Where a Milanese Tastemaker Eats, Shops, and Sleeps

[View in Browser]( [Elle Decor Obsessed ]( News and who’s who from the desk of ELLE DECOR editor in chief Asad Syrkett   Ciao from Italy! It’s day 3 here at Milan Design Week, which marks the rough midway point in our journey to decorating enlightenment. The installations? Big. The furniture? Covetable. The pasta? Perfect. Below is just a taste of what we’ve seen and loved in the first three days of the fair—and how the one and only David Lynch factors into it all. Also in this edition of my design week diary, I’m spotlighting an interview by our deputy editor, Sean Santiago, with Valentina Ciuffi, the cofounder of emerging-talent fair Alcova. Alcova is always a favorite stop of mine during design week, and recently Ciuffi launched an edition in Miami during Art Basel. For our April print issue, which began our slow ramp up to all things Milan Design Week coverage, Ciuffi chatted with ELLE DECOR about the things that keep her inspired and grounded at home in Milan.   [Alternate text]( [Missoni Took Over an Influencer's House]( [Alternate text]( [The Ultimate Milan Restaurant Guide]( [Alternate text]( [David Lynch Unveils Surreal Salone Installation]( [Alternate text]( //link.elledecor.com/click/35059329.103560/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWxsZWRlY29yLmNvbS9kZXNpZ24tZGVjb3JhdGUvYTYwNDY5NTUyL21vbHRlbmktZ2lvLXBvbnRpLz9zb3VyY2U9bmwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1ubF9lc3EmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZkYXRlPTA0MTcyNCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmxjMzUwNTkzMjkmdXNlcl9lbWFpbD1kN2RjNzQ1MTcyOTdiMzk3MWFhMTRkNmYzMzExMzVhMDg3OGY4ZjY0MGZhMWExMDE5ZjE1N2I2NWMxYjVkZDFk/582df2d999964a4f1b8b4594D0a054c3a[A Gio Ponti Sofa Gets a Fresh Reissue](   Valentina Ciuffi isn’t a household name, and she doesn’t need to be. She’s akin to the Lady Gaga of product design in that she courts the avant-garde with symphonic aplomb. The Milan-based creative director is the cofounder of Alcova, a show exhibiting the work of independent designers—often in derelict or abandoned urban venues. Last year’s edition, which ran concurrently with the yearly Salone del Mobile furniture fair, drew 100,000 visitors to a former slaughterhouse on the outskirts of town and culminated in an open-air rave. (Previous editions were held in a defunct military hospital and a former panettone factory.) Armed with a new online shop, Ciuffi's taste—if no less inscrutable—is now accessible worldwide. We caught up with the curator to chat about what sparks her curiosity and brings her joy, and (of course) her favorite restaurants.   1. Remulass Restaurant I’m very traditional, but I recommend //link.elledecor.com/click/35059329.103560/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZW11bGFzcy5pdC8_c291cmNlPW5sJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmxfZXNxJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmZGF0ZT0wNDE3MjQmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPW5sYzM1MDU5MzI5JnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/582df2d999964a4f1b8b4594Db029d91c[this cute Milan restaurant]( for its healthy, experimental cuisine.   2. Manlio Manganaro Wine I give natural wines as a host gift. My favorites are Sicilian, and [this]( is one of my top three.   3. Gohar Wordl Candles For entertaining, I think candles by [Laila Gohar]( are a must.   4. Palazzo Daniele A beautiful [place to stay]( by the seaside in Puglia. It’s very charming, with only a few rooms   5. Caterina Barbieri I listen to Nick Drake, Philip Glass, and [this young Italian singer]( known for her avant-garde music.   6. Justhuman Beauty Products Based in India and newly available in the United States, [this clean beauty brand]( is my go-to for personal care.   7. Ceramic and Glass Lamp I love [this collaboration]( between Jochen Holz and Attua Aparicio.   8. Fatto Bene [This online shop]( gets heritage Italian brands in front of new audiences.   Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice]( | [CA Notice at Collection]( ELLE Decor is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779