The Muse Bee: Benedetta Paravia

Returning for her second coveted Victor cover, Benedetta Paravia —the inimitable Princess Bee—has evolved from a captivating personality into a global brand. Flitting between the timeless elegance of Italy and the futuristic ambition of the UAE, she has built an empire at the intersection of style, business, and philanthropy. We sat down with her to discuss her journey, her passions, and what it means to call two such different worlds ‘home.’

1. Benedetta, welcome back to Victor. What does it mean to you to be on your second cover, and how do you feel you and your brand have evolved since the first time?

Being on my second Victor cover feels like a full-circle moment — as if the universe wanted to say, “Yes, you’ve grown, now celebrate” When I first appeared on these pages, Princess Bee was already a buzz since 2005 continuously, a living, breathing bridge between Italy and the Emirates.

Since then, my world has deepened: I’ve structured my purposes and expanded my wings into the cinema world, not only art, education, cultural diplomacy and philanthropy. I finally started to write movie scripts, sold 6 of them to American producers as ghost-writer and now focusing on producing my first movie based on a story that Dubai has contributed to bring to life. It took me 5 years to develop the script and understand the direction to take for the production of this movie.

2. “Princess Bee” is a name that conveys both royalty and a sense of busy, productive energy. How did you come to be known by this name, and how does the public persona of “Princess Bee” differ from the private Benedetta?

“Princess Bee” was never a title I chose — it found me. Someone in L.A. once told me, “Your grandmother was a princess, so you are one too: Princess B.” The name stayed, but I made it my own: I added two “e” after the B for grace and industriousness. The bee — tireless, creative, collective, generous, conscious.

The public sees Princess Bee — radiant, disciplined, always moving between Rome and Dubai. But behind her stands Benedetta: the girl from Salerno who wrote poems at eight and gave one to Pope John Paul II; an uncorrupted soul who still finds strength and faith in a world where people with no background and story fake up their reality and surge to popularity. Princess Bee is the performance — Benedetta is the prayer. One feeds the world, the other feeds the souls.

3. You’ve built a remarkable life that blends business, fashion, and influence. At this point in your journey, how do you personally define success?

Success, to me, is not a destination but a vibration. It’s being happy, in peace with your heart and grateful to God, when you uplifts others, open new doors, or heal someone from something invisible or from a sickness. I took care of many children who could have literally died without my help, I have positively impacted their families and their communities. I offered them a future

In my early years, I equated success with recognition. Now, I measure it by impact, results and peace of mind. If I can go to bed knowing that I’ve created beauty with purpose — that I’ve turned influence into influence for good — then I am rich beyond numbers.

4. Your work spans fashion, beauty, event curation, and more. What is the central thread or philosophy that ties all your ventures together?

Every project I create — whether a fashion line, a festival, or a humanitarian campaign — is guided by one simple equation: Be Real, help, support, Bridge, Inspire, Elevate.

I build bridges between cultures, I tell stories that inspire compassion, and I strive to elevate the collective standard of what it means to lead. With A.N.G.E.L.S. – National Association of Great Energies Leading Solidarity I develop, from A to Z, humanitarian projects that matter for the communities they refer to Last year, with the support of the Italian Government, I was able to bring almost the entire family of one of my patients, Intisar almshallah, from Gaza to Rome and they are now political refugees in italy, studying for free, having an house surrounded by greens and a monthly financial support for their family expenses. Intisar is now a 20 years old girl who wants to study medicine. I made her exit Gaza first time when she was 5 years old with a massive liver cancer: she had a transplant, got sick again on the new liver, had another surgery for removal, after 2 years another long surgery of 14 hours when she was only 32 kg, then I fixed also her left  feet with another surgery as she was born with malformation… well If I had listened to the doctors, according to them she wouldn’t have made it through the very first surgery, and they had advised me not to persist with the treatments. But I didn’t listen to them — every time they doubted her chances of survival, I insisted that she be operated on. And I made it, she made it — her victory is also mine. Last year, before the closing of Rafah, I cleared the Hala fees for the exit of 12 people, mostly women with new baby born.

5. Creative Fuel: Where do you find the inspiration for your projects? Are there specific places, eras, or people that consistently ignite your creativity?

Honestly, all the energy for what I do comes from within. I have a soul, a sparkling spirit — that’s what keeps me grounded and joyful. Every morning I wake up in a good mood, feeling grateful for the day ahead. I truly believe that today is always better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today. Yet, throughout my life, I’ve experienced moments of extraordinary intensity and happiness — glimpses of what I like to call earthly eternity. Those moments were truly exceptional, but they never stopped me from believing that the best is still to come.

6. The Business of Being Bee: Many see the glamorous side, but what has been the most challenging aspect of building your brand into a sustainable business?

The glamorous part is easy to photograph — but building a legacy that lasts is a marathon of integrity.

People think the hardest part for me has been scaling up without losing my essence, but for me this was just very natural: in a very early stage I have decided to always speak the truth to the media since the truth was far beyond the imagination. The hardest part for me was resisting the disgust provoked by people’s selfishness, greed, malevolent ignorance, and by the inflated egos of certain individuals devoid of any true substance.

7. Future Ventures: Can you give us a hint about any new projects or ventures you are particularly excited about for the coming year?

I’m always creating something that merges art, purpose, and education. This year, my focus turns toward cinema — I’m developing a film about a historic queen, a woman who redefined leadership with courage and tenderness. I strongly believe in the guidance of God and the universe. Since I’ve learned to worry less and to simply let things flow, I’ve realized that many so-called coincidences were, in fact, fortunate moments of destiny. Reconnecting with a talented Italian director and producer based in New York — with whom I had already collaborated in the past — has confirmed this feeling. Over the years, she has mastered direction and production, also thanks to new technologies. It made me understand that not being supported by my own producer friends in Hollywood to realize this film — because, truth be told, they wanted to take over the script, the story, and the rights — was actually part of destiny. I now know I should never worry about the divine plan.

8. Dual Homelands: You split a significant amount of your time between Italy and the UAE. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from the Italian dolce vita way of life, and what is the most valuable lesson from the dynamic, ambitious spirit of the Emirates?

Italy taught me how to feel, the UAE taught me how to fly. From Italy, I’ve learned that life’s beauty lies in its pauses — the art of the long lunch, the elegance of understatement, the poetry of imperfection. From the Emirates, I’ve learned that dreams demand action — that vision, when nurtured with discipline and faith, can move mountains (and build cities).

One taught me grace, the other taught me greatness. I could never choose between them — they coexist within me like two heartbeats.

9. Staying Grounded: With a life that seems so fast-paced and public, what are the essential rituals or practices that help you stay centered and grounded?

I don’t have routines, I have rituals — deeply personal ones. I can pray anywhere, in any circumstance — whether in a mosque, a synagogue, or a church. To me, God is one, and I feel His presence within me. I feel that I am part of His whole.

There are gestures of the soul that keep me grounded by nature. For instance, whenever I leave a place — a hotel, a friend’s home, or a house by the sea — I thank it. I’ve done this since I was a child: I greet the spaces that have welcomed me, as if they were living beings, as if every place carried its own spirit. I treat locations as part of a greater mystery, as though they, too, were people.

10. A Message to Your Younger Self: If you could go back and give one piece of advice to the young Benedetta just starting out, what would it be?

Dear little Benedetta, don’t be afraid to show your sweetness and your most fragile side. Don’t feel the need to challenge others, and don’t put on armor to protect yourself. You are a woman — you don’t have to hold a sword all the time, you don’t have to fight constantly. And don’t only believe in the hereafter; believe that in this life, there are people who can truly understand you, deeply and completely to come.