«You have to lose weight» people used to say to Ludovica; but she did the opposite. Sofia Blu Cremaschi’s photographs tell the battle of model Ludovica for self-determination of the body
Sofia Blu Cremaschi
Title: Miss Italia
Ludovica is a girl from Naples, she is twenty one years old and lives in Milan. She is a photographer and a plus-size model. «What would you like to do when you grow up? Miss Italia». This is the answer she gave herself as a child, blonde, eccentric girl who found her fun in performing with her body makeup, singing, dancing, and organizing fake shows with her younger cousins. But in the aughts, it was impossible to imagine an overweight Miss Italia. Only one perspective was returned to Ludovica: «you have to lose weight».
As Ludovica grew up, she stopped having an audience but continued to perform alone in her room, waiting to get skinny – but that never happened because she didn’t want it. After being ashamed of her body for most of her life due to outside pressures, that little girl who wanted to parade around with a crown on her head was still there. Marylou, Ludovica’s elective mother, is the person who saw explosive energy in her and pushed her out of her shell of shame and inadequacy. Miss Italia is a symbol and tribute to body positivity and all the non-conforming bodies that don’t feel entitled to be fabulous.
Sofia Blu Cremaschi
Born and raised in Milan. Cremaschi is a freelance photographer. She has done several photo reports that have been published on Vice, Perimeter, C41 and other platforms. Sofia Blu Cremaschi has also done fashion editorials with a main focus on social issues.
Credits:
Photographer: Sofia Blu Cremaschi
Make-up artist: Ilaria Bosco
Stylist: Clara Aqua
Talent: Ludovica Bertucci
Editorial Team
