Photographer : Pietro Schiavetti (@pietroschiavetti_archive)
Makeup and hair : Andrada Rusu (@andradarusumakeup)
Styling: Alessandra de Tomaso (@alessandradetomaso)
Jewellery: Arriya Diamonds (@aariya_diamonds)
The Secret Architect of Fashion’s Most Viral Moments: How Alessandra de Tomaso is Rewriting the Rules of Celebrity PR
Behind every jaw-dropping red carpet look and internet-breaking fashion moment, there’s a mastermind pulling the strings. Meet Alessandra de Tomaso, the former designer turned PR powerhouse who makes the impossible possible, from securing a 100-year-old pocket watch for the MET Gala to orchestrating Bella Hadid’s sold-out yacht moment. In an exclusive interview, she reveals the unfiltered truth about the fashion industry, the death of the traditional red carpet, and why being a little “delusional” is the ultimate key to success.
The fashion industry loves an illusion. We see the final, flawless image: a celebrity gliding down the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, perfectly styled and radiating glamour. What we don’t see is the chaos behind the curtain: the 3:00 AM fittings, the frantic calls to international media, the last-minute wardrobe crises, and the sheer willpower required to make a brand go viral in under 48 hours.
Here comes Alessandra de Tomaso. In just five years, her eponymous boutique agency, ALESSANDRA DE TOMASO PR, has become the fashion world’s best-kept secret weapon. Specializing exclusively in product placement and celebrity PR, she has carved out a niche that bypasses the traditional “dinosaur” PR agencies. Alessandra understood that simply sending out press releases had become prehistoric and cold, so she decided to fully engineer cultural momentum.
With a self-described “punk soul and glamorous aesthetic,” de Tomaso is a disruptor in an industry that often plays it too safe. She understands that true style requires risk and that the most memorable fashion moments are born from a delicate dance between a brand’s vision and a celebrity’s individuality.
We sat down with the PR maven to discuss the grueling reality behind the glitter, the shifting trends of the red carpet, and why her word is written in stone.
CM: What exactly does ALESSANDRA DE TOMASO PR do?
AdT: My agency is definitely different from the others. It’s a boutique agency focused exclusively on product placement and celebrity PR. We don’t handle traditional press office duties or media relations: our focus is to specialize in a niche where many other PR agencies are less strong and less innovative.This allows us to concentrate on something very specific and avoid competing with the big press offices. Our goal is to connect brands with the right talent. All our projects revolve around talent and people in general: whether it’s a product placement, a digital activation, a campaign, a gifting campaign, an event, or a beauty masterclass.
Your agency has become a benchmark for product placement and influencer marketing. What are the biggest challenges and rewards in curating the image of luxury brands and world-renowned celebrities?
AdT: The biggest challenge for a young company—we’ve only been on the market for five years—is winning the trust of clients. 80% of our time is dedicated to acquiring new clients. Many brands, especially large corporations, tend to be wary of new entities. Sometimes they continue to rely on large “dinosaur” agencies simply because they have a big name, even while remaining dissatisfied with the results.
Another difficulty is convincing them to rely on our experience and trust our strategies and advice. Clients are never in direct contact with the talent and often fail to fully understand the dynamics, demands, and difficulties encountered on the ground. Consequently, they sometimes make nonsensical requests or try to micromanage every aspect remotely, slowing down the process and making everything much more cumbersome. Above all, they risk losing countless opportunities that can only be seized at the last minute in a frantic environment like a film festival.
The Cannes Film Festival is a global stage for fashion and glamour. What is the most stimulating aspect of your work during an event of this magnitude?
AdT: Every festival represents an opportunity for me to further elevate our work, collaborate with increasingly important celebrities, and meet the creatives who revolve around them: celebrity stylists, make-up artists, hair stylists, and many other professionals. It is precisely these figures who shape the trends and influence much of the direction of contemporary fashion.
Tell us about an unforgettable moment or an unexpected situation you experienced behind the scenes at the Cannes Film Festival, perhaps related to a look or a celebrity.
AdT: My own red carpet look this year was definitely particularly challenging. I made the hat myself, attaching feather boas to the base, which, to avoid ruining them so they could be reused, were only pinned on with safety pins. As you can imagine, the whole structure was quite precarious, however light and delicate. Furthermore, the hat was secured to my head by a single small comb sewn inside.
Obviously, there was a very strong wind on that exact day. To complicate matters further, the hairstylist had given me a very high updo, which, instead of helping to support the hat, made it slide even more. But there was no time left to redo it. Let’s just say we experienced about twenty minutes of pure panic before the red carpet. Miraculously, the hat didn’t fly away—almost!—and in the end, the photos turned out beautifully.
Regarding a celebrity, the most significant moment was definitely the Massimo Dutti product placement with Bella Hadid. We had discussed it at length with the client, who initially didn’t seem entirely convinced. Two days after the Festival started, I received a phone call: “We want to move forward with Bella Hadid.” And I thought: “If she’s still available…”
We managed to get all the necessary clothes and accessories there at the last minute, but since Bella was on a yacht, it took six people, between my team and hers, to carry all the boxes on board. Her schedule was already completely saturated, and all the looks for the events had been defined, but we still managed to make this placement happen at the last moment.
