As the fashion centre of Italy, Milan is one of the most important fashion capitals in the world. During Fashion Week, the spectacles here don't just take place on the catwalks - the entire city practically turns into a catwalk and swarms with influential people from the fashion world. Ruby Wallen, Commercial Director of the Austrian label Published By, reveals her favourite addresses in the fashion city of Milan.
Mit seinen kunstvollen Accessoires – allen voran den verchromten Taschen in einzigartigen Formen – hat sich das österreichische Label Published By innerhalb kürzester Zeit international einen Namen gemacht. Auch Stars wie Dua Lipa und Kylie Minogue lieben die tragbaren Kunstwerke des jungen Labels, das dabei ist, die Modewelt im Sturm zu erobern. Die kreativen Köpfe hinter der Marke, die zwischen Wien und Mailand pendeln, wissen, wo die Fashion Crowd abseits der Laufstege und After Parties anzutreffen ist.
Name: Ruby Wallen
Occupation: Commercial Director von Published By
Lives in: Wien und Mailand
Web: published-by.com
You're originally from New Zealand, your partner, Christoph Tsetinis (the Creative Director of Published By) is a native Austrian - what brought you to Milan?
As much as we love Vienna, it is set up too small in terms of fashion. Since we are often in Milan for work anyway and feel very comfortable in the city, we decided to establish a second residence there.
As an Italian fashion metropolis, the city has a lot to offer - how do you spend your free time there?
Milan is so diverse, there's always something new to discover. From fabulous concept stores to breathtaking museums, we love to be inspired by the city. Besides fashion, we both share one passion above all: good food! And there's plenty of it in Milan.
How do you typically start the day in Milan?
My day invariably starts with coffee, preferably at Orsonero. The design of the coffee shop is simply stunning and they have the best flat white with oat milk in town. On free mornings I like to treat myself to a visit to Cortinovis, which is not super centrally located, but the coffee and the Dolci are all the better.
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Where do you typically meet the fashion crowd during Fashion Week?
An absolute hotspot is 10 Corso Como, the first concept store in the world. It belongs to the sister of Franca Sozzani, former editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia. The fashion crowd regularly comes here to shop, but also to enjoy a coffee or aperitivi. One of our favourite restaurants is Since Giacomo, an elegant trattoria with typical Italian cuisine. The food is fantastic and you regularly meet famous guests. Last time we sat across from supermodel Emily Ratajkowski; Kim Kardashian was there a few days before us.
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Which hotels can you particularly recommend?
I am a big fan of the chic boutique hotel Aethos in the centre of the city. The interiors really remind me of Vienna and there is always something going on in the surrounding Navigli district. We also always like to recommend the Room Mate Guilia to friends. The design is incredibly cool, very colourful and retro, with great suites. We also like the Senato Hotel a lot. It is especially popular with the fashion crowd because of its elegant style. It's very reminiscent of the Art Deco revival of the 80s, with black and white lines and lots of brass accents.
Where do you go with friends who are visiting the city?
The Langosteria Café is always a highlight. The ambiance is super stylish and they have the best seafood in Milan. The spicy squid ink spaghetti here is the best pasta I've ever had. For relaxed evenings we like to go to La Gioia. The Cacio e Pepe is indescribable and is prepared directly at the table in the cheese wheel. For dessert, you have to try the homemade tiramisu, topped with hazelnut sauce - simply delicious! Another must is Nebbia , which has the vibe of a modern wine bar and features very creative dishes.
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You're also very style-conscious yourself - where do you prefer to shop in Milan?
Besides 10 Como Corso, I like to go to Modes, a great boutique that carries Balenciaga and Jacquemus, among others. For cool pieces from contemporary young designers, I prefer to shop at Hitchhiker, a very creative concept store. Here you can also find bags and jewelry from Published By.
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Related: Are these the 10 best hotels in Milan?
