Travel & Hotspots

MAY’S MILAN DIARY

Day 1

The suitcase opened and closed again, because I was doing a weekend in Groenlo. It took some getting used to after New York, but oh so fun and how beautiful the Netherlands is. I especially realized this when my Google Maps decided to guide me back to Amsterdam via back roads and I had cramps in my right buttock from pressing the gas, but still. It was beautiful. After Groenlo, the suitcase opened again to be emptied and filled. Sweatpants out, super tight and super cool Goosecraft jeans in. And a few more things. Because it’s Milan Fashion Week and that means packing to unpack.

At the invitation of Patrizia Pepe, I am in Milan and you should know that Patrizia Pepe has been one of my favorite brands for years. Everyone who knows me a little knows that this is true. I am in love with her lambs, her jackets with a twist, her blouses that secretly double as bodystockings and therefore never peek out of your pants, her woolen dresses with bat sleeves and her pleated skirts. Really, go through my closets (from the past fifteen years) and you will see an overrepresentation of Patrizia.

Lunching at Corso Como 10 is part of the Milan initiation

The hostess is therefore quite alright and the company too. The shopping editor of ELLE, the lovely PR lady Lucie and Paulijn, one of the driving forces behind L’Officiel. Now it turns out that my company is not so Milan-minded. Or maybe they are Milan-minded, but they haven’t been there that often, so I actually turn into a city guide.

Lunching at Corso Como 10 is part of the Milan initiation, so off we go. Moreover, I have a very dear memory of this place. We share antipasti, watch Carla Sozzani (owner of the store and sister of Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia) who happily joins her guests and listen to a classical combo playing some opera evergreens in the garden.

Colin Farrell walks in for a moment (followed by a swarm of groupies) and we look at all the over-dressed types. No matter how loudly he calls my name, I turn left towards the hotel instead of straight ahead towards the center, because the laptop calls just a bit louder. Work comes before the girl, even when the girl

is in Milan.

Colin Farrell walks in for a moment (followed by a swarm of groupies)

After an hour of typing, we head to hotel Iyo. A trendy Japanese restaurant with a Michelin star that has been renovated and where you have to reserve five months in advance. So here we are with two long tables of international press. There is wine, there is sushi, and there are the nicest Italian women. We laugh, talk about life and about Brad and Angelina and how it all came to be, and of course about clothing. Today we are going to interview Patrizia and we have been given a discount card for the store, so I think I will expand my collection a bit today...