In partnership with adidas
As children, we all just want to be where the action is. Parker Paradiso recalls falling asleep to the rumble of the FIFA World Cup as her first memory of the football tournament. She would stay up late, bedtimes long abandoned, surrounded by family, all of whom had commandeered every seat in the house in order to watch Italy dribble its way to victory on the TV. The FIFA Women's World Cup™ will serve as a uniting force once more, bringing the 22-year-old Italian-Australian and her sister, dad and uncle together. This time around, Paradiso intends to stay awake.
"No doubt I’ll be a nuisance asking my family – who are far more experienced and knowledgeable in the ways of football – many questions," Paradiso jokingly tells RUSSH. She's managed to secure tickets to a few matches and plans to wear the Italian side's women's football kits from adidas to the stadium. Everyone has their own styling preferences, and the rise of trends like Blokecore have only broadened the scope for incorporating sportswear into fashion. As for Parker? She'll be styling Le Azzure's away jersey big and baggy with a pair of Sorte Pants from Studio Nicholson.
In celebration of the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup™, Parker, along with her sister Theodora and father, restaurateur Giovanni Paradiso, donned the adidas Italian kit for RUSSH. Shot at the home of photographer Olivia Repaci's Nonna and Nonno, the Paradisos drank espresso and sprawled out, the sound of Blood Orange oozing in the background.
"My little sister just turned 18 the day before and basically came straight from the club to set," Parker confesses, "but apart from the exhaustion on her part, it was an experience that will always remain a prominent memory for all three of us. Being photographed can mean feeling exposed or vulnerable, so it can be a daunting prospect having people who know you well around, and sometimes it's easier to be by yourself," she continues. "But it wouldn't be as memorable."
Save for the photoshoot, the trio often pass time in this easy, uncomplicated way. Parker's favourite format for hanging with her sister and father usually begins with a big lunch cooked by Gio, followed by an afternoon swim and at night, a movie. Culture is something that trickles in unwittingly, keeping it alive is just a matter of consuming, Parker says, whether it be media or food or football. "Italian culture lives on in every corner of the globe through people reading Dante, studying Caravaggio, or making tiramisu" even sporting the colours of Italy via the adidas kit at the Women's World Cup. "And it will do for as long as people continue to do these things," Parker continues.
Fashion is simply another vehicle for Parker to relate to her Italian heritage. In summer her outfits nod to Italian cinema, and right now she's wearing the Italian adidas kit to death "but," Parker muses, "I think everyone's style is heavily influenced by Italians, regardless of whether it is purposeful or not... Together with food, fashion might be Italy's greatest export. The influence is undeniable," she says.
As fans across the globe gather in their hometowns or make the trip to hosting countries, Australia and New Zealand, for the FIFA Women's World Cup™, Parker Paradiso reflects on the value of community. She views it as a survival mechanism, a notion that carries greater significance in light of the pandemic. "For so long physical location and close proximity often created communities, but now they are far from a requirement," Parker surmises. "Community in the 21st century is not geographically dependent. Commonality might still be an essential proponent, but now more than ever, people from all over the world are connected and making their own little communities every day." Wearing Italy's kit as the Women's World Cup plays out makes Parker feel more connected.
While the women's teams are out there vying for goals on the pitch, I ask Parker if she has any of her own. "In 2023, I would like to figure out what I really want from life, and once I do, be unafraid to pursue it."
