A cosy living room, where an adorned Christmas tree sparkles in the corner, and tinsel hangs above an open fire. The mantlepiece is decorated with festive greeting cards and magical portraits of Benedetta Barzini and her other Gucci counterparts, who pose with the luxury brand’s gifts. Indeed, the Italian actress and model Barzini is inviting you to celebrate with #GucciBeautyWishes, the latest festive campaign whose special offerings include Gucci Guilty scents, the brand new Palette Beauté Des Yeux Floral and a limited-edition Rouge À Lèvres Mat Collection. Supported by Selfridges, Gucci Beauty are offering a treasure trove of gifts to both offer and receive this Christmas.

Gucci Beauty’s muse, Barzini, sits down with Wonderland to ruminate on being the star of the brand new campaign, her career trajectory, and her advice to aspiring models.

Check out the interview below…

Hey Benedetta Barzini how are you, how has this past year been for you?
Gucci was the highlight of the year! Working for the spirit of Gucci Beauty makes you feel very alive. For the rest of the year, it was sort of dull. We are going through a worldwide situation that for the first time puts humanity in front of the same problem. Not the same is the way nations try to wriggle out of it.

You’ve had a long and amazing career in the industry, what would be a highlight for you?
Not sure I understand what you mean by what would be a highlight for me. I’ll put it my way: the experience of modelling in NY in the Sixties gave me a lot to think about – it brought me to study and later teaching the meaning of clothes in history. The highlight is all of this. My career was not particularly amazing. I wasn’t considered commercial so I only got bookings for editorials. My Mediterranean look saved me from losing contact with reality. It is much later that people began to turn models into sort of ‘idols’ or muses. We were all far from fame in those days. There where extraordinary models like Wilhelmina who appeared on almost all Vogue covers in those years. A silent, mysterious person.

And now you’re a part of the Gucci Beauty Holiday Campaign, how did you get involved?
Oh it was simple! I ran after the Gucci designer Alessandro Michele in the streets of Rome shouting “Please take me in your Beauty Holiday Campaign!!!”. He got sick of hearing me plead….Jokes aside – they asked me to be part of it & I was happy to be involved.

What is your favourite thing about the holidays?
Getting up when you feel like it, feeling a little guilty because half the day might be already gone; deciding to eat when you want; having more attention to looking like someone on vacation; perhaps writing love letters in the sand or in the snow.

Being a part of the Gucci Beauty campaign, what does it mean to you?
The Gucci team is a moveable feast. It is fantastic just to have a glimpse of it.

What advice would you give to a young rising model?
I would warn her that modeling is a momentary occupation, She should consider a future profession for when modeling stops. I would also tell her to be aware of not falling in love with her looks. She has no merit for that. Her merit might be in what she does with herself. And ultimately I might ask her why she wishes to model hoping she could give a sincere answer.

What are you most excited for?
Not much these days. Sorry. Running after Gucci was exciting!

Shop the collection at Selfridges.com now