Sabrina Carpenter channels Bardot in Vogue Italia shoot, opens up about fame and staying grounded

Sabrina Carpenter has unveiled a Brigitte Bardot-inspired shoot for Vogue Italia, captured by Steven Meisel for the magazine's latest issue. The 26-year-old singer appears in a look designed to echo a classic blonde bombshell, with Carpenter saying she was excited by the sexy Bardot direction and embraced it as she navigates a period of growth in her career.

On set, Carpenter said the direction shifted from a natural look to something more dramatic. 'Initially, I think they told me they wanted to go very natural,' she told Vogue Italia. 'And then I got there and I had a smoky eye on, I had big hair, and I was like, you know what? This is the way I want to be at this time in my life.' The shoot, she said, drew on '60s glamour and a black-and-white mood, with inspiration from German fashion of the era. 'It looked kind of glamour and '60s and black-and-white and really elegant and moody and Brigitte Bardot and very sexy and so it seems quite exciting to me,' she added. The pose work proved demanding. 'I felt like I was bending like a pretzel all day but it was really fun and special,' she recalled. She noted she was drawn to the era's cuts and silhouettes, which she says make her feel confident in her own skin.

In the interview, Carpenter shifted to the broader topic of fame. 'I feel like I'm constantly changing as a person... what I feel today will be very different in a month,' she said, adding that what she creates is 'made for this moment.' She described humor as a coping mechanism that has long served as a shield against the pressures of stardom: 'All my life, I thought that humor was just that. Besides saving me, this kind of wit was a filter that ensured my protection for the future.' The singer also credited her support system—family, friends, and her team—for keeping her grounded in a world where the public eye can be unforgiving. 'They're ready and available every day, and I love them deeply for that,' she said, noting that her fans have been central to her career's evolution over the past decade. The Vogue Italia piece comes as Carpenter has been active on tour and recently appeared at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

Carpenter also discussed how she approaches performance and connection with audiences. She said her stage presence can feel like playing a character, but in conversations with fans she speaks honestly about her daily life and emotions. She highlighted journaling as part of a phase of reflection: she is spending more time at home writing and shaping projects with intention, even as she continues to work on new music recorded in quick succession. She said she prefers to create at home, in her bedroom or outside, even if insects occasionally interrupt the process, and that a walk outside helps her reset. Looking ahead, she said her aim is to pursue work that feels authentic and energizes those around her, while continuing to lean on a devoted fan base in her ongoing journey through the music industry.