Modavegia: from the mountain pastures to fashion shootings

From his mountain pasture in Rasura in Val Gerola, in the Valtellina Orobie Alps, where he looks after 63 cows and – in summer – 50 goats who are entrusted to him for the warmer months, to an Instagram profile born after the lockdown – Modavegia– who with his stories of calves, tractors, wheels of cheese (bitto, not just any cheese) and round bales of hay fascinates more than 150 thousand followers.

And, from there, directly to the social media posts of a cultured and refined fashion house like Antonio Marraswhich the twenty-nine-year-old pastor wanted Davide Codazzi and his friend and helper Francis Bricalliwho is only 19 years old, as models for a day, protagonists of one shooting sui generis, at high altitude, to tell the story of the Sardinian designer’s collection: a pannier on the shoulders as a not exactly classically posh accessory, and vigorous and plump pigs in the background.

Judging from the photos, Davide seems born to pose in front of the lens. But he has no doubts: what he wants to do is continue to take care of his cows.

Meanwhile: do you say cows or cows?
«The right word is cow. If you go to an exhibition or a fair, that’s the technical term.”

Okay, she also has fun on social media, but the truth is that she leads a very concrete and very hard life, that of a shepherd. How did you want to indulge in total immersion in the absolute vanity and superficiality of a fashion shoot?
«I’m telling the truth: I’m very attracted to what is different from me, I’m very curious. I want to try everything, especially what is far from my world. I like to try things, understand how I feel, and only then make an opinion, if necessary.”

She had never posed for a fashion photographer…
«No, it was the first experience. A nice experience. I was dressed in beautiful clothes, even if they weren’t the ones I’m used to wearing. But I was among my animals, whom I love very much. I think the shots were really nice, everyone complimented me. I’m happy I put myself to the test. It’s a question of character: I didn’t suffer it, while Francesco is much more rooted, he found himself uncomfortable at some moments. In the end, however, looking at him in the photos he’s really cool, he’s beautiful.”

What do you think you have understood about the world of fashion thanks to this experience?
«I believe that at the moment even fashion is looking for stories to tell, for real characters. To then be inserted into its mechanisms, but in a coherent, not forced way. I’m happy about this too, so believe me: it’s not at all obvious to make my work noble, or let’s say cool…”.

But being a shepherd is cool today!
«Things are changing, it’s true. But 15 years ago, when I was in middle school, I suffered from this a lot. Sometimes I hid the fact that I was the son of a pastor. There were occasions when I was almost ashamed, instead of proud. This fashion service can help make this work noble today. Whose perception is already changing, as you say…”.

Did you already know at the time that you also wanted to be a pastor?
«No, I didn’t immediately understand that this would be my life. Over the years I understood that this was the job I wanted to do. Maybe changing it a little, because it’s really very sacrificing, it affects your private life, your relationships. We should be able to work with a little more comfort, to raise the quality of life a little.”

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But it already seems high to me…
«You’re right: in the summer we breathe exceptional air. I am sure that even just because of the oxygen I breathe I will live 10 years longer.”

Today, life in the countryside in contact with nature is highly sought after by those who live in the city…
«There is a lot of curiosity: there are many people who want to try, understand, see. We have many guests, who spend days with us, milking, making cheese…”.

And what are the citizens like once they arrive at the mountain pastures?
“They give you an exaggerated satisfaction: they all go home happy, this thing gratifies me a lot.”

Let’s tell the truth: even before this shooting, I noticed that you and Francesco don’t dress at all by chance. You are a bit of a mountain hut pussy.
«But no, I’m a shirt and trousers and go. But it’s true, Francesco cares more, even about typical clothing, old-fashioned clothes, waistcoats, hats… It’s true, he’s a bit obsessed with details.”

A small handbook for us citizens with countryside ambitions: how should we dress to be in nature?
«It may be obvious, but the trousers must be comfortable. You need to cover yourself well, waterproof, because a downpour can arrive at any moment. But the really fundamental thing is the boots: they make the difference.”

Do you believe that this moment of great passion and return to the values ​​of nature is a trend – and therefore fleeting – or is it an irreversible phenomenon, a direction that our society has taken definitively?
«I don’t know, but I notice that my most engaged followers are also the younger ones, in primary or middle school. They are the most convinced, most passionate ones. It means that, from here on out and for at least a generation, these themes will be perceived as important. If young people see beauty in this job, it means that this job has a future.”

But is there only beauty in your work?
“Well no. For example, we get very dirty.”

He said that somehow the level of his work should be “raised”. For example?
«We should invest in training, create schools from which qualified shepherds, cheesemakers and milkers emerge. And then we should somehow give those who do these jobs the chance to have a decent salary.”

And isn’t that so?
«It’s a very poor job. We are entrepreneurs, we have created different situations, in addition to pure sheep farming: 5 of us live in this enterprise, but because we have a refuge, a farmhouse, the experiences we offer to visitors… Today we cannot think of living simply milking the cows.”

What do your fellow pastors think of you? Prejudices, criticisms, attacks against your very innovative approach to talking about sheep farming on Instagram with Modavegia?
«When you put your face to it, like me, you always face possible jealousy or annoyance. But I must say that to date I have not received great criticism.”

Did Antonio Marras already know him before taking photos for his clothes?
«No, we met. When I learned that he is Sardinian, I asked him if he could give me some sheep’s ricotta. But the real one, from the farmer, not the one from the supermarket.”