The Alessandra Effect

On glamour, personality, and the pleasure of having a fashion favorite.

We all have our fashion favorites. The women whose runway appearances we look for, whose old photographs send us down an archival rabbit hole, whose style holds our attention even when our own taste changes. At NUZZA, Alessandra Ambrosio is one of them.

There is an obvious beauty to Alessandra, but beauty alone doesn’t explain the attachment.

What draws us back is her animation: the smile, the knowing glance, the ease with which she lets a little mischief into a glamorous moment. She seems to enjoy being dressed up.

Watching her, you remember that fashion can be enjoyable, too.

Alessandra belongs to a tradition of modeling in which personality is part of the performance. A runway appearance becomes an opportunity to establish a connection with the audience. A turn, a kiss, a brief change of expression gives the clothes a character and the viewer something to remember.

It is a quality particularly suited to the spectacle of Victoria’s Secret. Amid the wings, elaborate costumes, and theatrical staging, she brings a recognizable presence. You wait for her expression as much as you wait to see the look. The production can be enormous, but a moment of personality still holds your attention.

Her appeal also lives beyond that runway. There is a warmth to Alessandra’s glamour that makes it easy to imagine outside the photograph: hair falling loose over a jacket, jewelry catching the light at dinner, an evening dress worn with the ease of someone ready to go out and enjoy herself.

That ease is central to why we like her style. Even when the clothes are polished, there is often something relaxed in the way she wears them. Leather, satin, denim, and a little shine feel like parts of a wardrobe with a life attached to it. The impression is of a woman who knows what she likes and trusts herself to wear it.

Fashion puts a great deal of energy into discovering what comes next. Looking back at someone you have admired for years offers a different pleasure. You begin to recognize the details that have held your attention all along. With Alessandra, it is the combination of glamour and approachability, the confidence of the pose alongside the spontaneity of a smile.

That is also why an archive of her photographs feels so satisfying. There is nostalgia in it, certainly, but there is taste, too. The images remind us of a fashion sensibility we still respond to: expressive, feminine, a little extravagant, and comfortable taking up space.

Our affection for Alessandra is personal. Fashion becomes more interesting when we admit to having favorites, to loving a particular walk or returning to a familiar face simply because it makes us feel something. An editorial point of view can begin there, with enthusiasm strong enough to make us look more closely.

So this is a small appreciation of Alessandra Ambrosio and the pleasure she brings to getting dressed, being seen, and making an entrance. The clothes give us plenty to admire.

Her personality gives us a reason to keep watching.

by Daniella Nuñez for NUZZA.