Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova

How do you bring a legendary brand back from the dead?

When Delphine Bellini joined Schiaparelli in 2014, the fashion house had been dormant for over 60 years. There were no customers, no modern business, and no blueprint for success—just the legacy of one of fashion's most visionary founders. A decade later, Schiaparelli has become one of the most influential and talked-about brands in luxury fashion.

In this conversation, Delphine shares with Maria what it actually took to pull off that transformation: convincing people to believe in a vision before the results existed, partnering with creative director Daniel Roseberry to redefine the house for a new generation, and resisting the pressure for quick wins in favor of building something exceptional.

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00:00 Intro: The unexpected journey to leadership
00:01:48 Dressing superstars: The experience behind the Golden Globes
00:03:00 Balancing legacy and the future of Schiaparelli
00:05:13 Elsa Schiaparelli’s avant-garde history and influence
00:06:23 Defining the brand identity without traditional logos
00:08:08 The collaborative design process: Creating "selfish details"
00:10:35 Building a dormant brand: The conviction to take time
00:13:28 Applying lessons from luxury cruises to haute couture
00:15:20 Performance, struggle, and the athlete-creative connection
00:16:33 Leading young talent through passion
00:17:35 The leader as a facilitator: Navigating collective roles
00:19:10 Discovering Daniel Roseberry’s creative vision
00:20:45 Aligning creative magic with business needs
00:22:27 The psychology of the showroom experience
00:23:55 Why Schiaparelli shows are deeply emotional
00:25:00 The CEO's role behind the scenes of a runway show
00:26:27 Managing controversy: The lion head show and beyond
00:28:35 Future expansion: Ready-to-wear, fragrance, and exclusivity
00:32:38 Maintaining personal balance, discipline, and routines
00:35:10 Lightning Round: Unlearning, perfectionism, and confidence
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As the Managing Director of F1 Academy, Susie Wolff is helping reshape the future of motorsport. Susie joins Maria to discuss navigating the high-stakes negotiations, the pressure of maximizing growth while F1 Racing is having its moment, and what its like holding her ground in rooms where she's often the only woman at the table.

Susie opens up about racing through injury, the power of saying no, and getting tough love from her husband, racing legend Toto Wolff.

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00 Introduction: Resilience in Business and Sports


02:00 Defining Calculated Risks


04:55 Childhood Influence: Equal Opportunity and Drive


06:50 The Reality of Racing: Noise, Gender, and Performance


10:07 Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable


12:20 Navigating Career Setbacks and Injury


18:15 The Intuition Behind Career Pivots


21:30 Ambition, Motherhood, and Identity


24:25 The Power of Saying "No"


27:00 Life After Retirement: Self-Discovery


32:00 Challenging Perceptions: Femininity and the "Pink Car"


35:30 The Future of Women in F1


38:30 Taking the Helm at F1 Academy


43:10 The Strength in Asking for Help


46:30 Breaking Barriers in the Workplace


49:25 Working with Toto: Directness, Honesty, and Partnership


54:30 Raising a Son in the Motorsport World


57:20 What’s Next for Susie Wolff


58:15 Pretty Tough Tips: Resilience


1:01:15 Rapid Fire: Unlearning Selfishness and Finding Confidence

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Legendary ballerina Misty Copeland pulls back the curtain on the most pivotal moments of her career. From performing on the Oscars stage alongside the cast of Sinners—and addressing Timothée Chalamet’s infamous comments—to the unique experience of collaborating with icons like Prince and Taylor Swift, Misty shares it all.

Misty and Maria also dive into the reality of performing through injury: the physical toll, the mental resilience required to keep going, and what these challenges taught her about her body and its limits. Misty Copeland is the true embodiment of Pretty Tough.

