Issue 01
GIULIA
ZECCHINI
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY MAIDMENT
WORDS BY VICTORIA McINTYRE
MAKE-UP & HAIR BY HANNAH SORCHA
Giulia played pro basketball in her home country of Italy before coming to the UK to study and launch her fire career in the sports industry. She’s worked in analysis and business intelligence for Nielsen Sports and Formula 1, and is now Commercial Strategy Lead for e-sports giant FACEIT.
Along the way, she’s co-founded Sneaker Sisterhood, a community of women celebrating sneaker culture around the globe. She’s still a baller, immersed in the basketball world, and interviews the stars of the FIBA Euro League Women’s for their social channels.
Giulia talks to us about the power of women, community, and authentic representation within big brands and their campaigns.
Giulia, tell us about where and when you fell in love with basketball?
​
I was born in Milan. I studied at a British school there - my parents decided that they wanted to give me more opportunity in life and learning another language would be the way to give me that. I got into basketball from quite a young age. My dad used to play pro in Italy and although he never pushed me into it, when I was 11 years old, I got scouted for one of the Milan teams. I played pro back home in Italy in Serie B.
​
​
How did you find the experience of moving to a different country as an 18-year-old?
​
Initially it was a big culture shock. I actually really struggled during my first year in the UK. It was very different in a number of different ways, from entertainment, drinking culture, food culture and also personal relationships I thought were quite different here. It was quite tough initially to build a community. It’s a very different basketball culture here but basketball has always been my constant wherever I’ve gone. Every time I’ve moved, I’ve joined a basketball team so that’s been the one constant that has always given me a community.
Read Giulia's full interview in Issue 01 of Club71