My Summer DOWN UNDER
ANDREA GIULIANI BY SIMON LE
DNA: Your hometown is Florence; what’s your fondest memory of growing up there? Andrea Giuliani: Actually, I grew up in a small country town between Florence and the coast. I spent all my time climbing trees, building t ree houses and playing with f arm animals. It was beautiful. Your modelling career took you to Milan, what was the highlight of that time? I was 19 years old when I started modelling and I have to admit it was fun for a boy from the country. A lot of parties and good money but since I was so young it brought out a lot of insecurities, mainly due to all the rejections you experience, which were hard to handle at that age. Is the fashion industry as crazy as it seems? From my perspective it wasn’t, but it could’ve got out of control if I allowed it. I never felt like a stereotypical Italian model. I moved from showroom modelling to working in television advertising, which was a lot more fun. >>
>> Why did you decide to relocate to Australia? I came to Australia for the first time in 2006 for eight months to learn English. I didn’t want to go to London as a lot of my friends were living there and I wanted to start something new and fresh. It was also my grandad’s idea. Unfortunately, he passed away just before I left Italy. He’d travelled a lot but he never made it to Australia. So, due to his obsession with this country I had to experience it. And I love it. I’ve made beautiful friends and I feel really connected. Sydney is a big city with an exceptionally healthy lifestyle. It combines everything that a big metropolis can offer with a good attention of open door activities and nature even in the city itself. I am still fascinated by the giant trees I can see here. Do you have a favorite sport? As a kid I started with athletics then tennis, taekwondo, swimming and climbing. I’m not a fan of team sports; I like playing solo and I prefer extreme sports like sky diving or rafting. You have your own business as a massage therapist and are working at Anytime Fitness in King Cross. What does it take to be a good massage therapist? Like any job, it’s about the passion you put in. I love my job. It gives me great pleasure to help people, especially those with debilitating conditions. I’ve had really positive feedback that’s made this career really rewarding. >>
>> Do you think a regular massage has long-term health benefits? I may be biased but, yes. I don’t think people realise how much stress their body is holding. The long-term benefits are immense including lowering your blood pressure, improving your immune system, reducing stress and overall general health improvements especially with your mental health. Tell us about the red tattoo. It’s an I Ching, a Chinese symbol. From my point of view it represents the sun rising over the earth – a symbol of rapid, easy progress, which means ever widening expansion and clarity. I decided to do it three years ago when I came back to Australia with the idea of starting a new chapter of my life. Your idea of the perfect night out is…? Dinner at friend’s house with a good movie and a puppy I can play with. I’m not really a party guy. I like simple things: good restaurants, movies, theatres and nice walks close to the water with the right company. I love the sound of the sea. What’s your guilty pleasure? Of course, food – I’m Italian! I’m really careful what I eat: no gluten, no dairy, no sugar. But every now and then I love dark chocolate ice cream or a homemade tiramisu! What song would you sing at karaoke? Something in Italian! I wouldn’t feel comfortable singing in English with my strong Italian accent. Did you enjoy the DNA pool party? It was a great day, beautiful weather, great friends and music. It was a really friendly, comfortable environment and the pizza was amazing!