Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer & Director, GUESS INC
Paul Marciano Interviews Nadine Mirada
Austrian model, Nadine Mirada tells us why becoming a #GUESSGirl has always been one of her biggest dreams, her first ...
About Paul Marciano
Paul Marciano, co-founder and chief creative officer of Guess, has been promoting the concept of the "GUESS Family" through a dedicated website, guessfamily.com, launched around the brand's 40th anniversary in 2021. In a series of videos, Marciano stated that the company is "not just a brand, it's a family" and described the site as a place to share stories of employees, models, and photographers who have worked with the brand over decades. He noted that the modeling industry has "changed completely because of Instagram," saying he now discovers many models and creatives through the platform rather than traditional agencies. Marciano also discussed the dual nature of social media, expressing concern about online bullying among children while acknowledging Instagram's value for discovering talent. Marciano has been involved in the production of seasonal Guess campaigns, including the Spring '23 campaign shot in Capri, Italy, and the Fall '22 campaign in Granada, Spain. In behind-the-scenes videos, he described drawing inspiration from Italian films and the architecture of Granada, which he said reminded him of Moroccan design. Marciano has also spoken about the importance of brand consistency and protecting the Guess image, stating, "The brand is your most valued asset." Additionally, he has been active in social advocacy, speaking at Denim Day events in support of Peace Over Violence and mentioning efforts to establish a related foundation in Italy.
Transcript (41 segments)
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Paul Marciano0:15
Good afternoon.
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Nadine Mirada0:16
Good afternoon, thanks for having me.
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Paul Marciano0:18
What's your name?
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Nadine Mirada0:19
My name is Nadine Mirada and I'm from Austria.
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Paul Marciano0:22
Do you spend some of your time in Vienna? Is it your main hub?
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Nadine Mirada0:27
Yes, most of the time in Upper Austria, Vienna, and Munich.
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Paul Marciano0:31
How long have you been working with Guess?
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Nadine Mirada0:35
It's my third year now. To be a Guess Girl was always my biggest dream, really. Of course, even from Austria, you know the brand. In Austria, of course, we know it all over the world. It's an iconic brand, and I was always a big, big, big fan, and this was my biggest dream to become a Guess Girl because I love the classic black-and-white shots of unique women, like the timeless images.
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Paul Marciano1:03
Exactly. And where did you see these images? How old were you when you started to see them? As a teenager?
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Nadine Mirada1:10
No, I think young, around 10 or younger. Yes, and I had a poster also in my room.
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Paul Marciano1:19
Wow. Which girl was on the poster? When was the first campaign you did for Marciano? It's the same company, so December 2018. How did you get discovered?
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Nadine Mirada1:34
You found me on Instagram. I did, and maybe I have to say it really changed my life because before, I always tried to be a model and I worked also as a model, but it wasn't easy if you're curvy with natural curves. But I never gave up.
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Paul Marciano1:58
Inspiration for you professionally and personally? If you think about cultures...
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Nadine Mirada2:05
I love to travel, I love to see different cultures, I love different food, and also to meet new girls, new people. And that inspires me exactly. That inspired me a lot, and of course also the nature. But I think also what you told me a few times is that through the last two and a half years of Guess, you have made a completely new set of friends.
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Paul Marciano2:29
Correct. Yes. Explain us that. Is it usual or is it unusual?
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Nadine Mirada2:33
I think it's totally unusual in the fashion business, but all my friends are from Guess, you know. Not only the Guess models, also the whole Guess team, to be honest. I cried sometimes when I saw someone after a long time because we are really... this is my second home, this is my second family. And family is so important for me, and it's not only about one girl or one assistant. All this family gives me so much power, and I love to be part of it.
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Paul Marciano3:09
And what is your first memory? I guess doing the first picture at Guess studio. He wasn't there, but Gregorio and... I saw my first black-and-white Guess picture, and it reminds me so much of the classic Guess shots. When you think about Guess, what is the first word that comes to your mind?
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Nadine Mirada3:32
Iconic. Iconic.
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Paul Marciano3:35
Iconic. Thank you. What did you want to do when you were a kid?
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Nadine Mirada3:41
Become a model. Oh, you knew. Yeah, with three years I did my first campaign as a model. But then when I was at the age to normally start modeling again after school, after studying, like 20, there was absolutely no space in the world for a girl like me with my look, 170 and not the classic tall skinny runway girl. And I don't know if you know, you changed my life, but maybe you don't know you also changed the life for so many other girls, Paul, because they follow me and they tell me every day, 'Wow, Nadine, you made it. You know, you show us it works. You are unique, you're different, absolutely, and you made it.' That's inspiring. I became a role model in two or three years, and only in me you show all the girls and women all over the world just be yourself and self-confident, and you can reach your goals. And I reached my goal, I live my dream.
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Paul Marciano4:43
You will be part of Guess. You don't know that yet, but you'll be part of Guess for many years to come. For example, I give you an example of Rachel. Rachel Muttonson has been around with us for seven years now. But now she doesn't want too much to model. Now she's behind the camera, working with models, doing interviews, coaching them. She's still a model, and she wants to do other things than that, and to be feeling contributing to the company who gave her so much. To say, 'I want to be part of it for many years to come.' And her daughter Ruby, she's born the same day as me. She dreamed that one day her daughter would work with Guess. I mean, that's beautiful.
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Nadine Mirada5:25
That's beautiful.
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Paul Marciano5:27
What is your screen wallpaper?
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Nadine Mirada5:31
Yeah, it's me with my first campaign. It's the flower picture. Oh yes, and the flowers in the back, it's a bougainvillea. The flowers behind you. I love that picture.
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Paul Marciano5:47
What is your morning routine?
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Nadine Mirada5:48
Hydration for my skin. I drink a lot of water. This is really my morning routine.
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Paul Marciano5:55
Yeah, I drink also coffee, I hope so.
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Nadine Mirada5:56
To be honest, no. It was not the live, but the really first thing is I checked my Instagram and second my emails and things before the water. Yes, I'm sorry, I checked the phone before I do anything else.
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Paul Marciano6:10
If you describe Nadine Mirada, what will be the three words that will describe you?
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Nadine Mirada6:16
Unique, positive, classic.
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Paul Marciano6:23
I like that. It means like timeless. Timeless beauty. What advice would you like to share about styling?
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Nadine Mirada6:30
I think it's really important about fashion that you don't go with all the trends. Just buy and wear what you feel comfortable. Trust your own opinion. Exactly, and buy also basics. And yeah, basics like almost you will call that fashion basics. It means the basics who never go out of style. Fashion basics: black dress and a nice high heel.
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Paul Marciano7:00
That's what. What is your favorite city in the world?
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Nadine Mirada7:04
Los Angeles. Wow, yes, I love Los Angeles. Wow, I like it. I didn't know that. Yeah, Los Angeles, I thought all my dreams came true there.
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Paul Marciano7:12
If you are not modeling, what would you be doing?
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Nadine Mirada7:16
I'm not the type of a plan B. When I... so we have plan A. Yes, plan A and plan A. We don't have a plan B.
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Paul Marciano7:31
What is the social media app that you use the most?
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Nadine Mirada7:38
Instagram. It's just information.
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Paul Marciano7:41
And do you have any daily affirmation?
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Nadine Mirada7:43
I'm a really, really thankful person, and every day I think about, okay, thank you that I'm here. Thank you for my family. Thank you that we are healthy. That yeah, we have your friends, exactly, your job.
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Paul Marciano7:57
We love to have you with us, and we're going to be all week. We love that interview because you are very unique and very special. So thank you very much.