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00:00 – Intro: The Evolving Athlete


00:02:15 – Finding Her Voice: Overcoming "Little Mouse"


00:07:30 – Survival Mode to Artistic Passion


00:09:30 – The First Ballet Class: From Basketball Court to Prodigy


00:13:45 – The Studio as a Sanctuary


00:14:15 – Stage Presence vs. Public Speaking Nerves


00:19:30 – The Power of Consistency in Performance


00:22:00 – Dancing Through Pain: The 2012 Firebird Season


00:27:15 – A Career-Ending Injury and the Road to Recovery


00:29:45 – Redefining the Relationship to Pain


00:32:00 – Lifelong Learning: Evolving Technique Post-Principal


00:33:45 – Art vs. Sport: Why Ballet is Subjective


00:36:00 – Breaking the Curtain: The Role of Social Media


00:39:00 – The Farewell Performance: A Thank You to the Journey


00:42:30 – The Prince Connection: Lessons in Identity and Excellence


00:47:00 – Returning to the Stage: The Oscars and Sinners


00:51:30 – Collaborating with Taylor Swift


00:53:00 – Addressing the Timothée Chalamet Comments


00:56:45 – Future of Dance: Production and Storytelling


00:59:45 – Closing the Financial Gap in Arts Education


01:01:15 – The Misty Copeland Foundation’s Mission


01:03:30 – Parenting and Letting Go of Control


01:09:15 – Strategic Partnerships and Protecting the Brand


01:14:00 – Life After Ballet: Defining a New Identity


01:15:30 – Rapid Fire: Unlearning Pain and Defining Toughness

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What does it take to manage the finances of the world’s most powerful sports league? In this episode, Maria sits down with Christine Dorfler, the CFO of the NFL, for an unfiltered look at the business behind the game.

From her journey as an Army Captain to navigating the complex financial landscape of the NFL, Christine shares the leadership lessons and high-stakes decision-making that keep the league growing. We dive into the "Billion-Dollar" choices that impact everything from international expansion to the game-day experience. And of course ‘The Taylor Swift Effect.’

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00:00 – The Power of Confidence and Humility


00:02:00 – Learning to Lose: Lessons from Sports


00:03:45 – Leadership Lessons from the Army


00:06:00 – Taking a Big Promotion During Maternity Leave


00:09:40 – The Art of Saying "No" in Finance


00:10:45 – Moving into the Sports Industry


00:12:30 – Advice for Young, Ambitious Professionals


00:14:30 – Transitioning to the NFL


00:15:30 – Roger Goodell’s Leadership Style


00:18:00 – The "Taylor Swift Effect" on NFL Viewership


00:20:45 – Growing Girls’ Flag Football


00:22:45 – Mastering the Art of Negotiation


00:24:45 – Reflecting on the NFL-ESPN Media Deal


00:29:45 – Sports Betting and Protecting Game Integrity


00:33:45 – Global Expansion and New International Markets


00:38:15 – Evolving Fan Consumption Habits


00:41:00 – Lightning Round: Routine, Perfection, and Resilience

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This week on the show, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest Amy Astley reflects on her path from aspiring ballerina to journalist to leading some of the most influential publications in fashion and design, including Architectural Digest and Teen Vogue. She opens up working alongside Anna Wintour, navigating high-pressure creative environments, learning to trust her instincts, and her thoughts on what it truly means to be a “taste maker.”

Together, Maria and Amy talk about perfectionism, ambition, mentorship, self-doubt, and the pressure women often feel to prove themselves in leadership roles. They also discuss taste, storytelling, social media, creative risk-taking, and why curiosity may be the most important skill of all.

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

⁠⁠Listen to every episode on your favorite podcast platform⁠⁠

⁠⁠Follow Maria on Instagram ⁠⁠

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00:00:00 Intro: Redefining Taste in a Borderless World


00:02:18 The "Dutiful Daughter" Archetype in Business


00:04:00 Ballet Beginnings: Learning Discipline and Letting Go


00:08:24 Career Lessons from Anna Wintour


00:10:04 The Power of Saying "Yes" and Taking Opportunities


00:12:44 Transforming Architectural Digest


00:14:14 The Mission Behind Teen Vogue


00:17:15 The Strategy Behind Magazine Covers


00:23:18 The Digital Evolution of Legacy Media


00:28:48 Pretty Tough Tips: Visualization for Success


00:33:55 The "Open Door" Series: Connecting Through Content


00:43:24 Facing the Future: AI in Publishing


00:51:57 Moving Beyond the "Tastemaker" Label


00:55:00 Integrating Personal Life and Professional Practice


01:00:17 NYC Design Recommendations


01:04:12 Pretty Tough Questions: Lessons, Routines, and Perfectionism

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