Sara V.

Sara has been part of the fashion world for several years now, slowly carving her path with determination and confidence. Recently, she took center stage as the lead in Philip Martins’ latest campaign, a complex and visually powerful project divided into three distinct phases, from glass to water, and finally to the wild nature of Bali. More than just a commercial, the experience marked a turning point in her journey, both professionally and personally. In this interview, Sara opens up about what it meant to be the face of such an intense production, the fears she overcame, and the lessons she’ll carry with her moving forward.

Sara, you’ve been part of the fashion world for several years now. What drew you to this environment, and when did you truly feel like you belonged in it?

I started being part of the fashion world when I was 15 years old, during my first year of high school. It all began by chance, when I took part in some beauty pageants that helped me gain more confidence in myself. After that, I began doing my first photo shoots and runway shows. To be honest, at the beginning it wasn’t a world that particularly attracted me, it was more the people around me who encouraged me to take this path. I truly felt like I belonged in it when I moved to Milan in September 2023, because I was presented with many more work opportunities compared to when I was living in Pordenone.

You recently took part in a very complex commercial for Philip Martins, divided into three completely different phases. What convinced you to take on such a demanding project, and what did it mean to you to be the lead?

Once you become part of the fashion world, you quickly realize how difficult it is to build a career, especially when it comes to landing major jobs. So when Iso Model Management offered me this project, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day, and anyone working in this industry knows that if you want to take things to the next level, you can’t let them slip away. When I was told I had been selected and that I would be the lead in the commercial, I was genuinely happy, but at the same time, I realized the weight of what I had “in my hands.” Being the face of the campaign meant that a big part of the outcome depended on me; if I wasn’t expressive enough, the commercial simply wouldn’t work. In short, from the moment I found out I was the one chosen, I felt a mix of emotions, happiness, but also the worry that I might not live up to expectations.

This project also required a significant amount of psychological effort. To film the glass-breaking scene, you had to remain enclosed between glass panels for quite some time. How did you experience that moment on an emotional level?

This project was far from easy from a psychological point of view, especially during some scenes, including the one in which I was enclosed between four glass panels. That experience made me discover new sides of myself, both positive and negative, and I realized I have a fear of claustrophobia. Being shut inside that one-meter-by-one-meter square was extremely difficult. It wasn’t a quick 10-minute shoot, I was in there for about an hour, which felt more like three hours to me. The hardest part came toward the end, when I started to feel like I couldn’t breathe properly and could no longer stand. So, while I would have preferred to learn this about myself under different circumstances, this project allowed me to connect with the experience on a much deeper level, emotionally and artistically.

During the immersion phase at Y-40, one of the deepest pools in the world, what did you feel in the moment you let go and began your descent?

To be honest, the day of filming at the Y-40 pool was actually the easiest one for me. I remember arriving thinking I would simply have to do a backward dive and that the shoot would end there. However, once I got there, they told me I would be taking a mini freediving course and explained the scenes I would need to perform. That’s when I realized how demanding the day’s work would actually be. Luckily, I’m someone who loves sports and trying new things, so I wasn’t afraid to take on this new experience, on the contrary, I was genuinely excited. When I started my first descents, reaching depths of 8 meters, I have to admit I felt a little scared, worried I wouldn’t have enough breath to deliver good takes and that I might compromise the entire project. There were moments when, as soon as I started to descend, I felt like I was running out of air. Fortunately, I had recently watched a documentary about a freediver who explained that when we think we’re out of breath, our lungs actually still have enough oxygen for over a minute.

The project tells a story of transformation, from the breaking of glass, to water, and finally to the wild nature of Bali. What did you take away from this experience, and did you feel changed by the end of these three stages?

I would say yes. I’m truly grateful for all the emotions I experienced during the shoot, because they helped me grow both professionally and personally. From a work perspective, I discovered a sport I’m actually good at and that I plan to keep practicing. In this industry, the more skills you have, the better. This project also made me realize that I need to keep working on my expressiveness, so I can shift the emotion I’m conveying quickly and in the most effective way possible. On a personal level, I felt transformed in many ways. The trip to Bali really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Living each day not knowing where we’d be shooting or even where we’d be sleeping that night taught me to be more flexible and to try to live in the moment.

When you saw the final result for the first time, what did you feel? Was it what you expected?

When I saw the final result for the first time, I remember I couldn’t stop smiling. My eyes filled with tears of joy because I couldn’t believe I had actually managed to do something like that. Only in that moment did I truly realize how challenging the whole experience had been, until then, I hadn’t been fully aware of it. During the shoot, I had imagined how the video might turn out, but I have to say it exceeded my expectations. The underwater scenes, which I was seeing for the first time, especially moved me. I think this project touched me so deeply because I was involved 100% in every step. And that, in my opinion, is one of the main reasons why this experience left such a strong mark on me and helped me grow so much.

Looking back at the journey you’ve taken so far, what would you say today to the version of yourself who started this job years ago?

First of all, I’d tell her to live in the moment. This project taught me how important it is to focus on what you’re doing now, without getting caught up in the anxiety of what comes next or in the need to always know what’s ahead. I’d also tell her to believe in herself more. Results never come right away, it takes time and, above all, patience, which is something I didn’t have back then and am still learning to develop. I’d advise her to stay grounded, to always remain true to herself, and not to change just to fit into situations or seize opportunities. And finally, I’d remind her how important it is to be honest and to always show respect, for people and for their projects. Because even if it doesn’t seem like it at times, all of that eventually comes back to you.