Fashion redesigns Milan

Milan is undergoing a transformation in terms of fashion. New neighborhoods, such as Scalo di Porta Romana, are witnessing the redevelopment of brownfield sites with the participation of major players like Lvmh, Moncler, Jil Sander, and Golden Goose. And, there is more. Diego Della Valle recently called on the international business community to «come to Italy to contribute to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage». As part of this initiative, Tod’s group will finance the restoration of Palazzo Marino (see MFF of November 25). «The project requires an initial investment of 2.5 million euros. We will evaluate if additional steps are necessary during the process». The project is expected to start as soon as possible and should take 16 months to complete. In April, the City council of Milan published a call for bids to find a private partner to support the restoration. The Marche-based group was awarded the project following the work of the tender committee. This project marks a new phase of investment in the fashion industry in the city.

Gucci is also targeting Milan through various initiatives aligned with the city’s ruling junta. The brand is sponsoring the Christmas tree in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (see MFF of December 6), previously sponsored by Swarovski, and several Christmas illuminations in the Corvetto district, including Viale Enrico Martini, Via Mompiani, Via dei Panigarola, via dei Cinquecento, and the facades of three schools in the area. «The success of the Galleria indicates Milan’s prosperity. The tree is here, but you contribute to illuminate one kilometer of streets in the Corvetto district and to this community», Mayor Beppe Sala commented on stage. «I thank the city and municipality for the opportunity. I am pleased to express this in Italian, a language I am still studying», Jean-François Palus said during his first public appearance as the new ceo of the brand. Palus was appointed as president and ceo of Gucci in July and began his role in October 2023 (see MFF of July 18).

However, Tod’s and Gucci are not the only companies involved in patronage work in the city. Another prominent location in the city, close to Palazzo Marino, is Piazza Duomo, which will be redesigned by Zegna. Over the next three years, the Group (see MFF of November 25) will oversee the renovation and upkeep of the flowerbeds of Milan’s most iconic square. The City of Milan will officially receive the flowerbed during the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024, replacing the heavily judged palm and banana trees previously sponsored by Starbucks. The city aims to beautify its surroundings while promoting biodiversity and ecosystem preservation. This project is inspired by the Oasi Zegna in the Biellese Alps of Piedmont, which was created by Ermenegildo Zegna in the early 20th century. The planting is the first phase of a larger project that will introduce new green spaces worldwide.

In short, these initiatives from top brands are different but all share the common goal of «giving back» to the city. Urban transformation is ongoing in brownfield areas and even in the historic center. «This is a concrete form of civic participation that is based on the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to support projects that improve the quality of life for citizens. Businesses should support useful and supportive projects», Diego Della Valle reminded MFF during the announcement of the restoration of a 16th-century building designed by architect Galeazzo Alessi. The building has been the seat of Milan’s Administration since 1861. «We are happy to support Milan by doing something concrete, after having supported La Scala and the restoration of the Colosseum», Diego Della Valle explained at a press conference held at the headquarters on Corso Venezia in Milan.

Brands like Moncler, Marni, Lvmh Beauty, Golden Goose, Jil Sander, and Prada Foundation are targeting the Olympic Village

The location will be similar to the Tortona area in the late 1920s. Within a vast urban renewal program, luxury brand headquarters will relocate to the Scalo di Porta Romana. The area around Via Ripamonti, south of Milan, is currently undergoing transformation into a fashion hub. This area will also house the future Olympic Village for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and it already hosts the Fondazione Prada (open since 2015, ed.). Moncler, currently located on Via Stendhal, will relocate its headquarters, which will house the fashion house’s offices. The structure will reunite the brand’s three current headquarters into a single 38,000 square meter space. The agreement with Covivio, the primary developer of the district, will last for 15 years. Remo Ruffini invests in the district, but Renzo Rosso will not be left behind. The area will also house the headquarters of Jil Sander and Marni, which will be relocated to the former industrial site of the Boehringer pharmaceutical Group on Via Lorenzini within three years. This project was made possible by an agreement between Coima, the property owner, and Red Circle, the real estate investment company of Renzo Rosso, the owner of the OTB Group. The redevelopment works, which has already begun on many sites, are expected to be completed between the end of 2024 and 2025. The project involves a total of about 20,000 square meters, which will be partly allocated to the two brands.

Lvmh beauty already opened its headquarters in the same area. After 20 years in different locations, the company has moved to two floors of the new Milan complex. Lvmh Italia signed a 10-year lease agreement with real estate company Covivio for two floors of office space, along with large terraces, in Symbiosis Building D. The spaces are divided into large common areas that foster the Group’s culture and rooms dedicated to individual brands, including Christian Dior Parfums, Givenchy, Guerlain, and other emerging brands with strong potential, such as Benefit Cosmetics and Make Up For Ever. The headquarters, spanning 4,000 square meters and designed by Prisma features, includes a garden terrace of nearly 2,000 square meters to foster creativity in harmony with nature. The Golden Goose headquarters has opened in the area. The project was designed by the company’s in-house architects and ML-Architettura firm and is located in two old industrial warehouses. The new headquarters consists of two black parallelepipeds that intersect each other. The larger building has three levels and a floor area of 3,670 square meters, housing the offices, while the smaller building, with a floor area of 1,000 square meters, houses the showroom.

From Kering to Dolce&Gabbana beauty, major brands are opening new headquarters in the city center

If, on the one hand, the fashion industry funds restorations and projects for public spaces, on the other hand, the need for representative spaces and headquarters for style offices and showrooms increases interest in the real estate industry, transforming entire districts and creating new ones. Dolce&Gabbana has inaugurated the headquarters of its beauty division located in a newly renovated area on Via Kramer, next to the church. The design project is particularly successful, with a monumental entrance through a long portico, culminating in a statue from the Duomo spires that has been restored by the Maison. Bottega Veneta has decided to focus on Milan, opening its new headquarters in the Italian fashion capital. The project is already underway, and the chosen location is Palazzo San Fedele, located just a few steps away from the Duomo. This historic building, which was the center of the city’s culture during the late 19th century and a business hub, is known to have previously housed the Manzoni Theater and the headquarters of BNL and BNP Paribas.

Today, however, the 10,000-square-meter building has been assigned to Studio Asti Architetti to be completely redesigned and adjusted to the needs of the brand. Kering, the giant that owns the fashion house, opened its new 9,500-square-meter headquarters between Via della Spiga and Via Senato last spring, following the 16-hectare logistic hub in Trecate. «We are investing in Italy with Kering», François-Henri Pinault explained. «Of our 47,000 employees that work for us worldwide, more than 13,000 work in Italy», the ceo  of the luxury giant underlined, which generates a revenue of over 20 billion euros. The new headquarters is located in the area of the former Palazzo Pertusati Gropallo, which was designed in the 18th century by architect Simone Cantoni and is considered a model of neoclassical style. The 26,000-square-meter building at 33 Via Moscova now houses Loro Piana’s new headquarters, which has rented approximately 75% of the space. Moreover, Kering finalized a lease for an entire floor that will house Pomellato’s offices. At the same time, Loro Piana rented the fourth floor of the building, expanding its presence. However, the establishment of prestigious headquarters does not stop there. According to MFF, other major changes in the Tortona area will occur soon. (All rights reserved)