Lukullus on Chmielna

July 16, 2016July 16, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

While Paris was all about haute couture, I spent my last week in Warsaw, discovering the city’s most outstanding spots together with my friends. As you might already know (and if you’ve read this one), I’m obsessed with Lukullus, a patisserie which was founded in 1946. The family business survived hard, socialist and early capitalist eras which severely affected Poland and after many years of renovations and rebranding, the brand expanded and opened a number of spots – and the one on Chmielna is Lukullus’ freshest addition. I can honestly say it’s my favourite one. Designed by Jan Strumiłło, acknowledged Polish architect, it fluently fuses the historic past with Warsaw’s modernity. Inspired with the neighbouring cinema Atlantic, Jan aimed to reference the old-school glamour with curvy neon on the entrance. Eclectic tiles match the bold, printed cushions, and a variety of flea-market finds from the 60s work perfectly with elegant, marble coffee-tables. But that’s not it – the ‘eating’ space makes you gasp with its beautifully preserved wooden mural, depicting a rural scene. Of course, describing a Lukullus patisserie can’t be done without mentioning the sweet part. Just like in all other locations, Chmielna offers the house’s classics – donuts filled with home-made jam, vanilla croissants, limoncello meringue or exotic mango cake. And many, many more delights… I need to stop, because I’m already drooling over the memory of those tastes!

Chmielna 32 / Warsaw

The Store Berlin

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Store is an ever-changing space created to inspire, create, work and enjoy – and most of all, to shake-up the stereotype of how a fashion retail place should look like. Located in the über-cool Soho Haus Berlin hotel, The Store makes you feel like at home, with its beautifully curated furniture (from chic Pierre Jeanneret seats to Mathieu Matégot heart shaped-patio set) and a connoisseur-level book selection, coming straight from London’s cult Idea Books. Moreover, The Store is Berlin‘s hottest fashion destination right now, with heaving hangers of Vetements, The Row and Loewe. The shelf with classic vinyls and a lovely corner with freshly-cut flowers is at the entrance, while the bar, which serves organic salads and other seasonal goods, will keep you here for a longer time… so just sit on one of the velvet armchairs, take a sip of your coffee and try on these Vetements boots with a cigarette-lighter heel!

Torstraße 1 / Berlin

There is a Comme des Garçons display of autumn-winter 2016 collection right now, too!

Café Marchesi

February 7, 2016July 27, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Let’s praise Miuccia Prada not only for her reality-subverting fashion at Prada and MiuMiu, famous Prada Marfa installation, mind-blowing creation of FondazionePrada, but also for Cafe Marchesi, the newest addition to the visionnaire’s portfolio. Located on Via Montenapoleone, the chicest street of Milan, Miuccia revived the iconic PaticcerieMarchesi into a must-visit spot of every fashion person who is in hurry for the next show. The roots of PasticceriaMarchesi begin in 1824, when a small pastry shop opened inside an elegant 18th century building. The shop quietly evolved in the 1900s when Angelo Marchesi expanded its services to a coffee bar, early evening cocktails and freshly baked pastries, cakes, cookies and candies. The main, sweet aim of this place is still the same – but after the re-opening in 2015, the industry got crowded in here, seeing the Miuccia-selected pastel green silks as wall tapestries and Wes-Anderson-like colour palette delights. If talking of their goods, I confess – I have never, ever eaten a better marzipan cake with strawberries. Additionally, Marchesi is already a sentimental place for me – it’s the place were I had a love affair with coffee. The Marocchino rules.

Via Montenapoleone 9 / Milan

All photographs courtesy of Design & Culture by Ed

Maison Borella

February 3, 2016February 3, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

During my recent trip to Milan for the pre-fall 2016 re-sees, I’ve stayed at the Maison Borella. This hotel literally makes you feel like at home. The cozy atmosphere of the Naviglio Grande district is already close to my heart – and when I saw the peaceful, all-green patio, I felt instantly that this is my favourite hotel in Milan from all I’ve been to. In a former balustrade townhouse, Maison Borella is kept in a stylish, Italian manner – eclectic lobby filled with beautiful flea-market finds and charming, minimally furnished rooms with original wooden ceilings have this modern “vintage” aesthetic I love so much. In fact, I would love to live in a place like this, having a wonderful view on the patio every morning…

Alzaia Naviglio Grande 8 / Milano

Photographs courtesy of Design & Culture by Ed

First Dibs – Paula Cademartori SS16 Accessories

October 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Who doesn’t know Paula Cademartori, needs to quickly look her up and keep on the fashion radar! The success of Paula Cademartori‘s accessory line is based on an aesthetic vision focused on intense care for details, combined with the determination to carry out production in Italy. Each bag is conceived as a design object to own and love. The precious seal of each model is a metal buckle, personally designed by Paula supported by her background in jewellery and industrial design. Her new SS16 collection that was presented in Milan a few weeks ago tells one, major thing – fringes and colours will storm the streets next summer… in both, handbags and shoes!