The real challenge was then making the activation go viral during the holidays. It took countless phone calls to tabloids, online portals, and international media to ensure the brand name got maximum visibility. We really bent over backwards, but it was worth it. The images of Bella Hadid went viral worldwide, and the brand sold out the entire outfit, online and in boutiques, in less than 48 hours.
How does your team prepare to ensure your clients shine on the Cannes red carpet, from choosing the outfits to managing media visibility?
AdT: My winning key is always to look for a solution that satisfies both the client and the talent. It’s not always easy because brands almost never have direct contact with the talent and tend to want to manage activations remotely. On the other hand, the talent, especially in moments of great media exposure, wants things done according to their own vision. The art of PR consists precisely in managing to get everyone to agree.
The second fundamental element is that nothing is ever left to chance. Trying to make a media moment go viral is much more complex than one might imagine and requires an enormous amount of work behind the scenes. Dresses modified and custom-sewn to achieve the perfect fit, fittings at three in the morning, photographers alerted on the red carpet, international media already prepared to receive the material, record production times so as not to lose momentum, and maximize engagement.
Few realize how many people are needed to create a viral moment: glam team, PR team, assistants, videomakers, photographers, editors, seamstresses, designers, managers, paparazzi, journalists, and press offices. It really takes a village. Our job consists precisely in orchestrating and coordinating all these figures, often under enormous pressure and with extremely tight deadlines.
What emerging trends in the world of glamour and fashion did you notice at Cannes this year that you believe will influence upcoming seasons?
AdT: Old Hollywood Glam is definitely the dominant trend of 2026. I must say there were few celebrities, including Demi Moore, capable of showing off truly traffic-stopping looks. Many celebrities today sign contracts with fashion brands that pay them to wear their creations. This often leads them towards safer and commercially sensible choices, but which end up limiting creativity and preventing more innovative or emerging brands from creating those sensational moments that truly capture the public’s attention.
Volumes have certainly reduced, and transparencies have almost disappeared. I think we will see more and more three-quarter lengths and dresses that are less strictly traditional red carpet: not necessarily floor-length, but closer to the sophisticated elegance of the cocktail dress, even on the most important carpets.
Your motto is “We always make the impossible possible.” Is there a project or collaboration that seemed unachievable but instead became an extraordinary success thanks to this philosophy?
AdT: Last year, for the MET Gala, we were in contact with Jenna Ortega’s styling team. As you can imagine, the outfits for this event are particularly elaborate and extraordinary. The stylist was looking for a pocket watch, an item that is anything but obvious, considering they haven’t been produced for about a hundred years. It was a perfect opportunity to gain great visibility and contribute to the creation of a look destined to become viral during an extremely “culturally relevant” media moment.
One of our clients, TAG Heuer, possesses an extraordinary archive, but the pocket watches were lost over the course of the last century. The manager therefore contacted numerous collectors, still tied to the brand, managing to find one willing to lend us a selection of very rare and delicate pieces from his private collection.
To avoid any risk of delay in delivery or potential customs issues, the brand even sent an intern on a plane from Los Angeles to Atlanta to personally collect the watches from the collector and then bring them from Atlanta to New York, arriving the very day of the event in time for the final fitting.
It was absolutely worth it, because all the specialized watchmaking press enormously appreciated the story of this original late 19th-century piece, worn by Jenna in a breathtaking look for the MET Gala after-party. The brand hadn’t received such genuine press coverage in many years. We made the impossible possible: teamwork!
As a former designer, how does your sensitivity to fashion influence your strategic approach in the field of PR and marketing?
AdT: When I changed jobs, I won’t deny that it was very difficult to reinvent myself, learn a new trade, and build an agency in just five years. However, I believe that coming from a different, albeit related, sector was one of the keys to my success. Not having inherited a rigid or pre-established method, I approach every situation with a creative mindset.
In a world that evolves so rapidly, “thinking outside the box” is fundamental, and learning to adapt quickly is the only way to survive. Furthermore, I learned that for a brand to work, every element must perform: product, marketing, and sales. Having had the opportunity to observe and understand all these aspects, I now possess a 360-degree vision of them.
What are your rules for life that you apply both in your work and personal sphere, and how have they helped you achieve success?
AdT: Few rules, but good ones. The first is that my word is written in stone. I want the people around me, whether clients or talent, to feel secure and be able to trust me. The second is never give up. Always persist. I have often been told “no” ninety-nine times before getting a “yes.”
PR is not an exact science. In this job, there are many ups and downs and numerous unforeseen events. If you are not driven by a great passion for what you do, it is difficult to have the patience and determination necessary to remain in this industry.
You mentioned Margaret Thatcher, Cher, and Coco Chanel as women you admire. What inspires you about these very different figures, and how is it reflected in your work?
AdT: Their strong personalities. They are women who believed in themselves and always remained true to their values, despite having to challenge the mentality of their time. They are women who had the courage to break conventions and achieve success while facing enormous criticism. They are visionary women, capable of seeing beyond their own era and innovating it in an extraordinary way, literally “bending the rules to their will.”
