people shouldn’t work to build a CV, instead people should do what they want, what they’re passionate about because that’s exactly what they will do best in life. His comment was regarding Rosso’s passion for design, for the Diesel brand and how he once had contemplated quitting, but never got through with it due to his devotion for it all.

The communication aspect was also quite relevant in that technology has (of course) played an extremely important role in leading this campaign to such success. Internet, as Jovanotti explained, gives you the opportunity to be real, to be sincere, to show your real face, to be active, to be present and to be able to interact and govern every new technological tool for the benefit of your product. He also added that Diesel has always managed to involve consumers in the mood of their ads. They’ve always managed to make consumers feel as accomplices, as characters in their stories without making anyone feel awkward, cause big things usually tend to do that.

In Diesel’s case however, it’s the opposite, Diesel has made a difference by making people feel better about themselves, feel cool, feel engaged and part of the ‘Diesel community’.

What does Stupid do when he encounters Smart? Renzo Rosso’s advice to his audience…Smarts are the majority, Stupid needs to be clear with them, Smarts try to fool and screw people all the time, so it’s necessary to be clear and communicate well so that Smart doesn’t outsmart Stupid.

I’m definitely with Stupid, you?

* Before becoming famous Jovanotti was hired by Diesel Clothing Company to be the DJ for one of their launch parties back in 1986.

You cannot outsmart Stupid. So don’t even try.                                                                   -Renzo Rosso for Diesel

me after the event this morning

Ronchi has by far the best (cioccolato fondente all’arancia) chocolate-orange fudge ice-cream in town. OMG! take my word for it, it’s just…orgasmic.

It was my nephew’s baptism this past Saturday. It was so dreamful I couldn’t resist not showing you this Capri inspired fantasy! Hope you enjoyed the pics and the smiley baby right here is TommyTommy!