C’era un gran trambusto in quei giorni in ufficio. Erano tutti piu’ agitati. Non capivo il perche’. Continuavo a chiedere agli altri ragazzi. Nessuno sapeva. Era circolato un email che invitava tutti a tenere in perfetto stato la propria scrivania e a vestirsi impeccabilmente fino a fine settimana. Mi avevano spiegato che succedeva quando veniva qualcuno di importante dall’Italia. Durante la pausa caffe cerco di indagare. Alla fine qualcuno parla: informazione top secret. Sta per arrivare in ufficio Valentino. Il Signor Valentino. Proprio lui.

Non ci posso credere. Ma non sono vestita abbastanza bene. E poi cosa gli diro? Eh si, come se lui venisse a conversare con me! Mi riprendo e ritorno alla mia scrivania. Dopo poche ore la cosa diventa ufficiale, come dipendenti (e anche noi stagisti???) siamo tutti invitati all’evento che si terra’ dopo domani alla Boutique di Madison Avenue. Ho bisogno di sapere: posso venire anche io? Rompo le scatole a tutti, dalla signora delle pulizie al C.E.O. Perché si sa, quando Anna vuole qualcosa, Anna non molla.

Per la ragazzina che guardava Donna Sotto Le Stelle su Canale Cinque e quei vestiti magnifici li poteva solo sognare, era davvero un’opportunita’ magnifica. Era per lei, l’Annina con la frangetta ed i vestitini con il colletto bianco, che dovevo ottenere un invito. Ci misi 24 ore e tanti sorrisi e la promessa di starmene in un angolino solo ad osservare. Ed il si arrivo’.

Ma lo scoglio più grande doveva ancora arrivare: che cosa mi metto? Questo era il vero problema. Cosi’ vado da Chloe: “darling, you need a cocktail dress. Of course you do!”. Io la guardo ed annuisco. La mia risposta: “of course I do“.

Torno al mio desk e su google digito “cocktail dress”. Perché non ho proprio idea di che cosa sia. Lungo? Corto? Elegante, casual? O mio dio. L’ansia sale. Per fortuna ho ancora 24 ore. O poco meno.

Continuo le mie ricerche e chiedo a tutte le ragazze in ufficio che cosa indosseranno. Alla fine capisco che un little black dress sara’ perfetto. Salvano sempre, i vestitini neri. Sono un passe-partout. Ma non sono io, con il vestito nero. Non sono da color nero. Io sono “bianca”. Sono pura nei miei sentimenti, nel mio dare incondizionato. E’ una specie di seconda pelle per me.

E vestitino bianco sia, allora. Ho deciso.

Cosi’ la sera dopo, vestitino cambiato all’ultimo direttamente nel bagno dell’ufficio, mi preparo per una delle piu’ belle serate della mia vita. Sto per conoscere di persona Mr. Valentino. Ah no. Sto per osservarlo da lontano. Posso solo fare questo. Pero’ posso sorridergli. Il sorriso e’ la mia arma. Ma non credo funzionerebbe granché con lui.

Non mi importa. E’ la mia serata. Indosso il vestitino bianco. I miei sandali color corallo e l’immancabile rossetto rosso. Controllo di non averlo appiccicato ai denti, cosa che di tanto in tanto capita. Rimane storica la frase di una cara amica “‘ ‘amo’, te lo sei magnato il rossetto?”.

Scendo gloriosa dal taxi, apro la porta e sto per entrare al party. Da lontano vedo la chioma fluente rosso volpe del Sig.r Valentino. Come sempre e’ impeccabile.

Ma il biondino dagli occhi verdi… e’ gia arrivato?

At the office everyone had been very hectic in the last few days. Everyone seemed so agitated. And I couldn’t understand why. I kept asking everyone around me. No one seemed to know. An email had been sent from headquarters asking everyone to keep their desk tidy and neat and to dress impeccably.

It was explained to me that emails like these would be sent whenever someone important from Italy was about to visit the office. During each and every coffee break, I would try to find out what was going on. I was acting as a private investigator LOL. At the end I made someone talk: but it was a top secret piece of info. Mr. Valentino, the real Mr. Valentino, was abot to visit the office. OMG!

I couldn’t believe my luck. And I am not dressed impeccably enough for the occasion. And what can I say to him? As if he would stop by and chat with me! I take a few minutes to get myself together and I go back to my desk. After a few hours, the news become official: all the office employees are invited (does that mean the interns too???) to the event that will take place in a couple of days at the Boutique on Madison Avenue. At this point I really need to know: can I go too? I stress everyone one out, I really do. From the cleaning lady to the C.E.O., I ask everyone. ‘Cause you know the story by now: when Anna wants something, Anna doesn’t leave anyone alone until she gets it LOL

You have to understand: for the little girl who used to watch Donna Sotto Le Stelle (an Italian TV show featuring the closing shows of the Fashion Week in Rome) and could only dream of all those sophisticated dresses, it was a real dream coming true. It was for that little girl, Annina with her short bangs and the white collared dresses, that I had to get an invitation. It took me 24 hours, a lot of smiles and convincing, and the permission. was granted. I was going to go to the event.

But that wasn’t the most challenging part. No no no. The worst had yet to come: what was I going to wear? That was the real trouble. As always, I went to Chloe for help: “darling, you need a cocktail dress. Of course you do!”.  I look at hear and I nod. Then I answer simply: “of course I do“.

I go back to my desk and I google the term “cocktail dress”. I really have no idea of what that is. Long? Short? Elegant or casual? OMG – Oh my God! I still have 24 more hours. More or less.

I continue my research and ask to all the girls at the office what they are planning to wear. At the end I realize that a little black dress would do it. They always save everything. But that wouldn’t be me. I am not a “black dress” person. I am all in for the color “white” in all its shades. I am pure in my sentiments, in my unconditional giving. It’s a second skin for me.

White dress it is, then. I have decided.

The next day I changed in the office bathroom to my white dress. I was getting ready for one of the most exciting nights in my life. I was about to meet in person Mr. Valentino. Well. I was about to observe him from far away LOL I was certainly going to try and smile to him. Smiles are my best weapon. Not that he would cared for them.

I don’t care. It was my evening. I am wearing my white dress. My coral sandals and the inevitable red lipstick. I make sure that I didn’t put it in my teeth too. Recently a friend of mine had told my, in her lovely roman accent ”amo’, te lo sei magnato il rossetto?” – “my love, have you eaten the lipstick?”.

I get out gloriously out of the cab, I open the door and I am about to enter the pary. From far away I can see Mr. Valentino’s fox-red hairs. Yep, it’s him! As always, he is impeccable.

BTW: is the cute blond guy with green eyes here already?