Bebe Vio. “It is impossible to succeed if you have never failed before”

In her sparkly fringed dress and her golden hair, she lit up the L’Oréal Paris fashion show at the Place de l’Opera Garnier on the evening of Monday September 23rd. Usually, it’s more to celebrate his athletic victories that Bebe Vio takes to the podium. But this time, the Italian fencer appeared as a model for a cosmetic brand, whose ambassador he has been since 2022. The bronze medalist at the recent Paris 2024 Paralympics swapped her mask and foil for a more glamorous outfit. The spirit of the 20s, retro hairstyle and red lipstick. During the interview he gave us the day before the event, he told us with a laugh that he hoped he wouldn’t “fall” during the show. And from the top of her fishnet-heeled shoes, she walked the stage in third position in this procession of the muses, without leaping.

The athlete from Venice, a specialist in armchair fencing, punctuates the interview with his generous laugh and singing voice, sparkling eyes and contagious joy. A few seconds before the video recording of the interview, he puts on his prosthetic upper limbs and greets us with “.Ciao!“Enthusiastic. Meet the model of resilience and determination.

Madame Figaro: You’re already back in Paris just a few weeks after the Paralympics, this time for the L’Oréal Paris Fashion Show…
Baby Vio. I’ve been in Paris for a while now, so yes, everyone has told me I’m getting a little more Parisian. I’m very happy to be here, it’s great and an amazing city. Sure, it’s a little different than the Paralympics, but Paris is a city that can go from a sports capital to a fashion capital in the blink of an eye, and I think that’s great. It’s an honor to be here for the parade.

This year the parade takes place at the Opéra Garnier. Have you been there before?
I remember being with my sister from the first times I came to Paris. We were so young, it was 2010, the World Fencing Championships were held at the Grand Palais. We were going to see the competition, got on the bus and heard a voice. “We have reached the Opera House.” So we have this recording of me and my sister, so young, rehearsing We’ve Got to the Opera. These are my first words in French. It’s strange. You know, things change a lot, going on the bus to the Opera… And now, parading right inside the Opera, it’s great.

What other places do you like in Paris?
There are many of them. I love walking around the city and always discovering new things. Right now there’s this jazz club we spotted that’s so cool and we want to go. The great thing is that wherever you go, you can find little places, little gems, scattered around the city.

What is your relationship with makeup?
My relationship with makeup and beauty is probably a little different than others because I work in a job where you sweat a lot. I like to be myself. The best part is that you can choose the beauty you want to embody. You can choose what you want to represent with makeup. I’m just proud of who I am, I’m proud to be Italian, I’m proud to be an athlete, I’m proud to be a Paralympic athlete, so I really like the fact that makeup allows me to be and show what I am. .

As an athlete, do you prioritize your beauty routine during competitions?
My approach to beauty in the context of sports is not based on makeup per se, but more on what we apply to the skin beforehand to prepare it. I use a lot of creams and lotions that heal the skin and don’t burn your eyes when you sweat. I experimented a lot and finally found some. This is the most important thing for me.

In general, the beauty industry has changed. Today you can show off who you are instead of hiding it

Baby Vio

Do you think the beauty industry is making an effort at inclusion?
In general, the beauty industry has changed. Today you can show off who you are instead of hiding it. I grew up knowing that there is only one standard of beauty. Now the concept of beauty has evolved and you can discover the beauty within you much more.

What type of makeup makes you feel more confident and empowered?
I love red lipstick. It makes people look at the lips. Not just looking at them, but hearing what those lips are saying. And also mascara. Those are my two essentials.

You are an Olympic champion, you are an example of endurance and a source of real pride for your country. Was it easy for you to take on the role?
I know that my role in life is not so easy to fulfill. I am 27 years old today, but I started my career very young, at the age of 14. It was a lot harder at first when I was a teenager because all my friends were partying and living all the crap you have to do in life, so being an athlete back then wasn’t easy because obviously I missed out on all 18 – birthday parties, graduation parties… But I know that what I did was important. I know that I grew up in the footsteps of people who inspired me. I always try to act like them.

Who inspires you in life?
I am lucky because there are many people who inspire me, starting with my family, my siblings and my parents. I have an amazing non-profit organization in Italy that my family started (art4sport, an association working to provide sporting support to children and young people with prostheses, Editor’s Note). There are 45 missing members over the age of 3 and they all inspire me. When you see a young man without a leg, who runs, falls, then puts his leg back on himself and keeps running, you know… You feel that you can do much more, that you can be more. I am very lucky in life because my work is what I love the most. If you’re doing something you love, it’s much easier.

L’Oréal Paris highlighted both success and failure in a recent campaign, what is your vision of failure?
I think failure is so normal. It is impossible to succeed at something if you have never failed before. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a sport where you have to train a certain way every day, where you see your coach every day, where you spend hours watching videos of your matches, studying every little split second, every little movement that not true, every image. If you change them and improve all these details, you can really get results in the end. I have been lucky enough to fail several times. now i know perfectly well how not to. But that’s normal. just need to find a good way to get out of this situation and get back on track the next day.

It’s impossible to accomplish anything if you’ve never failed before

Baby Vio

Does it happen that your self-confidence and mental strength sometimes fail?
Of course. There are bad days. But I think I’ve been very lucky, I have an incredible family, incredible friends, an incredible fencing team. I have so many people helping me. Of course, there are bad times, but you can always try to see the glass half full and find a good ally.