Your personal style is described as “punk in the soul, but glamorous.” How does this duality translate into your daily and professional fashion choices?
AdT: The term punk can have different meanings, but in general, it indicates an attitude of rebellion against conventions, rejection of authority, and valorization of individuality. Its main values include anti-conformism, the DIY (do it yourself) spirit, authenticity, and independence. From a style perspective, it translates into a provocative aesthetic, above the rules imposed by trends and conventional schemes.
Working in this world, I see more and more how success is closely linked to individuality and personal expression. You have to have a strong point of view and be almost ridiculous and delusional in persisting to promote it, ignoring initial criticism and discouragement. Society tends to homogenize; on the contrary, every artist must fight to stand out decisively. This may initially lead to being outsiders, “punks,” being mocked or criticized, but I believe it is the only path to success.
The glamorous part, on the other hand, stems from my love for fashion and my obsession with the search for beauty and harmony in all their forms. In a frantic world, most people have neither the time nor the desire to truly know you, to understand who you are and where you come from. But they will see you. And the way you present yourself to the world—how you dress, how you style your hair, how you speak—is your first calling card. My outfits are my main form of expression: like stage costumes, curated and studied in the smallest details, designed for the performance of the moment.
What is your advice for young women who dream of pursuing a career in the world of fashion or public relations, in such a competitive sector?
AdT: I don’t think extraordinary academic preparation is needed, because, as I always say, we are not performing open-heart surgery. However, very specific qualities are needed to be able to survive and thrive in this sector. Here are my three fundamental points:
First, Celebrity PR implies, by definition, dealing with talent. You must be endowed with great emotional intelligence, excellent communication skills, common sense, and diplomacy. These are fundamental and essential requirements.
Second, you must also have an authentic passion for this job. The pressure is always high, stress is often through the roof, and managing clients and talent is not easy. Fashion drama, over small and large issues, is the order of the day. It’s not all roses as it might seem. If you don’t deeply love this profession, it’s difficult to have the patience necessary to tolerate its stress, absurd situations, and incessant pace: everything is always going a thousand miles an hour.
Finally, social media idealizes a world that is not as glamorous and fun as it appears from the outside. Behind a successful placement or a perfectly executed event, there are often months of work and many unglamorous aspects. Anyone who thinks of entering PR, imagining themselves with a glass of champagne in hand, welcoming movie stars, is very far from reality. Our work is also, and above all, made up of back office, client management, endless Excel files, market research, follow-ups, outreach, packages, and shipping. Many of our interns leave before the end of their internship because they thought they would live a life made exclusively of glitter and glamour, when instead, there are long, very long hours of work in front of the computer.
Looking to the future, what are the next goals or biggest ambitions for ALESSANDRA DE TOMASO PR?
AdT: 1.Certainly, among our goals are increasingly larger projects and more complex productions, where my agency can also handle the creative direction and the development of the entire concept.
2.Expanding physically into the United States. At the moment, most of our clients are European brands or from international markets in Asia and the Middle East, but the American market represents a natural evolution of our path.
3.We are dedicating more and more time to creating content on our social channels to share our BTS (behind the scenes), daily fashion dramas, and our know-how with the public. We want to create a community and let as many people as possible know about our world, with its ups and downs, the glamour, and the difficulties. We have just launched vlogs on YouTube and publish daily unfiltered pills and BTS on TikTok.
In an era dominated by social media, how do you balance authenticity with the need to create a curated and aspirational image for your clients?
AdT: It’s not easy. I also believe that some platforms are more suited to authenticity than others. The Instagram feed is, in my opinion, a sort of static showcase, composed of a more curated selection of content. Spontaneity emerges more through Stories or on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where it is possible to show a more authentic and less constructed dimension. By the way, I recommend you follow us: we are launching very fun new content.
Sometimes showing oneself without filters—digital and literal—is difficult, but also extremely liberating. I believe it is necessary to offer a part of ourselves in exchange for the trust of the people who follow us. Authenticity requires a certain vulnerability, but it is precisely what allows you to create a real and lasting connection with your audience.
If you could give advice to yourself at the beginning of your career, what would it be?
AdT: Not to let yourself be frightened by the final finish line and where you want to arrive. Not to feel crushed, afraid, or frustrated by comparison with people who are simply in a different phase of their journey. Life is a seesaw, and the path, the methods, and the challenges of each of our journeys are unique.
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of our dreams, which seem unattainable. But every journey is made of small steps. It is enough to take even just one every day: the important thing is not to stop walking. And life, sometimes, really knows how to surprise us.
When everything in the fashion system seems built on optics, Alessandra de Tomaso’s superpower is her deep and conscious reality. What De Tomaso really does is not simply place a dress on an A-list celebrity, but she orchestrates the cultural conversations that surround them.
Whether she’s navigating the high-stakes drama of Cannes or building her empire one Excel spreadsheet at a time, she gave notes that true glamour is about the grit, the vision, and the relentless drive to make the impossible happen.
