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» FOCUS<br />
<strong>Milan</strong> Fashion City<br />
The Gold Restaurant by Dolce & Gabbana<br />
<strong>Milan</strong> is home to the most famous designer brands<br />
in the world. One of its most important districts is<br />
known as the “Quadrilatero della moda” (The Fashion<br />
Quad). Together with Paris, the city hosts the most<br />
important, eagerly awaited and celebrated fashion<br />
shows on the planet. In <strong>Milan</strong>, seeing gazelle-limbed<br />
models strolling down the street, “book” in hand, is a<br />
totally commonplace occurrence.<br />
Every area of <strong>Milan</strong>ese life speaks of fashion; it is<br />
so deeply embedded in its DNA that you can start<br />
your day with brunch at Trussardi, continue with a<br />
massage at Bulgari or Moschino, decide whether<br />
to root for Armani on the basketball court or enjoy<br />
an exhibition at Fondazione Prada, dine at Dolce &<br />
Gabbana and end the evening dancing the night<br />
away at Just Cavalli. Fashion is everywhere.<br />
<strong>Milan</strong>: International capital<br />
of Fashion and Design<br />
Under the umbrella of the <strong>Milan</strong>o Fashion City brand<br />
there lies a complex project involving a full agenda of<br />
high profile events in unusual and surprising locations.<br />
The <strong>Milan</strong> Chamber of Commerce and Promos, its associate,<br />
which promotes <strong>Milan</strong> throughout the world, has created<br />
a network of links to the world of fashion involving over 45 other<br />
institutions. Following the success of its September 2010 launch,<br />
February and September 2011 have been scheduled as the next dates<br />
for international guests in <strong>Milan</strong>. www.milanofashioncity.com<br />
• Giorgio Armani,<br />
the founding father<br />
King Giorgio deserves a separate<br />
chapter on account of having<br />
transformed his space in via<br />
Manzoni, 31 (www.armaniviamanzoni31.it)<br />
into a real<br />
superstore of luxury. He owns an<br />
entire palazzo, extending over<br />
8 thousand square metres on<br />
eight floors, which houses the<br />
world according to Armani: from<br />
flowers to books, from candies to<br />
homeware. Armani also owns a<br />
restaurant, the ultra-sophisticated<br />
Japanese Armani/Nobu venue<br />
(p. 46) and a discotheque bearing<br />
the eloquent name of Armani/Privé<br />
(p. 66), obviously spilling over<br />
with VIPs and supermodels. And,<br />
if this were not enough! For the<br />
past six years, the designer has<br />
sponsored <strong>Milan</strong>’s historic basket<br />
ball team which is now called<br />
Armani Jeans Olimpia <strong>Milan</strong>o<br />
(www.olimpiamilano.com). If you’re<br />
interested in seeing the team play,<br />
its home is at the Palalido.<br />
• Designer relaxation<br />
If you feel like treating yourself<br />
to a rejuvenating body and<br />
mind experience with a beauty<br />
treatment, then <strong>Milan</strong> is the place to<br />
be. It offers a number of absolutely<br />
fantastic glam spas, among which,<br />
worth particular note are Bulgari<br />
Resort (p. 67), set within the Bulgari<br />
hotel in the heart of Brera, the Culti<br />
Spa at Maison Moschino (p. 60), also<br />
part of a theme hotel entirely given<br />
over to design.<br />
The Bulgari Resort<br />
• Feeding on fashion<br />
When it comes to restaurants, cafés<br />
and dinner clubs, you will be totally<br />
spoilt for choice. In addition to the<br />
aforementioned Armani/Nobu,<br />
you can choose Trussardi, also the<br />
owner of an entire palazzo in piazza<br />
della Scala hosting the eponymous<br />
restaurant (p. 47) and the Café<br />
Trussardi (p. 61), renowned for its<br />
aperitivo. Or, then again, there’s<br />
Gold, “the first concept restaurant<br />
by Dolce & Gabbana”, dedicated to<br />
the pleasure of the senses (www.<br />
dolcegabbana.it/gold). Conversely,<br />
you could opt to dine and dance<br />
at Just Cavalli Hollywood (p. 66), a<br />
dinner club and a world-class venue<br />
for VIP watching.<br />
The Café Trussardi<br />
• Design in all senses<br />
Although <strong>Milan</strong>’s creative<br />
reputation is usually linked to<br />
fashion, design also features big<br />
on the <strong>Milan</strong>ese scene. Almost<br />
all the most important designers<br />
have signed a home collection,<br />
every example of which can<br />
be found in <strong>Milan</strong> and many of<br />
which are gathered in the “design<br />
supermarket” of La Rinascente (p.<br />
27): from Versace with its interior<br />
design to Missoni renowed for<br />
its wonderful carpets right up<br />
to Valentino who signs priceless<br />
flatware and Etro who plays<br />
with colours.<br />
• Handing down<br />
the tradition of beauty<br />
Modern patrons of the arts, many<br />
designers support and sponsor<br />
young emerging talents and<br />
cultural initiatives of all types.<br />
One in particular is the<br />
Fondazione Prada (p. 74) which,<br />
since 1993, has regularly hosted<br />
important contemporary<br />
art exhibitions.<br />
www.wheretraveler.com
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