Victoria Barbara is a self-made woman and, in a story worthy of a movie, the Miami-born fashion influencer overcame tough odds, both personal and professional, to get to where she is today. That is, making a fortune doing a job she loves while planning her wedding to the love of her life, financier Mark Strome.
Since Victoria now seems to have the world at her feet, her stunning Beverly Hills home, with its spectacular views of Los Angeles spread out below, couldn't be more fitting.
The super-modern villa has spacious, high-ceilinged rooms and a light-filled interior that blends the warmth of wood with cool steel and marble. Victoria and Mark took their time to choose it together because it expresses their bond and the fabulous life they share, as she explains here.
Victoria, how long have you lived in Los Angeles?
"For 13 years. My family is Cuban-Brazilian and I was raised in Miami, where I started out as a swimsuit model, especially for Sports Illustrated magazine. I made the switch to haute couture seven years ago, creating my own looks until, little by little, brands began to notice me."
Why did you move here?
"There isn't a lot of haute couture in Miami; LA is a better place to learn about style, and there was room for more. Once I made friends here, other women copied my style, and doors opened for me."
You're seen on the front row at shows like Dior, Chanel and Alberta Ferretti. How many followers do you have?
"Around a million. When I stopped modelling bikinis, a lot of the men who were following me left. They're being replaced by women."
And now you're working with beauty as well as fashion brands...
"I'm more of a fashion influencer, but this year I've been moving into beauty stuff because it pays better."
Esta historia es de la edición July 31, 2023 de HELLO! UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición July 31, 2023 de HELLO! UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
OSCAR-WINNING FAMILY MAN - EDDIE REDMAYNE
GOES UNDERCOVER TO LEARN REAL-LIFE SPY SKILLS FOR DREAM ROLE
NEW ROYAL REVELATIONS THE KING IS REVEALED AS A 'KINDLY SOUL' WHO'S OPEN TO A RECONCILIATION WITH HARRY
They may have had a strained relationship in recent years, but reconciliation could finally be on the cards for the King and his son the Duke of Sussex-once Prince Harry's legal challenges are over.
JUDE LAW: TAKING ON A 'BROKEN' F.B.I. AGENT IN NEW THRILLER
REVEALS HOW TAKING THE REINS AS A PRODUCER HAS PUT HIM IN CONTROL OF A NEW CHAPTER IN HIS CAREER
THE MARCHIONESS OF BATH - OUR SOCIAL EDITOR AT LARGE STEPS OUT IN STYLE IN MOROCCO
No sooner had I jetted back from the glamour of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York than it was time to hop on to another plane this time my destination was Marrakech.
DEMI MOORE: BREAKING DOWN BEAUTY STEREOTYPES
ON HOW GORY NEW FILM GAVE HER THE 'GIFT' OF SEEING HERSELF ANEW
THE PRINCE OF WALES - AT THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE AWARDS
DRAWS PEOPLE FROM ACROSS AFRICA TO FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE PLANET
HELLO! to KINDNES: IDRIS ELBA
For World Kindness Day 2024, HELLO! is celebrating the selfless celebrities, campaigning royals and fabulous fundraisers who prove that being kind isn't determined by who you are, but by what you do. Introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, this special day on 13 November encourages us all to practise kindness in our daily lives, helping us nurture our feelings of empathy, understanding and compassion to create a more caring world.
LIGHTING UP LONDON AT 'UNSTOPPABLE' PREMIERE - JENNIFER LOPEZ
SAYS SHARING STORIES OF DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS HELPED HER BRING A STRUGGLING MUM TO LIFE
DIGGING DEEP IN HER OWN FAMILY LIFE - SAOIRSE RONAN
ON PORTRAYING MOTHERHOOD IN INTENSE WARTIME DRAMA
A-LISTERS FLOCK TO LOS ANGELES FOR LACMA'S-GLITZY NIGHT OUT
MUSEUM SMASHES FUNDRAISING RECORD AS STARS GLITTER IN GUCCI